Annual City-Wide
Events
March 30 - April 3, 2005
Laughlin River Stampede - For the eleventh
year, this five-day event will feature America's best cowboys
competing in fast-paced, spine-tingling events for over $225,000 in
prize money at the Laughlin River Stampede PRCA Rodeo. Special
attractions include the appearance of Miss Rodeo America, the
Stampede Cowboy Poker Game, rodeo displays, merchandise and crafts,
and food and beverage concessions. Various Laughlin hotels plan to
offer top name country music entertainment. This event will be
televised as part of TNN's Wrangler World of Rodeo.
April 16th 55th ANNUAL BURRO BARBECUE SET IN
BULLHEAD CITY
COLORADO RIVER VALLEY, AZ – The oldest continuous event in Mohave
County’s history is slated in Bullhead City this spring: The 55th
Annual Burro Barbecue is set for Saturday, April 16, in Bullhead
Community Park.
The event occurs in the picturesque setting of a large park on the
bank of the Colorado River. It is characterized by family
activities, live entertainment, community pride and great food,
according to 2005 Burro Barbecue Chairperson Lainie Shimpa.
“We serve hundreds of pounds of prime beef, slow-cooked for 24 hours
in underground pits,” Shimpa said. “It melts in your mouth.”
Festivities start at 10:30 a.m. with free entertainment by a live
disc jockey, karate and dance demonstrations, a gaggle of games and
arts-and-crafts booths for youngsters, old-fashioned carnival rides,
a rock-climbing wall, kid’s castle trampoline and team activities
like a tug-o-wars. The park offers horseshoe pits, volleyball courts
and a well-equipped playground, plus riverfront ramadas with picnic
tables on the beach and a large grassy area with a giant ramada
where the food and beverages – everything from lemonade to beer -
will be served from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The Burro Barbecue had been put on by the Bullhead City Rotary Club
since 1970, with the proceeds - totaling more than half a million
dollars so far - benefiting local youth scholarship programs and
funding literally thousands of community improvement projects over
the past 25 years. The event can trace its beginnings to 1950, when
a few Bullhead City residents decided to throw a free picnic for the
area’s 400-or-so residents.
The Arizona Republic newspaper reported it this way in an article
published on April 28, 1957: “The Annual Burro Barbecue – a
celebration that started as a joke – attracted 7,500 persons to
those festivities in 1957. Some 35 burros, dressed out at 75 to 80
pounds apiece, were barbecued in a big pit in a vacant lot in the
heart of Bullhead City…Last year the event attracted visitors from
37 states.”
In the years that followed, the Colorado River Valley Hospital
Association gained sponsorship of the event to raise funds to build
a hospital in the area, a goal achieved finally in the early 1980s.
Times changed and around 40 years ago wild burros were replaced as
the main course with over 500 pounds of prime beef, but the event
has continued to attract thousands of visitors each year. Admission
and entertainment is free, with a complete meal of slow-roasted
shredded beef with potato salad, baked beans and a roll offered for
$6. Admission to the kids games and crafts area, including the kid’s
castle, is $5 for unlimited access; the rock wall and carnival rides
each have their own small admission fees.
A tug-o-war competition is planned as community fundraiser in which
civic and community organizations donate $50 each to participate and
the winning team’s club takes the whole purse.
Bullhead City is situated on the eastern shore of the Colorado River
near the place where Arizona, Nevada and California meet. The
thriving community boasts more than 40,000 residents and a variety
of vacation amenities and activities. The area’s wide selection of
affordable accommodations - from campgrounds and RV parks to
full-service resort hotel/casinos - makes the Colorado River Valley
a great vacation value. The region is known across the Southwest as
a water-lover’s paradise, offering a choice between the cold,
fast-flowing Colorado River and warm, smooth waters of Lake Mohave.
Both are perfect for water sports like boating, skiing, personal
watercraft and sport fishing throughout the year. Golf, hiking, off-roading,
and one of only two underground mine tours in the state are among
the activities offered in the Bullhead City area.
For more information, contact the Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce
at (928) 754-4121 or (800) 987-7457
April 20-24, 2005
Laughlin River Run - More than 60,000
motorcycle enthusiasts will roar into Laughlin for the 23rd Annual
Laughlin River Run. This five-day event is the largest
Harley-Davidson oriented event on the West Coast. Activities include
stunt shows; the Harley-Davidson lifestyle tradeshow; traveling
museum; the "river run" to Oatman, Arizona on historic Route 66;
custom bike shows; the Miss River Run contest; and a poker run.
Motorcycle vendors, exhibits, prize drawings and top name live
entertainment will be scheduled for this event. For registration
information, or room and concert packages, contact Dal-Con
Promotions at 1-714-694-2800, 1-800-357-8223, or visit
www.laughlinriverrun.com.
June 2005 (dates tba)
Laughlin River Days - For the eighth
consecutive year, the town of Laughlin will be host to exciting
professional boat racing on the magnificent Colorado River. The
races will feature several classes of boats over the two-day event.
Drivers will be challenged to maneuver the narrow one and a quarter
mile course while managing the seven-knot current. Spectators will
catch the action up close from the shores of Davis Camp.
