Pioneer Celebration honoring faith, family and heritage in Pahrump

Pahrump is set to see the Old West brought back to life on Saturday, July 27 as the 2019 Pioneer Celebration returns to the valley for a day of family-oriented fun and activity.

The event, formally titled “Legacy of Faith, A Pioneer Celebration,” will be hosted by the Nevada Blue Diamond Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 27 at Ian Deutch Memorial Park.

A huge array of entertaining pursuits will be available, all free of charge, with the goal of gathering the entire community together, including members of the church, of course, along with all others who wish to join in the fun as well.

The day will honor the men and women who braved the long trek across the country to find a new life in the West, the pioneer forerunners of today’s western communities.

The event will feature something for nearly everyone, from sports and games to crafts and storytelling and much more.

On the competitive side of the fun, there will be both softball and kickball tournaments held Saturday, along with a horseshoe tournament and even a leg wrestling contest.

Attendees will be able to band together in teams to test their strength by playing the classic game “Tug of War” or pit themselves one-on-one with another person in a stick-pull.

If that is not enough of a test of strength, then there will also be old-time pioneer hand-carts on site, loaded with weights. Patrons can pull the hand-carts around to get a feel for what transporting goods was like for the pioneers, who did not have motorized methods.

Topping off the competitions will be a delicious activity, a watermelon eating contest.

Other activities at the event will include line dancing, crafts for those who wish to express a little creativity and sessions of pioneer storytelling. One of the most anticipated features is the Jupiter Express Railroad. Celebration attendees will be able to hop on board and take a ride around the park in this miniature train consisting of an engine, several cars decorated as old-fashioned stagecoaches and a caboose.

Of course, it is July and the weather is expected to be sizzling hot. As such, there will be plenty of water to play in as well, including sprinklers and a water truck.

An announcement sent out by organizers also encouraged attendees to bring bandanas which they can wet to help keep cool, hats and sunscreen, along with blankets, camp chairs and snacks.

Attendees need not worry about getting hungry while enjoying all the fun either. The Pioneer Celebration will include a free lunch provided for all.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com