Join the City of Chadron and surrounding communities for the 49th annual Fur Trade Days celebration July 10-13, 2025! Fur Trade Days was named the Northern Panhandle's Best Community Festival two years in a row - 2014 and 2015.

Big. Stage. Fundraiser.
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Fur Trade Days is a party. A time to gather with family, friends, former classmates and celebrate the Chadron community’s past, present, and future. In the last handful of years, awesome live music has been a cornerstone of that party and it’s high time for an upgrade!

Carnival
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We are excited to partner with Mac’s to bring you another outstanding Fur Trade Days Carnival in 2025! With 12 great rides, concessions, and the midway, Mac’s Carnival has something fun for kids of all ages.

The Carnival is planned to open 6 p.m. - Midnight Friday
Buy your wristband vouchers now and save $5!
Vouchers are available online now through https://shop.furtradedays.com/

The voucher is redeemable for six hours of unlimited rides at the carnival. Wristbands are good for one night only, but vouchers can be used each night. Planning to ride every night? Buy vouchers from Fur Trade Days saves you $5 off the cost at the gate!

Entertainment!
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Fur Trade Days is excited to bring you great entertainment downtown.
 
Traders' Market
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From food to finds, antiques and oddities, the Fur Trade Days Traders’ Market features food vendors and craft merchants from around the region and across the country; providing something of interest for just about everyone.

2025 Traders’ Market
The Traders’ Market is an outdoor, rain or shine event. Hours are noon to 7 p.m., Friday, July 11.

Curbside vendors (food trucks, trailers, craft trailers) must arrive at 9 a.m. Friday to secure allotted spacing

Online
Fill out the entire application and submit payment (Debit, Credit, Apple Pay, Google Pay) with our easy online form!

Online Traders’ Market Form

Printable Form
Download the application for the 2025 Traders’ Market

If you’d like to fill out a paper or PDF form, but submit payment online, use this link

Activities and More
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Family-friendly fun begins Friday at the Dawes County Court House Gazebo.

Family-Friendly Fun begins Friday
Events at the Dawes County Court House Gazebo, at 4th and Main streets.

12:30 p.m. — Black Hills Raptor Center show

The Black Hills Raptor Center of Rapid City, SD will present an educational show of raptors (birds of prey). BHRC’s mission is to conserve and protect native birds of prey and their natural habitats through education, rehabilitation, and research.

BHRC presents using live raptors in classrooms, at youth programs, in the community, and for special events.

1 - 5 p.m. — Inflatables! Slip ’n’ slide, Water slide, and Mini golf! Free fun for kids!

4 p.m. — Traders’ Market Opens

After the Parade —

1 - 5 p.m. — Inflatables! Slip ’n’ slide, Water slide, and Mini golf! Free fun for kids!

Buckskinner's Camp
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The Bordeaux Creek Fur Trade and Muzzleloading Association’s Rendezvous, located 3.5 miles east and 8 miles south of Chadron, is expected to open Thursday, July 11, for camp setup.

For more information, contact Norman Martin at (308)432-3474 or [email protected]. For online updates, check out the https://www.facebook.com/BCFTMLA/.

Visitors
The camp is always open to the public, but Friday, July 12, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., is the best time to catch the major activities. Enjoy muzzleloading shoots, tomahawk and knife throwing contests, archery, and plenty of carousing afterward. Check out the fur, handicrafts, bead work and other period items offered for sale by traders.

Primitive Camp
Located in rugged scenic Pine Ridge, good spring provides drinking water.

If you'd like to burn neatly cut and split hardwood, bring your own: There's naturally downed wood you can "scrounge" in the area, but the area is getting pretty well cleaned-up.

Camp-site will be open July 11-14th.

Camps and participants should depict those of the era 1800 to 1840 or thereabouts.

Vehicles in camp: one time in to set up; one time in to pack out, please

No blue jeans. (Tan trousers/corduroys acceptable)

All modern gear — coolers, clothing, etc. out of sight.

Beverages drunk from old style containers.

Fees
$25.00 - Lodge fee - per family
No additional fee will be charged for Traders

Shoots & Events

Friday:
9 a.m.: Pistol match
10 a.m.: Red Donker Memorial Trade Gun Match
1:30 p.m.: Youth rifle matches
Friday evening cookoff and potluck dinner.

Schedule

Friday, July 11, 2025

All Day - Buckskinners primitive camp, open to visitors (3 Miles East, ~8 miles south from Museum of the Fur Trade)

10 a.m - noon - Nerf blaster war, by Thermopolis Nerf (Dawes County Courthouse Lawn)

Noon - 7 p.m. - Traders’ Market Officially Opens (Dawes County Courthouse Lawn)

12:30 p.m. - Black Hills Raptor Center (Dawes County Courthouse Lawn)

1 - 5 p.m. - Inflatables! Slip ’n’ Slide & Waterslide (Dawes County Courthouse Lawn)

2 - 6 p.m. - Nerf blaster war, by Thermopolis Nerf (Dawes County Courthouse Lawn)

5 - 7 p.m. - Classics in the Park Cruise (315 W Third Street, FNBO Parking Lot)

6 p.m. - Midnight - Mac’s Carnival (East Second & Bordeaux streets)

9 p.m. - 1 a.m. - Live Entertainment, Brandon Jones (Downtown, West Second Street)