Holbrook will be celebrating Wild West Days on Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16. This event celebrates town’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 $25. Participants must provide their own appliances, with propane cook stoves preferred, as there will be limited access to electricity. Participants must also provide their own table, chairs and awning if preferred, as well as a hand washing station in compliance with the Navajo County Health Department. 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 $150 cash prize, second place prize of $100 and third place prize of $50, with the winners receiving a plaque. In addition to the cook-off, there will be a variety of musical entertainment, including 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 horse and buggy rides will be offered. There will also be a beer garden and plenty of vendors. To sign up for the Bucket of Blood Races slated on July 16, register at Active.com. The races include a half-marathon, 10K and 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 prior to the race online, 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 scheduled events, go online to tribunenewsnow.com/event/wild-west-days/.
