Celebrating its 76th year, Winthrop Washington’s 49er Days is an old west heritage festival of our rich western and horse history. The event kicks off with the annual Ride the Rendezvous, a week-long horse packing excursion through the Methow Valley high country which ends Mother’s Day weekend. (Contact woga.org to join in this event)  As the horse-train enters Winthrop on the final day, the community comes out to celebrate its arrival back home.

COVID-19 Notice: This webpage includes the events this heritage festival would typically include. The planners of this event are carefully evaluating each component of the celebration for safety and feasibility during the global pandemic. Please come back to this page as we get closer to the event for more details.

On Saturday, Winthrop celebrates its rich Western history with a grand parade including the largest representation by horses of any parade in Washington State. Saturday is full of activities for the kids, the cowboys and the cowgirls.

On Sunday, the cowboys help you celebrate Mother’s Day with more events and activities. All the events are open to the public. Don’t miss this historic celebration!   

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Winthrop Washington Schedule of Events: 

Friday, May 7

• 12:00pm: The WOGA Ride to Rendevous teamsters and horseback riders will kick-off ’49er Days by riding into downtown.

Saturday, May 8

Activities in Downtown Winthrop

• 10:30am: Vigilantes western shoot-out and West Coast Country Heat line dancers perform downtown in front of Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon.
• 11:00am: The ’49er Days Parade begins through main street with more pack strings than any parade in the state, plenty of horses, floats, a band or two, crusty mountain men, old-time vehicles and much more. It is free to join the parade! 
• Following the parade, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 kids can join in old fashioned games in front of Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe including egg toss, pie eating contest, international gummy bear spitting and a rock-paper-scissors contest. 
• From 12:00 noon to 4:00 mechanical bull rides ($2)* horse rides ($5)* and gold panning will be available. *Suggested donation

Activities in the Mack Lloyd Park and Barn starting at 12:00 noon through the afternoon: 

• Outfitter Display Camps and Packing Demonstrations  – coffee and campfire cooked food available for purchase
• Mountain men tomahawk throwing and bow & arrow target shooting
• Crafts and Merchandise Vendors 
• Live music
• Roping and bull whip lessons
• 12:00pm -2:00pm: Food services available in the park. Hot Dogs and Brats provided by the Methow Valley Snowmobile Association, pulled pork by the Kiwanis. 
• 5:00pm-6:30pm: Outfitter Dinner in the Park, steak, BBQ and dutch oven fixings, cost $25
• 7:00pm – 9:00pm: “Around the Campfire” cowboy poetry, music and stories. In the Barn, cost $10
• 9:30pm: Country Western Family Dance in the Barn, cost $7

Sunday, May 9

In Mack Lloyd Park

• 8:00am -10:00am:  Mother’s Day cowboy breakfast in Mack Lloyd Park, cost $10
• 10:00am – 2:00pm:  Live Auction and State Packing Competition. Competitors will show how fast and well they can wrap gear and load a mule.