The countdown is on for the biggest weekend of the summer in Goldfield.
Goldfield Days runs Aug. 5-7 in the historic Esmeralda County community.
Posters promoting the festivities tout “gunfighters, girls and great grub.”
Events include the 16th annual land auction, vendors, a classic car show, town tours, a parade (including one for pets), a poker walk to businesses in town, live music, street dancing, crafts, a town yard sale, locally-made products, a GPS challenge and paranormal investigation “ghost” tours.
“There will be a lot of fun here,” said Jody Davarpanah, co-owner of the Elite Trading Post. “We are hoping for a big turnout. There will be bands in town and all kinds of vendors, good food, good times and good friends.”
Visitors come from as far away as Colorado and Utah, she said, to celebrate Goldfield Days.
Davarpanah looks forward to the main parade, scheduled for 9 a.m., Aug. 6.
“The parade is fabulous,” she said.
Opportunities remain for vendors to get involved.
“If people want to be a vendor, it’s not too late,” Davarpanah said. “It’s a great opportunity for local people to make money, which is great.”
Vendor and parade entry forms are available through the Goldfield Chamber of Commerce at GoldfieldNevada.org
“So if they have local groups that they want to raise funds for, like somebody in Tonopah, come on down,” Davarpanah said, adding that prizes can also be donated for a raffle.
Land auction, other events
Davarpanah also is excited about the land auction set for 10 a.m., Aug. 6, behind the Esmeralda County Courthouse.
“They sell property here for taxes owed,” Davarpanah said. “So it’s a great time for people to show up and buy property.”
She expects the starting bid for property to start at $600 for a parcel.
“The highest is $15,000 for a house with water, sewer and power. There are several properties for bid.”
The GPS Challenge is also on Davarpanah’s to-do list.
“That’s where you go out, you get the coordinates, and you go out and find things,” she said. “Treasure boxes” with valuable prizes in them are planned, organizers said.
Davarpanah talked about the importance of Goldfield Days to the community.
“It’s our big fundraiser in Goldfield,” she said. “It’s a time for the county to bring in revenue from taxes lost and also to promote tourism to the area and to promote business, as well.”
Gold, dressing up
Goldfield Days also offers the chance to strike it rich. Raffle tickets are being sold for $1 each. The grand prize this year is one ounce of gold valued at more than $1,000.
In celebration of Goldfield Days, look for people in historic-style clothing.
“If people want to dress up, that makes it really cool,” Davarpanah said. She suggests Edwardian-period style dress.
“That’s right after the Victorian Era so a little bit more simple. Lots of people get in the parade, they dress up. We have gunfighters here. It’s a lot of fun.”
Her husband, Malek Davarpanah, said that up to 1,000 visitors could end up attending this year’s Goldfield Days.
“People know it so they come automatically,” he said. “I think it’s going to be another good one.”
Contact reporter David Jacobs at djacobs@tonopahtimes.com