Pageant set for Saturday at convention center
The planning is underway for the annual highly anticipated Armed Forces Day event set to take place May 17-20 in “America’s Patriotic Home” in Mineral County. There are dozens of events currently scheduled, including fan favorites such as the fireworks show at El Capitan, Mud Volleyball at the VFW Post, 2023 Nevada State Chili Championship, and the Miss Armed Forces Day Pageant (coming up this Saturday, May 6 from 6-8 p.m. to be held at the convention center).
Expect parties at Gil’s Saloon and Barley’s and live music featuring bands such as High Desert Habits, Dock 6, DJ Urban Cowboy, Fawn of the Flame, Moral Demise, and others, trike races, and car shows. The 72nd Annual Flyover and Parade will take place from noon to 2 p.m. on May 20, where Cecil the Serpent will be sure to make an appearance. The Renegades car club will also be shooting out Armed Forces Day T-shirts from their float, and there will be four different class reunions that weekend.
“We became a 501(c)3 nonprofit so it’s easier to make donations, and we have a separate vendor committee, youth committee, and parade committee- each that are all taking this year’s Armed Forces Day planning and running with it,” says AFD Committee Secretary Brenda Jones. There are at least 40 vendors signed up, 15 food and drink concessionaires, and even some new events are on the roster.
Bounce houses and inflatables will be provided by a new vendor this year (D2 Party Rental) and will include a few water rides as well. They will be out on the high school football field from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday (May 19 and 20), and a concession stand will be available with hot dogs and water. There will also be a free bike parade on May 18 starting at 6 p.m. on South A Street by the hospital that will go travel in front of the nursing home, down to the senior home, and ending at Care and Share. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bikes, scooters, side-by-sides, or “anything that rolls” is welcome to enter.
A “Hometown Heroes Memorial” has also been created with 184 names printed on vinyl, and it will be featured in the parade and then displayed at Patriots Plaza. This year’s AFD theme is “Peace Through Strength” and T-shirts (as well as women’s V-necks) will be available to purchase throughout the weekend.
There’s a lot more in store for the 2023 Armed Forces Day; visit https://armedforcesdaynv.com for more information. On May 10 from 2 p.m. to closing, Port of Subs on 705 Highway 362 in Hawthorne will also be donating 25 percent of all purchases to the Armed Forces Day Event Committee.
