History of Laramie Jubilee Days: It Started As A One-day Fiddlers Contest And Chariot Race

Laramie Jubilee Days 2026 is in full swing!

Have you ever wondered about the history of Laramie’s signature summer event?

It Started Out As A One-Day Event

In fact, the first such celebration was known as ”Equality Days.” And despite the “Days’ as opposed to “Day” in the title, that very first celebration was a one-day event. It was held in conjunction with the anniversary of Wyoming Statehood on July 10, 1940

That’s according to the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming. That first celebration included a “fiddlers’ contest, chariot races, and a parade” according to the Heritage Center.

But people liked it so much they added two more days the following year and started calling it “Jubilee Days.”

Jubilee Days as it is now wouldn’t be possible without help from the city and private volunteers. To quote a 2025 City of Laramie news release “City of Laramie staff team has a big hand in coordinating the event. To ensure a successful week of events, this team includes staff members from various departments, including Parks & Recreation and Solid Waste.”

Private citizen volunteers also handle a wide range of duties, ranging from helping with parking to picking up trash to setting up and tearing down booths, to name only a few.

In doing so they are practicing some of the values that make both Laramie and Wyoming such a great place to live, such as pitching in to help neighbors and going the extra mile to do what is needed!