This event celebrates the town’s origins as a ranching & gold mining center in the days before there was a Phoenix. The heritage event was founded over 60 years ago, and today Gold Rush Days draws tens of thousands of visitors, during the three days of activities. It has been recognized as a special Arizona Centennial Event for the 2nd year.
Festivities begin on Thursday, February 16, with the Family Fun Carnival opening at 4:00 p.m., in the downtown district. Joining us in Wickenburg for special performances is”Nashville Recording Artists, Emerson Drive” who will appear in concert on Thursday and Friday Night at 7:30 p.m., at the Del E. Webb Center for Performing Arts. 
The official opening gets underway on Friday, February 17 with the Opening Ceremonies onFrontier Streetat 10:00 a.m. with gunfight demonstration with stuntman Joey Dillon, and gold rush officials kicking off the event. Friday is the only day you will be able to see beautiful classic cars onFrontier Streetfrom 9am -3 p.m. The main festival area onValentine Streetin the historic district will see 200 exhibitors at the artisan faire, a family fun carnival, juried art show, free stage entertainment, gold panning, and much more from 10:00 a.m. – 5 p.m., with the carnival running throughout the evening. One of the highlights on Friday is the first show of the Desert Stagers old fashioned melodrama, held in the historic Saguaro Theatre at 7:00 p.m., nightly throughout the celebration. And a second performance at The Webb Center at 7:30 p.m. withEmerson Drive.
The parade on Saturday at 10:00 a.m., is one of the largest in Arizona, with over 100 entries including close to 1,000 horses, classic auto’s, floats, marching bands, and youth groups participating. Spectators line the street as one of the largest parades inArizonapasses by.
The parade theme is: “Centennial Gold”, and our parade grand marshal is Ms. Jeanne Tirpak. On Saturday the main event activities are the same, but include the additions of a Western Barbeque, and the first performance of the Senior Professional Rodeo held at 2:00 p.m. at the Everett Bowman Arena, located off of Constellation Road, just one mile east of the downtown area. Admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 students, children $3, and under 5 Free. Gates open at Noon. Again this year is the addition of the Grand Canyon PRCA Rough Stock to the rodeo. Jim Monnett and “ The Arizona Outlaws” is the band playing on Saturday night inside theWickenburgCommunity Center from 9:00 p.m. –Midnight for the Gold Rush Days rodeo dance with great music. Admission is $8 each or $15 couple.
Sunday, the activities include the arts/crafts area, gold panning, family carnival, rodeo performance, melodrama, and special day events such as the Lioness Club Pancake Breakfast at 7:30 am – 11 am inside the Community Center; traditional Mining events – Mucking & Drilling Contest at 10:00 a.m. where contestants compete for money and prizes and spectators can bid in a Calcutta Auction for a contestant; and the Arizona Gold Panning Championship, where contestants compete for money and prizes while panning for gold starts at 1:00 p.m. The second performance of the Senior Pro Rodeo is at 2 p.m.
This annual celebration is one of the Signature Heritage events for Wickenburg, and was named in 2009 as Arizona’s Best Special Rural Event by the Arizona Office of Tourism. This event was selected by the Library of Congress, and named as one of America’s Living Legacies. And in 2011 and for 2012, the Arizona Centennial Commission has recognized Gold Rush Days as a signature event. For more information, and tickets call (928) 684-5479 or visit the event on www.wickenburgchamber.com. Tickets for the Webb Center concert call 928-684-6624
