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Nye County approves town-run Pahrump Fall Festival operations for five years
Summary
After public debate over costs and vendor pricing, Nye County commissioners voted to authorize Pahrump town Building & Grounds staff to operate the annual Fall Festival for five years, aiming to stabilize planning and vendor contracts while keeping the event free to attend.
The Nye County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on Feb. 19 to authorize the Town of Pahrump Building & Grounds staff to continue operating the annual Pahrump Fall Festival for five years, a decision supporters said would help secure longer vendor and entertainment contracts and keep costs predictable for families.
Supporters of the move told commissioners they view the festival as a core community event rather than a revenue generator. “We are doing this for the community and for the public. We would hope just to break even,” said Courtney Kenny, Pahrump town staff, during the meeting.
The commissioners and town staff described several changes made to reduce costs and increase local participation this year. Staff reported higher sponsorship revenue in 2024, changes to the carnival ticketing approach, and a shift toward more local entertainers to lower entertainment expenses. Town staff and volunteers also reorganized vendor fees and sponsorships; the vendor fee for for-profit vendors was raised but staff said that was the first fee increase in many years.
Public comment at the meeting showed a mix of support and concern. Several residents praised the festival as a community tradition; others, including multiple parents, said ride and food prices are becoming unaffordable and urged the county to keep negotiating with vendors to lower costs. Jimmy Martinez, Town of Pahrump Building & Grounds, said the town negotiates with multiple food and ride vendors to encourage competition and lower prices for attendees.
Commissioners who backed the five-year authorization said a longer operating window would help staff negotiate multi-year contracts—particularly for carnival and entertainment acts—and allow the rodeo and other festival partners to book higher-quality participants with greater certainty. Opponents and some public commentators urged continued oversight of costs and clearer accounting for staff time devoted to the event.
The board’s vote authorizes the town department to operate the festival and directs staff to continue negotiating vendor and entertainment contracts, while the town will return to the board with operational updates and budget effects as part of normal reporting.
