Say When: New Year’s Eve in Tombstone, Arizona
12/31/2016
New Year’s Eve in Tombstone: Waiting for Midnight With Ghosts of the Old West
I found myself turned loose in Tombstone once again… This time for New Year’s Eve. I wanted to see what a town that lives in the past does when the year runs out.
If you’re looking for a deeper guide on what to do in Tombstone beyond a single night, I wrote an earlier article:
Visiting Tombstone, Arizona - A Living Old West Town
Rounding Up Gunslingers
I didn’t stop to watch the O.K. Corral reenactment this time, but I still wrangled four of the reenactment actors into a photo. Yes, I can be pretty ridiculous… but they seem to love that people swoon over them.
Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday has always been my favorite. A man of contradictions… a dentist turned gambler and gunfighter, battling tuberculosis with sharp wit, dry humor, and loyalty to the end. Before the nightfall festivities, I followed his trail around Tombstone wearing my “Say When” necklace. Cheesy maybe… I don’t care, I love it.
Allen Street
A little before dusk, I stood in the middle of Tombstone’s Wild West streets just as I did on my journey before. Right where outlaws and law dogs once squared off and settled things with shootouts. To me, this is where Tombstone still feels the wildest.
Big Nose Kate’s
I made my way to the bar and ordered a Bloody Mary. After talking Wild West lore with the bartender, he slid a pair of very realistic replica pistols across the bar. I was delighted… And yes, I got a little carried away indulging that outlaw fantasy. Such fun.
View inside Big Nose Kate’s Saloon
Live music filled the room while the Tombstone movie looped endlessly on a big flatscreen. Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell reminding everyone exactly who this town still answers to.
The walls were crowded with old western photographs from another century. Some are well-known figures, others anonymous… ranchers, saloon girls, cowboys, gamblers, lawmen, performers.
Mixed in with the photographs is Old West art and portraits such as the one pictured over the bar that I’d really love to recreate as a photograph.
Somewhere between the music, the movie loops, and the stained-glass image of Doc Holliday glowing above us, the year changed with two-stepping, laughter, drinks, and stories amongst people I’ll never see again. New Year’s Eve in Tombstone was a blast, I recommend it and will definitely do it again.
Where I Stayed: Tombstone RV Park & Campground
Just about two miles from Allen Street, Tombstone RV Park & Campground offers a quiet place to hit the hay. It even accommodates horses, which feels fitting this close to the Old West.
If you’re not traveling by RV, there are other lodging options in town, including the Tombstone Grand Hotel and Hotel Tombstone.
This was a brief return to Tombstone, focused on New Year’s Eve in the Old West. Click here for a more thorough Tombstomb, Arizona guide.
Know Before You Go (New Year’s Eve in Tombstone)
✦ New Year’s Eve celebrations center around Allen Street and Big Nose Kate’s Saloon
✦ Arrive early, bars fill pretty quickly
✦ Dress warm, desert night temps drop fast
✦ Expect live music, crowds, and a midnight countdown
✦ Book lodging ahead if visiting on the holiday weekend
