Goldfield Days event organizers prepare for a 2021 celebration

The annual Goldfield Days have been canceled this year because of the pandemic, but organizers hope to bring the event back next year.

Goldfield Days and the accompanying land auction celebrate the town’s rich mining history every August. The event features a parade, and a slew of activities such as contests, games, and live music.

“We decided to cancel due to COVID-19 after the county commissioners decided to cancel the annual land auction, which is a major part of Goldfield Days,” said William Beltz, president of the Goldfield Chamber of Commerce via email.

Beltz also said, “Due to the restrictions, because of the COVID, we were unable to hold any of the usual fundraisers that help us generate funds for Goldfield Days.”

Beltz said this year marks the first time the event had been canceled.

Goldfield Days dates back to the mid-’80s when it was called Treasure Days, but the official Goldfield Days date to 2000 and correspond with Nye County’s land auction, Beltz said.

“This our biggest event of the year, and (it) brings in folks from hundreds of miles away,” he said. “The county benefits greatly from land sales as well as our local businesses. Vendors from far and near are also great participants. The Saturday parade is a must-see event and there are always activities for young and old. So yes, missing this is a sad loss for our whole county.”

Goldfield is a historic mining town with a population of fewer than 300 people, as of the 2010 census, in Esmeralda County, one of the handful of rural counties in the country and the only county in Nevada that has no confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Goldfield’s official website says the city looks forward to seeing visitors at Goldfield Days 2021.

“As far as next year… Heck yeah! We will do whatever we can to have Goldfield Days! Let’s all be safe and get rid of this COVID-19 and move on!” Beltz said in an email.

According to the Esmeralda County Clerk/Treasurers Office, the parcels that would have gone up for auction this year will be moved to the 2021 auction.

Jim Butler Days officially canceled

Jim Butler Days has also been officially canceled for 2020. The event was moved from its usual time during Memorial Day weekend to early September. But according to the event’s website, the festivities will not go on this year.

“The Jim Butler Days Committee has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Jim Butler Days Celebration,” the website reads.

Some events will carry on, however. According to the event’s website, the Jim Butler Stampede will occur on Sept. 5-6 with barrel racing, team roping, bronc riding, bull riding and other events for kids. No other details were available at the time of this writing.

For more information on the stampede, call 775-482-4611.

Information can also be found at http://jimbutlerdays.tonopahnevada.com/