Jim Butler Days is officially underway in the town of Tonopah.
Events earlier this week included the Little Miss Princess and Junior Queen Pageant and Tonopah High School Art Show in the Tonopah Convention Center.
The 48th annual event honors Tonopah’s founder, Jim Butler, and celebrates the town’s history from May 21 through May 28. This year’s theme is “Tonopah Army Airfield Revisited” (1948-2018).
This year’s Jim Butler Days King and Queen are Paul and Khristine Campos.
Events started this past Monday and run through Memorial Day, May 28. A street dance with live music is planned for Friday. In addition, Tonopah High School reunions are planned for the classes of 1988, 1998 and 2008.
Parade, traffic changes
The parade is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, The parade grand marshal is the late Forrest “Whip” Whipperman, represented by son Harry Whipperman.
Cindy Kaminski, a Butler Days official, announced some upcoming traffic changes for the special event.
On Friday, May 25, U.S. Highway 95/Erie Main Street in Tonopah will have the outer southbound lane closed between Oddie and Brougher avenues from 3 p.m. until midnight.
On Saturday, May 26, U.S. Highway 95/Erie Main Street in Tonopah from Tonopah Avenue to Oddie Avenue will be closed for the annual parade from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
For the parade, traffic will be rerouted at Tonopah Avenue to Knapp Avenue on St. Patrick Street.
About Butler Days
Jim Butler discovered the deposits of ore in the area of Tonopah Springs in 1900.
The town of Butler was renamed Tonopah in 1905 and the mines around the town produced almost $750,000 in gold and silver in 1901, and for the next 40 years, according to the town’s history records.
Jim Butler Days puts an emphasis on the town’s mining past as mining championships take place.