July - Rockets Over The River
Just after dusk on July 4, the huge annual Rockets Over The River
fireworks display will be free for public viewing along the entire
Laughlin River Walk. Just as last year, there will be two displays
of fireworks over the Independence Day weekend. Typically, this
extraordinary display is one of the most spectacular in the West,
and will be choreographed to fabulous patriotic music. Various
celebrations are planned at the Laughlin hotels and casinos, and
radio stations will simulcast each show's music with speakers set up
on the river.
September - Laughlin Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough
Series
For the eighth year, this Laughlin event is part of the Professional
Bull Riders (PBR) 29-stop Tour. Watch the top 45 bull riders from
around the world converge on Laughlin for two days of fast action,
tossing and bucking as they compete for top placement in the
National Finals Rodeo and over $100,000 in prize money. The Laughlin
Events Park arena is built for great viewing from every seat and is
topped with huge instant replay screens so spectators can watch the
contrast between a 160-pound rider and a 2,000-pound bull in slow
motion. This event will be televised nationwide on the Outdoor Life
Network. For advance ticket purchases, call Prestige Ticketing at
1-800-308-2253. For more information on the PBR, visit
www.PBRnow.com.
October 15, 2005 - Laughlin Mile Dragon Boat
Challenge
This fourth annual Laughlin event will feature local
and international teams of 22 participants in friendly race
competition, paddling in traditional 44-foot long Chinese war
canoes. The canoes are propelled by 20 paddlers, guided by a
Steerperson and kept in rhythm by a drummer seated at the bow of the
boat while the team maintains a steady and powerful pace for the
duration of the one-mile race down the swift Colorado River. Teams
race to the shouts of encouragement from spectators, and viewing is
free to the public along Davis Camp. The race is combined with a
full day of ceremonies including the "dotting of the eye, awakening
the dragons" and drumming contests. Dragon Boat teams are social in
nature coming from all segments of the community including corporate
teams, community teams, high school teams, special interest teams,
healthcare teams, etc.
October 20-23, 2005 - Laughlin Run to Fun
The 3rd Annual Laughlin Run to Fun charity motorcycle event will be
held October 20 - 23, 2005. All bikes are welcome to the event, and
all proceeds benefit local children's charities. Over $15,000.00 was
raised for children's charities during the 2nd Annual event. Join
the Fun!
November 16-19, 2005 - Laughlin Team Roping
Finals
For the seventh year, the United States Team Roping Championship (USTRC)
is scheduled to host hundreds of team ropers as they converge on
Laughlin for four days of thrilling activity at the Laughlin Events
Park. This event will feature team roping at its best as these
ropers use agility, precision and focus to beat the clock and win
some of the prize purse. This event is free to the public.
December 31, 2005
Ring in the New Year Laughlin Style - Live
entertainment, DJ's great hit music, party favors and balloon drops
are some of the exciting festivities provided by several hotels in
their main casinos for the countdown to 2004.
January 6-12 , 2006
Winter Break - This 4th annual event is a
festival celebrating life for the 50+ age group and promises to
educate, stimulate, and offer non-stop entertainment and activities
- all types of dancing, bingo and slot tournaments, healthy cooking
demonstrations, exercise classes, and more. Educational seminars, a
trade show, and live entertainment will also be showcased. Choose
from a four-day pass for $39 or a full week pass for $50 (prices
subject to change). Optional day tours and golf outings are also
available for an additional, minimal charge. Tickets and inclusive
hotel/activity packages are available from any professional tour
operator or travel agent. For more information, visit
www.winterbreak.us or call Arko & Associates, Inc. at
480-926-5547.
January 12-15, 2006
Laughlin Desert Challenge - For the
twelfth year, Laughlin is the title series sponsor in the six-race
circuit of SCORE International Off
Road Racing where 16 classes of desert race cars and exotic race
trucks will participate in this event on Saturday and Sunday. From
sunrise to sunset, the racers will heat up the 11-mile loop of this
desert course with a start/finish in a specially made stadium-style
spectator area located at the Laughlin Events Park. Other ancillary
events on Thursday and Friday include a Pit Crew Competition,
Contingency Row/Tech Inspection, and the always-popular "Laughlin
Leap" jump contest.
January 13 thru February 22, 2006
Cloud's Jamboree - A Rock, Gem, Jewelry,
Bead and Mineral Show. This event appeals to the wholesaler,
hobbyist, casual enthusiast, and general public. Various Laughlin
Hotel/Casinos host the exhibits and vendor displays for this fourth
annual dazzling event. For vendor and exhibit information only,
please contact Cloud's Jamboree at 1-866-558-7719, or visit their
web site at
www.cloudsjamboree.com.
February, 2006 at
Davis Camp by the Laughlin bridge.
"Colorado River Bluegrass Festival," annual event featuring top
bluegrass bands from across the country. Among those scheduled are
Mountain Heart, J.D. Crowe, The Lost & Found, Cherryholmes Family,
Liberty Bluegrass, David Parmley and Continental Divide, and more.
Fri-Sun, $13 ,18 and over, $5 age 7-17, free for age six and under,
camping $5, free shuttle service between Davis Camp and Ramada
Express. Call 928-768-5819 or 928-201-5819 for more information
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