Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The 2024 edition of Tucumcari Rawhide Days this weekend will take on more of a historical emphasis with, appropriately enough, much of the action at the Tucumcari Historical Museum.
The other western-themed activities, including a youth ranch rodeo and barrel racing, will take place at the Quay County Fairgrounds arena.
Rawhide Days takes its inspiration from the late 1950s and early 1960s television western series, “Rawhide,” starring Tucumcari native Paul Brinegar and a young Clint Eastwood. Portions of “Rawhide” also were shot on ranches in the Tucumcari region.
One the historical presentations at the museum will be at 11 a.m. Saturday will be “Meet Mr. Street,” about Alex Street, one of the founding fathers of Tucumcari and one of Quay County’s first sheriffs.
At 2 p.m. Saturday at the museum, another presentation will dive into the early history of Tucumcari.
The museum will host a Native American cooking and frybread demonstration at 11 a.m. Friday and silversmith and Native American arts demonstrations at 3 p.m. Friday, along with a Native American spinning crafts display much of the day Saturday.
Several music acts will perform Friday and Saturday at the museum.
“We’re trying to push a lot of activities at the museum with historical and cultural things from this area,” said Alan Daugherty, one of the festival’s chief organizers.
One big thing Daugherty said that Rawhide Days is trying to promote is a live raffle from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, where thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes will be given away. Participants who bought tickets will need to be present to take home the prizes.
The museum will host arts and crafts vendors and educational booths from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
For children, they can make their own stickhorses from noon to 3 p.m. Friday and participate in a kids piñata party at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
On Saturday starting at noon, children can take part in the “Kids Kreations” interactive arts site, plus children’s games that include stickhorse races, bouncing bulls, mutton busting, roping horses and a piñata party.
The traditional Rawhide Days parade at 9 a.m. Saturday will begin at Wailes Park on the city’s east side, continue west on Route 66 and turn north on Adams Street toward the museum, where it will end just past that point.
Texas Longhorn cattle, a tradition of the parade, won’t be part of the event again due to the high cost. However, like last year, several Longhorn cattle will be in a pen for public viewing less than a block west of the museum near the Paws & Claws thrift store.
Daugherty said festival organizers had planned a beer garden at the fairgrounds, but that became “not possible” because a big rodeo event in Fort Sumner the same weekend prevented Rawhide Days from hosting a viable roping competition. He said the 2025 Rawhide Days will ensure there are no conflicts with the event.
The fairgrounds will host a junior ranch rodeo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, plus a junior livestock show from noon to 4 p.m. that day. Daugherty said children from as far away as Texico and Dora are in the livestock show.
A barrel racing competition also will take place at the fairgrounds arena from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
A gun show will take place for a second year at the fairgrounds exposition center, but that is not affiliated with the festival.
Below is the schedule for Rawhide Days. All events are at the museum unless otherwise noted.