Willits Frontier Days

Festival June 23-July 4, 2023

CCPRA California Cowboys Professional Rodeo July 3-4, 2023

willitsfrontierdays.com

Frontier Days Events

CCPRA PROFESSIONAL RODEO
July 3, 2023 7 p.m.
Jack Tharp Arena
Box: $25, Adult: $20, Child: $10
Western Dance with the Boondock Boys free, following the rodeo!

CCPRA PROFESSIONAL RODEO
July 4, 2023, 4 p.m.
Jack Tharp Arena
Box: $25, Adult: $20, Child: $10

BARBECUE July 4, 2023, 12 p.m.
Rec Grove Park
Adult: $20 & Child/Senior: $12

COUNTRY MUSIC RODEOLA
July 4, 2023, 12 p.m. Rec Grove Park
Free to Attend

HORSESHOE CONTEST July 4, 2023, 10 a.m.
Rec Grove Park
Free to Attend - $50 entry fee

FRONTIER DAYS PARADE July 4, 2023, 11 a.m.
"Wrangles, Boots & Spurs" is 2023 theme

 JUNIOR RODEO
July 2, 2023,  9 a.m.
Jack Tharp Arena
$10

June 23, 2023 TRUCK & TRACTOR PULLS
Jack Tharp Arena 6 p.m.
$20 adult, $10 child

June 23, 2023 STREET DANCE 
Following Truck Pulls & Rodeo
Rodeo Grounds | Featuring Flat Busted Bands

June 24, 2023 SWEETHEART JUDGING
Appearance & Poise 12 p.m.
Rodeo Grounds

HORSE SHOW June 25, 2023, 8 a.m.
Jack Tharp Arena
Free to Attend

June 28, 2023 CARNIVAL OPENS

June 30, 2023 HOME TOWN CELEBRATION
Main Street, Willits  5-9 p.m.

Willits Rodeo & Frontier Days Events
Team Roping
Barrel Racing
Horseshoe Contest
Black Bart Gunfighters
Cowboy Poetry
Gymkhana
Hometown Celebration
Horse Show
Junior Rodeo 

Willits, a frontier kind of town in Mendocino County, hosts the oldest continuous rodeo in California each year in July. The CCPRA rodeo is one element of the fun, however, that includes a Gymkhana, Junior Rodeo, Locals Only Team Barrel Racing and Roping Contests and Western themed entertainment, food and more.

Frontier Days Timeline

1926 Willits Frontier founded
1927 a Sweetheart, Marie Schloegel, wore the crown
1929 — Ladies in hoop skirts and gentlemen with whiskers danced at the Wild West Frontier Days Dance. Lola Butts was the new Sweetheart.
1935 — No one could forget when the The Jumping Steer — Monte H. Rigar on a Texas longhorn leaped over an automobile! There were two parades and dancing in the park.
1938 — World Champion Trick Roper for 4 U.S. Presidents, Sam Garrett,  performed an exciting show.
1943 — WWII ... State of California and Western Defense Command granted permission to host The Frontier Days festival, but with dim-out the carnival was not lit. Food rationing meant there was no abundance of food to be served.
1944 — Dim-out was lifted.
1966 — Frontier Days committee discussed the possibility of the Willits Rotary Club taking over and not having a parade; it didn't happen, and things went on as usual.
1971 — Riding his Palomino in his beautiful silver attire as Don Gaspar de Portola, Mike Desiano added a Spanish flavor to the parade.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.