 The second weekend in May is the 63rd
annual '49er Days Celebration. Winthrop will be filled with living history when packers and pack trains, cowboys, cowgirls, and an entire wagon train all converge for three days of western events and fun.
The celebration begins at high noon
on Friday, May 9, in downtown Winthrop with the arrival
of the "Ride to the Rendezvous" wagon
train. The wagon train, sponsored by the Washington
Outfitters and Guides Association ("WOGA"),
spends five days traversing Methow Valley's back
country trails to reach Winthrop just in time for
'49er Days. Come join all the town's people
in welcoming the riders, or, join the "Ride to the
Rendezvous" outfitters for breakfast at their
final camp and ride into town with them.
Friday evening at 7pm the '49er Days celebration gets going in full swing with the Dollar
Watch Cowboy Jamboree at the Barn. This cowboy variety show promises to lift your spirits. The Jamboree host, LauraLee Northcott, will introduce the '49er Day Queens and Grand Marshal and Lady.
Saturday morning, May 10th, offers a western experience like no other. At 10am from the vantage of Winthrop's wooden boardwalks, watch gun fighter skits and country swing dancers. Then, at 11am, the Winthrop '49er Days Parade takes center stage on main street. This parade boasts more horses than any other parade in Washington and is known for the longest pack strings anywhere. The parade also has mountain men, royalty, fire trucks, old cars, homemade floats, as well as marching bands, funny and interesting characters, and school kids.
After the parade, activities continue in town. You
can participate in old-fashioned fun western games,
enjoy western demonstrations, and tap your feet
in time to the music of Winthrop's musicians. You
will find the shops and restaurants are open and
inviting.
 Meanwhile,
at the Winthrop park, members of Washington
Outfitters and Guides Association gather for their annual packer rendezvous. This
year marks the 20th anniversary of WOGA joining
the '49er Days celebration! WOGA members set up display camps to offer folks a glimpse of outdoor life, a taste of campfire cooking, and a sample of cowboy music and poetry. They
also provide outdoor activities for children and
Western vendors and demonstrations.
At the park from noon until 2:00, hungry visitors can find pizza, brats and barbeque. There will also be a chili cookoff.
Saturday evening and Sunday you will find more good food, cowboy music and poetry, a packing competition, and western auctions at the park or in the Barn. Please visit the WOGA
website for all details:
WOGA members pack people into the high country for wilderness adventures, and outfit and guide fishing and rafting adventures.
The packer and outfitter
history in the Methow Valley is long and
rich. It can be traced back to the
1880s and the miners who packed into the
Sawtooth Range and the Paysatens to find
gold. The early 1900s packers
used mules and horses to bring in supplies
for high country fire lookout stations,
miners, hunters, and sheepherders. By
the 1930s "pilgrims" (i.e. tourists) began
to want to see the high country.
Packers also supplied the road survey crews, both in the 1930s for the pass over the Loup Loup and beginning in 1962 for the North Cascades Highway. Early packers usually were farmers, who could make a few extra bucks by packing into the high country. |
At 9:30pm Saturday night, come dance to the Family Band at the Winthrop Barn. The '49er Days Royalty will draw the two winning tickets in the '49er Days Raffle at 10:00 p.m.
The Winthrop Chamber of Commerce is proud to sponsor this unique three-day festival. Visitors return year after year to enjoy this event. We would love to have you join us.
The Winthrop Chamber thanks all sponsors of this event, including:
Doug Haase Excavating, Inc., KOZI Radio, The Outdoorsman, River's Edge Resort, Triple T Roofing, The Valley Hub, and Washington Outfitters and Guides Association.
|
