Holbrook is gearing up for its 34th annual Wild West Days celebration, which is just one week away on Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16.
This event celebrates Holbrook’s wild and rowdy history, and will feature lots of activities, including the Cowboy Chili Cook-Off, with the best and tastiest chili in the region.
For those who want to take part in the competition, the cost to enter is $30. Participants must provide their own appliances, with propane cook stoves preferred, as there will be limited access to electricity. The chili must be cooked on site beginning at 8 a.m. on July 16 and must be ready to be judged by 1 p.m. The awards for the event include a first place $100 cash prize, a second place prize of $75 and a third place prize of $50, with each winner also receiving a plaque and Golden Spoon gift basket.
In addition to the cook-off, there will be a variety of musical entertainment, including music by Triple Play, Thunderhorse, and The Coyote & The Roses. The Bucket of Blood Re-Enactors will relive some of Holbrook’s more colorful historic events, and there will be Native American and Mexican cultural dances.
Fun for the family will include a watermelon eating contest, and kids can enjoy pony rides and free games.
In a nod to Holbrook’s bygone days, an Old West Costume Contest will be held, you can have your favorite official jailed, and enjoy horse and buggy rides. There will also be a beer garden and plenty of vendors.
Register for the July 16 Bucket of Blood Races at Active.com. The races will include a half-marathon, a 10K and a bicycle race. The cost to enter the races is $40 for the bike race and 10K, and $45 for the half-marathon if competitors sign up online prior to the race, which also guarantees a swag bag. Otherwise, the cost goes up $5 for the bike race and 10K, and $10 for the half-marathon. First place prizes in each race include a pair of Oakley Holbrook sunglasses.
Also as part of the weekend events, the Wild West Days Junior Rodeo will be held at the Navajo County Fairgrounds. The event will be open to all kids who want to compete.
To learn more about the events planned during Holbrook’s Wild West Days, go online to tribunenewsnow.com/event/wild-west-days/
