Pioche’s busiest weekend of the year has arrived, bringing with it four days packed with small-town fun, traditions and plenty of activities for all ages. 

From Friday evening through Monday morning, the community will gather for games, tournaments, food, music and the 120th annual Pioche Labor Day Parade.

The weekend kicks off Friday evening with bingo from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Airport Road Fire Hall. Earlier in the day, the swimming pool will be open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and softball tournaments will run at Pioche Town Park.

Saturday morning starts early with a Masonic breakfast at the town park, along with a 5K/10K fun run and another round of softball tournaments. Early birds can also catch the golf tournament at the Lincoln County Golf Course.

The Annual Labor Day Craft Fair opens at 9 a.m. in the Meadow Valley Market parking lot, featuring 13 vendors offering jewelry, resin art, soaps, candles, handmade crafts and more. A second craft fair will be held at Pioche Town Hall with additional vendors hosted by Kathy LeFevre.

Also beginning at 9 a.m. is the trap shoot at the Lincoln County Trap Shooting Complex. By 10 a.m., Pioche will be bustling with a variety of events, including ATV barrel races at the Rodeo Arena, the hay scramble and cake walk at the T-ball field, chalk art on the Memorial Park sidewalks, and inflatables, bull riding, and bounce houses at the town park. The popular Car & Motorcycle Show at the courthouse will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with trophies and raffle prizes. The day continues with tournaments and unique contests, including the adult cornhole tournament, kids and adult mucking, and singles horseshoes.

Afternoon fun includes a historical railroad presentation at Thompson’s Opera House, the kids’ money scramble at 3 p.m., chicken chucking at 3:30 p.m., and the pool will again have a 4 p.m. closing time.

Evening festivities start with a street dance at 7:30 p.m., followed by the return of renegade racing at 8:30 p.m. on Main Street. Participants will race unmodified plastic Power Wheels Jeeps past the historic storefronts and a crowd of onlookers. Proceeds benefit the LCHS baseball program. 

New this year, Uptown Pioche will be the backdrop for an exciting drone show between the renegade races and night parade. The first ever drone show is being brought to the community by the team from Vegas Drones. Residents and visitors are encouraged to keep personal drones grounded during the show to ensure safety and allow everyone to enjoy the spectacle. At 9 p.m., the night parade will once again light up Main Street. Float after float will roll down the road covered in LEDs, surrounded by music and cheers.

Sunday begins with another Masonic breakfast, along with inflatables, bull riding and bounce houses. Daytime highlights include the skeet shooting auction fundraiser, the kids cornhole tournament, and the pet show. Attendees can also take part in the mining events, the grass volleyball tournament, and the doubles horseshoe tournament. The afternoon action continues with lawnmower and Power Wheels races at the Rodeo Arena at 2 p.m., before winding down with the annual Fireman’s Dinner at 4 p.m. at the Airport Rd. Fire Station.

The night will close with Pioche’s signature event. Hundreds will gather at the park and around town to view the fireworks show at 9 p.m. at Pioche Town Park. Throughout the year, fundraisers have been held to ensure that 2025 will be the best show yet.

Labor Day morning begins with the Sunrise Salute at 6 a.m., followed by the final Masonic breakfast. Festivities conclude with the Labor Day Parade down Main Street at 10 a.m., bringing the long weekend to a close.

Pioche’s Labor Day celebration is a time-honored tradition that continues to draw locals and visitors alike. Labor Day has long been celebrated in Pioche, as it was once the only day all miners had off from the grueling work in the mines, giving the holiday special historical meaning. With tournaments, music, food, fireworks and the beloved parade, the weekend is set to be the biggest community gathering of the year.