Hundreds of visitors and locals flocked to Pioche to participate in the town’s traditional Labor Day celebrations.
Saturday through Monday the entire town turned into one big party, with one of the largest crowds in years. The theme for the 2021 Labor Day celebration was “the Light at the End of the Tunnel.”
The Labor Day celebration has been around for nearly as long as Pioche itself. From the early days of the mining companies, laborers who spent dozens of hours underground each week were given a day off specifically to enjoy themselves alongside their families. That sense of fun carried through to this year’s celebration.
The sunrise salute was omitted due to a lack of communication, but Suzanne Reifsnyder, head of the Labor Day committee, said it was just a good chance for people to sleep in. They are looking forward to having the salute next year.
The Labor Day committee added kids’ cornhole and a money scramble to the event roster. All the traditional events were there, too, including the annual softball tournament. The winners this year were the Saffire team from Las Vegas, with A-cor concrete out of Utah taking the runner-up position. Other organizations represented themselves as well, like the mental health coalition, which took the opportunity to promote its upcoming sucide prevention walk in Caliente.
Attendees filled up on traditional Mexican food from the El Goyis Food truck, indulged in carnival food and cooled off with shaved ice from the Tropical Freeze trailer.
The evening saw the chamber of commerce’s night parade make its way down Main Street. There were also renegade races, where adults shoved themselves inside of tiny power wheels and coasted down the steep roads of Pioche, which sometimes ended with the driver on the pavement.
After the parade, a street dance was hosted, complete with a live band, which Reifnsyder said was the best-attended dance she’d ever seen in Pioche.
On Sunday night, the Pioche fire department put on a fireworks display. Reifsnyder said the department outdoes itself every year and rivals displays seen in Las Vegas.
The day parade was held Monday, celebrating Pioche, family and Lincoln County in general. This included the Lincoln County High School marching band, cheerleaders and floats.
Reifsnyder added her thanks to the event’s sponsors. “Without sponsors, you don’t put on events like this.”