Word on the Street

The Mayor's Missive | August 29, 2025

IT'S TIME TO ROLL WITH THE WAGONS!

The famous Lewis Ore Wagons are set to roll in the Big Hitch Parade this weekend! Please come join in all the 68th Annual Wagon Days festivities over the next three days. It starts today, Friday, August 29, with cowboy poets, history tours, and a reception at Ketchum Town Square to honor our Grand Marshal, Duffy Witmer (more on that below). Saturday morning, the Papoose Club will serve pancakes in Town Square, and the Big Hitch parade gets rolling later in the day at 1 PM. Chris Hennessee will perform on East Avenue, next to Town Square, right after the wagons finish their journey. For more details on all the activities that are going on during Wagon Days Weekend—including cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, pony rides, and more—visit WagonDays.com. We hope to see you there!

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN—DRAFT 3

The third draft of the updated Comprehensive Plan is out. Thank you for your input and feedback! The draft can be reviewed online at projectketchum.org/cohesive-ketchum. There, you can review the changes made since the last draft, read the document online, or download a copy to print or save to read later. We will be discussing this draft at a special meeting on September 11. Please send your comments to participate@ketchumidaho.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29—A DAY TO HONOR A GRAND MARSHAL AND A HERITAGE COURT INDUCTEE

Please come to Town Square at 5.30 PM to honor Heritage Court Inductee Jeanne Cassell and Wagon Days Grand Marshal, Duffy Witmer! At 93 years old, Jeanne is still going strong, and this will be a great time to honor all that she has contributed to our community. This will be followed by a conversation with Grand Marshal, Duffy Witmer. We’ll take a trip down memory lane with Duffy and hear his thoughts on the past, the present, and the future of Ketchum. Duffy represents all the values that we treasure as a community: historical preservation, stewardship, and community spirit. I look forward to the Big Hitch rolling by the Pioneer Saloon—to me, it will represent two old friends coming together and toasting the journey that has brought them to this day. It will be wonderful to celebrate Duffy’s journey and honor him for all that he has contributed to our community.
 
Here's to hoping Wagon Days goes off WITH a big hitch!
Cheers,

Neil

To read the rest of Issue No. 182 of the Word on the Street, click here.