CHLORIDE – Chloride turns green Saturday, March 16 to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This annual event honors the Irish miners who worked the dozens of mines around this 1860’s historic silver mining townsite. This free event includes gunfights, a crazy parade, gold panning, horseshoe tournament, vendors, bake sale, raffle, live music, antique cars, and so much more.
The family friendly fun starts at 9 a.m. with the ever-popular Chloride Bake Sale at the Thirsty Miner (Elkhart and 2nd Street). Stop by early, the delicious goodies go fast. While you’re there pick up a handful of raffle tickets. As usual, there are dozens of great prizes this year. And you don’t have to be present to win.
Haven’t signed up to join the parade? No problem, same day sign up is from 9:30 a.m. until
11 a.m.at the Chloride Town Hall on Payroll Avenue. There you get a parade entry number and six free raffle tickets. At 10 a.m. the ever-popular Horseshoe Tournament begins at the Chloride Park on 2nd Street.
The rough and ready High Desert Drifters gunfight troupe will perform at 11 a.m. in Chloride’s Historical Society’s Cyanide Springs on Elkhart Avenue. While in Cyanide Springs explore the Jim Fritz Museum and the Playhouse next door. Both are full of memorabilia and photos from Chloride’s glory days. There are also shops to wander through.
At “High Noon” the hysterical St. Patrick’s Day parade wanders down Tennessee Avenue. This year entries include floats, equestrians, motorcycles and ATVs, cars if all kinds, cowboys, Indians, gunslingers, marching units, and even some livestock. At 1 p.m. the High Desert Drifters will perform shoot outs again in Cyanide Springs. Wander over to the Chloride Town Hall on Payroll Avenue at 2 p.m. where the parade awards will be given out. The awards presentation is followed by the drawing of raffle tickets for amazing gifts including hotel stays, gift certificates of all kinds, crafts, and a load of unique prizes.
For history buffs there is an historic jail and miners cabins all over town. Be sure to stop at the Mineshaft Market and grab a map of town. About a mile east of Chloride are the world-famous Roy Purcell Murals, and petroglyphs left by the Hualapai Indians who lived here before the mines open. (Check at the Mineshaft for road conditions before heading to the murals). Shoppers will enjoy the unique shops around town. Wet your whistle at the VFW on Tennessee or visit Yesterday’s Steakhouse and Saloon. Stop at one of the the food vendors around town.
Chloride is 23 miles north of Kingman and 80 miles south of Las Vegas. Take Highway 93 to State Route 125 turn east four miles. Look out for the Chloride billboard. For additional information call (626) 483-4571 or (928) 565-9777.
