Jim Butler Days turns Tonopah into a jamboree

In the spring of 1900, Jim Butler was said to have been out camping when his burro strayed away and it was this small, seemingly insignificant incident that ultimately gave rise to the town of Tonopah. While chasing that wandering equine, Butler picked up a rock to throw but soon realized he had discovered something more than mere rock. He had discovered silver, a find that sparked a massive mining rush and grew Tonopah into “The Queen of the Silver Camps.”

Though the town is no longer a booming city, its history is etched deeply into the local community and each year, the town celebrates that history and the man who made Tonopah during a week-long festival known as Jim Butler Days.

Marking its 55th year in 2026, Jim Butler Days took place Sunday, May 17 through Monday, May 25 and incorporated an array of activities. The celebration kicked off with the pageant and coronation of Jim Butler Days royalty, with Marc and Tiffany Grigory crowned King and Queen, Lauarli Nicholson honored as Little Miss Tonopah and Oakley Miller taking home Mini Miss Tonopah. A talent show, commencement ceremonies for kindergarten, middle school and high school students, karaoke party and Mizpah ghost tour kept things going throughout the week. Then, as the weekend dawned, the town began to welcome a large throng of visitors who mingled with locals at the Downtown Plaza for live entertainment and contests, along with food and drink, or they headed over to check out the craft show, mining park, museum or other sites.

Saturday is the headliner for Jim Butler Days and it was bursting with things to do, starting with a Muckers Pancake Breakfast at the Elks Lodge and continuing with demos on blacksmithing and gold panning, a horseshoe tournament, adult beverage tastings and contests.

Drawing one of the biggest crowds of the day was the Jim Butler Days Parade, with Grand Marshal Stretch Baker. The Hasana Dance Troupe took home first place in the parade while the Tonopah Historic Mining Park earned second and the Zelzah Shriners came in third. The Nevada State Mining Championships also saw a large turnout as competitors put their muscle and endurance to the test in mucking and jacking and the Central Nevada Association’s races at the Tonopah Speedway had the stands packed with cheering fans.

Rounding out the weekend, on Sunday the Jim Butler Stampede Rodeo entertained hundreds with its dirt-splattering action and a concert by Dave Stamey attracted a packed audience, too. To mark Memorial Day, several ceremonies were held as well, in both Tonopah and Goldfield.

“This year’s Jim Butler Days celebration went very well. This time of year is always iffy but even Mother Nature controlled herself and provided us with a very pleasant weekend,” Jim Butler Days Committee Lead Joni Eastley told the Times-Bonanza afterward. “The feedback has been extremely positive. Tried something new this year with a two-day craft fair and the shoppers seemed very appreciative.”

As to the selection of Baker as this year’s parade Grand Marshal, Eastley said the honor was well-deserved, as Baker is a highly active member of the community.

“Whenever there’s a project to be done around town, you can be sure to find Stretch involved. He donates his time, talents, personal equipment and many times his own materials to make sure the final product is something Tonopah can be proud of,” Eastley enthused. “He has contributed in major ways to every mural and monument here and deserved to be recognized. He’s our ‘let’s get it done’ guy who never says ‘no’.”

Eastley was also quick to highlight the Dave Stamey concert, which was sponsored by Ioneer Mining and offered free to the public.

“As part of the evening, Stamey was presented with a special resolution adopted by the Tonopah Town Board designating his song ‘Tonopah’ as the official town song,” Eastley detailed. “The crowd very enthusiastic and several people told me they had traveled from California, Texas and Arizona to see Dave.”

The Jim Butler Days Committee offered its gratitude to the town of Tonopah, the many businesses who donated to the raffle, coordinators of the individual events and all the volunteers.

“Special recognition goes to Mike Truesdell of Mike’s Rubbish and Recycling, who donates multiple trash receptacles every year,” Eastley noted. “He places them all over the downtown area and make sure his men work through the weekend to check them frequently. Mike could make a lot of money during Jim Butler Days but forgoes this out of love for his community.”

For more on Jim Butler Days visit JimButlerDays.com