Western Heritage Days features horse parade

Genoa Western Heritage Days is known for live music, but this year’s festival will have an additional audio component – the sound of hoof steps.

The Inaugural Invitational Horse Parade kicks off at 2 p.m. April 29 in Nevada’s oldest town. More than 30 horses, miniature ponies, two wagons, a cart and a burro will parade down historic Main Street, past the Mormon Station, the Courthouse Museum and the iconic Genoa Bar. Best viewing is between the Courthouse Museum and Orchard House.

“Everyone’s so excited to participate,” said parade organizer Krissie Haliwell. “Riders have been out practicing with every clear day, acclimating and preparing their horses because we’ve had such a long winter.”

Among the parade participants are Miss Rodeo Nevada Kaila Hill; Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley; the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Posse; and the Nevada Division of the National Pony Express Association.

While the parade is the first of its kind for Western Heritage Days, Genoa’s history with horses runs deep. The town was a stop on the Pony Express; riders will reenact the exchange of the mochila at about 3 p.m. April 29 in front of the Courthouse Museum, after the conclusion of the parade.

Genoa Western Heritage Days takes place April 28-30. In addition to two ticketed Town Hall concerts and the sold-out Progressive Dinner, the event offers a free Saturday festival with kids’ activities, Western art and vendors, live music and Cowboy poetry, living history with Chautauqua performers, and Pioneer and Civil War reenactments. A schedule of events is available at bit.ly/GWHD2023.