Chamber preparing for Fall Festival

Time is running out for would-be vendors to submit their applications for next month’s annual Pahrump Fall Festival at Petrack Park.

More than 20 area bands are scheduled to perform at the three-day affair from Thursday, Sept. 22 through Sunday, Sept. 25.

Additional attractions this year include the parade along Highway 160, 20-plus carnival rides from Pahrump’s Davis Amusements, the popular rodeo at McCullough Arena and the Valley Cruisers of Pahrump Car Show.

Presale tickets for the rodeo and carnival are now available.

Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce Event Coordinator Vicky Hilling said the event will coincide with the arrival of the Vietnam traveling wall memorial at Simkins Park.

The opening dedication ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m., complete with an honor guard presentation of the colors, along with a low, fast flyover by Mercy Air.

Visitors can bring an item of remembrance to place at the wall on Friday and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Hilling also said any organization or individual wishing to take part in the presentation ceremony should contact the Pahrump Chamber of Commerce for more information.

“We’re really looking forward to the arrival of the Vietnam Memorial Wall,” she said. “It will be open for viewing 24 hours a day starting on Thursday, Sept 22 at 2 p.m., through noon on Sunday, Sept. 25.”

The closing ceremony, complete with a 21-gun salute, a retrieval of colors and a final flyover, is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 25, at noon.

Efforts were also made to provide free transportation to and from Simkins Park, courtesy of the Pahrump Senior Center.

“Transportation will be provided every half hour beginning on Saturday and Sunday,” she said. “The pickup point will be right off of Basin Avenue at the Bob Ruud Community Center as you go into the park. We wanted to do that so we could accommodate people who may have some kind of disability and can’t drive.”

The official kickoff of the festival is the parade portion, scheduled for Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

Entrants must check in at 7:30 a.m., at Ian Deutch Park at Dandelion Road.

The deadline for parade entries is Sept. 16.

“The parade will start in its normal spot on Saturday, Sept. 24,” she said. “We have applications here at the chamber of commerce office as well as our website, which is Pahrumpchamber.com. You can download the application, fill it out and bring it back to the office here at 1301 South Highway 160.”

Hilling said there’s still room for vendors who want to set up shop at the park, though she is hoping to have a wide variety of merchants at the park, as each year, dozens of vendors take part in the festival.

“We still have space for additional vendors for the Fall Festival,” she said. “I’d like to see more retail vendors and other different vendors. The majority of our vendors will sell crafts and foods.”

There will be no shortage of entertainment performing throughout the weekend.

Hilling said at least five bands will perform on Sept. 22.

Several headlining acts, including Little Elmo, the 360 Band and Gina Jones will take the stage over the weekend.

“On Friday we will have a country music theme and we’ve got about ten bands playing on Friday,” she said. “We have Flameology performing as well, who are fire dancers and exciting to watch. They have been here for the last couple of years.

“They called up and said how excited they were to return to the Fall Festival this year. They put on a really good show.”

The lion’s share of activities Hilling said will start on Saturday.

“We will really kick it into high gear with all kinds of different activities for adults and kids,” she said. “We will have a whole lot of contests, including barrel racing for the kids and a pie-eating contest. Our 4-H club is teaming up with Freedom Reins Ranch and they will have a bunch of fun things to do. We have a giant coloring mural and markers for the kids to draw pictures and sign their names on the mural. Our goal is to get it completely filled up. Freedom Reins Ranch will have some of their animals at the park for the petting zoo.”

Aside from the food, fun, games and entertainment, Hilling said cash prizes will be awarded to those who have a knack for tossing horseshoes.

“We are also doing a horseshoe tournament and hopefully get some teams together,” she said. “The entry fee is $10 per person which includes the entry and a small barbecue afterwards. We have a $250 cash prize, as well as prizes for second and third place.”

As always, the Bob Ruud Community Center is the venue for the arts and crafts portion of the festival.

“Anyone who wants to enter a food product or craft can contact us here at the chamber,” Hilling said. “They can come in and pick up their application, so if you have the biggest pumpkin in town, come in and enter it.”

For additional information regarding pre-sale carnival and rodeo tickets, call the Pahrump Chamber of Commerce office at 727-5800, or visit their website at pahrumpchamber.com.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes