Nevada City Constitution Day 2013
The 47th Annual Constitution Day Parade tops a weekend of festivities Sept. 7-8, 2013 in this historic California Gold Rush town.
Nevada City’s Constitution Day Parade has been a local tradition since 1967 and is reported to be the oldest and largest Constitution observance in western America.
The 2 p.m. Sunday parade features more than 100 entries and culminates other activities including Civil War battle reenactments in Pioneer Park, the Gold Country Duck Race on Deer Creek and a free outdoor big band concert in the downtown historic district
The parade through the downtown historic district includes marching bands, floats, antique autos, equestrians, politicians and perennial crowd favorites such as the Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and the Famous Marching Presidents of Nevada City, a humorous but reverent group that portrays each U.S. president.
Members of the American Civil War Association offer living history and battle reenactments at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and at 11 a.m. Sunday in Pioneer Park. More than 200 military and settler reenactors are expected to take part.
Weekend Events
SATURDAY, Sept. 7
Pancake Breakfast: Seaman’s Lodge, Pioneer Park, 7-10:30am, $7 All-You-Can-Eat
Civil War Reenactments: Pioneer Park, 1pm and 4pm
Military Uniform Fashion Show, 2:30 pm, Pioneer Park Bandshell
Nevada County Concert Band, Free Concert: Pine Street, 5:30-6:30 pm
President Lincoln at The Parsonage, 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 8
Pancake Breakfast: Seaman’s Lodge, Pioneer Park 7-10:30am, $7 All-You-Can-Eat
Civil War Reenactment: Pioneer Park, 11am
22nd Annual Gold Country Duck Race: Deer Creek, Downtown Nevada City, bottom of Broad Street, just across the freeway. Duck Race Carnival opens at 1:00pm for food, drink, and games. Races start at 2:30pm. Races, DucKeno, entertainment, food, drinks and kids’ games, 2:30 – 5:30pm.
Historical Reenactment of the Signing of the U.S. Constitution, Broad Street at Pine Street, 1:30pm
46th Annual Constitution Day Parade: Broad Street, 2pm
SUNDAY Shuttle, 10am to 6pm
Park for free at the Nevada County Government Center at Highway 49 and Maidu Avenue. Take the shuttle into town and to Pioneer Park. $3 all day pass per person, or per family. Free for those in historical costume and youth 12 years and younger.
Nevada City is known for its classic small town spirit and unique events. With a population of 3000, Nevada City swells to 10,000 or more on Constitution Day.
Celebrants should plan to arrive about an hour before parade time to get a good vantage point along the parade route. Out-of-town visitors should book local accommodations early.
Nevada City is located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains midway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. From Sacramento, take eastbound Interstate 80 to Auburn and Highway 49 north to Nevada City. From Reno, take westbound I-80 and westbound State Route 20.
For more information, contact the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, 132 Main Street, Nevada City, CA 95959. Call the chamber at (530) 265-2692 or 1-800-655-NJOY.
