Experience the Rhythm of the Trail at California Trail Days
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ELKO, Nev. – California Trail Days will celebrate the music and songs that echoed throughout the Humboldt Valley during the mid-19th century during the 15th California Trail Days, May 19-20, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Musical performances will be ongoing both May 19 and 20 at the California Trail Interpretive Center.
The California Trail Center will present the 15th annual pioneer reenactment, California Trail Days, on May 19-20, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The family friendly event is free and open to everyone.
“Music was a very important component of westward migration for the emigrants. Repetitive, labor intensive days took its toll on the emigrants psyche,” said Park Ranger Greg Feathers. “Listening to and playing music after a hard day’s work kept morale up for the weary pioneers.”
A featured artist is Hank Cramer. Hank Cramer is one of the best-loved folksingers in the American West. He is widely known for his booming bass voice, smooth picking on a vintage flat-top guitar, and his wry sense of humor.
Cramer is more than simply a performer, however. He is a historian and educator who weaves music and history into presentations which bring to life the rich story of America’s westward movement, and give his audiences insight into the “folk process” by which traditional songs evolve and change to describe new events. Hank will be performing May 19 at 12:00 p.m. in the Trail Center Lobby.
The Eagle Warriors Youth Drum will perform on May 19 at 2:00 p.m. at the Trail Center’s Shoshone summer camp.
The drumming group is from Owyhee, Nevada. The students, from Owyhee Combined School, began drumming as part of an afterschool activity in the spring of 2016, with the help of local elder, Elena Atkins, and facilitator Colene Paradise.
The group started with a handful of Native American teens, and now has grown to over a dozen, including their younger peers. They premiered at a national conference in the fall of 2016 in Reno to an audience of about 500.
For more information about programs at California Trail Days, visit www.californiatrailcenter.org or call (775) 738-1849.
The California Trail Interpretive Center is located eight miles west of Elko on I-80, Hunter exit 292. The Center is Wednesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.