STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Papoose Club is back flipping pancakes, after two years off due to the pandemic, and so are the Eh-Capa Bareback Riders, who will show off their horsemanship skills.

And longtime restaurateurs Keith and Paula Perry, who were always too busy serving customers Eggs Benedict and Reuben sandwiches to watch past parades, will get to ride in the parade as Grand Marshals this year.

The 65^th annual Wagon Days Weekend will take place Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2-3. And it will be augmented by Rebecca’s Private Idaho.

The Big Hitch Parade, which is the centerpiece of Wagon Days, is one of the largest non-motorized parades in the Pacific Northwest. Its centerpiece is the Big Hitch--the towering Lewis ore wagons pulled by a 20-mule jerkline.

These wagons with their monstrous six-foot wheels are the real deal—they ferried supplies to miners north of Ketchum and hauled up to 18,000 pounds of silver and ore back to Ketchum, covering 12 to 14 miles a day.

Up to 24 mules pulled them, stretching the length of a football field as they went around hairpin turns on the steep Trail Creek and Galena Pass roads.

Disney wanted the wagons; so did Knott’s Berry Farm. But the City of Ketchum wisely kept them, bringing them out once a year to showcase the town’s heritage.

Here’s a Wagon Days Weekend to keep you hopping:

FRIDAY, Sept. 2

9 a.m. Hailey’s Labor Day Antique Show in Roberta McKercher Park in Hailey.

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Souvenirs and commemorative memorabilia on sale at the Ore Wagon Museum at East Avenue and 5^th Street.

1-4 p.m. Cowboy poetry at the Oregon Wagon Museum

5-7 p.m. Ketchum Gallery Walk

5:30 p.m. Grand Marshal’s Reception honoring Keith and Paula Perry in Ketchum Town Square

7 p.m. Live hard-driving country music by Tylor & the Train Robbers on East Avenue

8:50 p.m. Sun Valley on Ice features two-time U.S. Gold Medalist World Bronze medalist and Olympian Alysa Liu and U.S. Gold medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Jason Brown. Visit https://www.sunvalley.com for tickets.

SATURDAY, Sept. 3

8 a.m.-noon Papoose Club Pancake Breakfast in Ketchum Town Square with proceeds going to children’s causes in the valley.

9 a.m. Free Yoga on plaza outside River Run Lodge, open to all skill levels. Bring your own mat.

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Activities for children on East Avenue and 4^th Street include a petting zoo and Wagons Ho!--an interactive chance to see what life in a covered wagon was all about.

10:30-11:30 a.m. Eh-Capa Bareback Riders from Boise and Escaramuza Charra will demonstrate their riding skills at Festival Meadows

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Silver Collector Car Auction will feature vintage convertibles, Euro sports cars, exotics and muscle cars—plus a few surprises on the Pavilion lawn at Sun Valley Village.

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Ore Wagon Museum remains open.

1 p.m. The Big Hitch Parade starting near the Sun Valley Horseman Center and proceeding down Sun Valley Road to Main Street where the mules must perform an intricate dance to make the turn.

2:30 p.m.—American Idol winner Chayce Beckham, who tours with Jimmie Allen and Luke Combs, will perform at the Wagon Days Street Party.

4-7 p.m. Sip n’ Shop at Pete Lane’s, Brass Ranch, Panache and Signature Gift Shop in Sun Valley Village while enjoying complimentary beverages and listening to live music.

7 p.m. Big Screen Movie on the Pavilion Lawn will feature “The Goonies.” The screening is free but you’ll need to bring your own chairs, blankets and popcorn. The movie starring Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Corey Feldman follows a group of young misfits who set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate’s long-lost treasure.

SUNDAY, Sept. 4

8 a.m. Bikers begin rolling out for the centerpiece of Rebecca Private Idaho, leaving Festival Meadows and heading up Trail Creek Summit for rides of up to a hundred miles. Awards ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. at Festival Meadows.

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Labor Day Weekend Pickleball Tournament, open to all ages and skill levels, on Sun Valley courts. Registration is $20 per person is required by 5 p.m. Friday at 208-622-2156.

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Rebecca’s Private Idaho Festival Day/Expo at Festival Meadows is open to the public and will include live music, vendors, games and a Dirty Face Photo Booth with Kav Sports.

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Ore Wagon Museum remains open.

11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Silver Car Auction continues at Sun Valley.

8 a.m.-noon Papoose Club Pancake Breakfast at Ketchum Town Square

5:30 p.m. Marshall Tucker Band with guest Jeremy McComb at the Sun Valley Pavilion.