Jesse James Day Origins
According to the Pineville official website, Jesse James Days is held every year in celebration of the 1938 Jesse James movie being filmed in and around Pineville. The courthouse square, a paved thoroughfare, was covered with 400 loads of dirt and every tract of modern civilization removed from business buildings to turn back 70 years of time to provide the proper James gang setting. Many people from the area were hired as extras.
Jesse James Days consists of a nightly carnival, arts and crafts booths set up around the old square, a cook shack, a Frisbee throw nightly for the kids, a parade, a barbecue chicken dinner, a bank robbery, nightly music, and many more events. The money that is raised goes to the Pineville Fire Department to operate on for the next year. This year’s event will be Aug. 15-18.
Wednesday Night
Gospel Music Night, Carnival Rides starting at 6 p.m., food, vendor booths, Frisbee throw at 7 p.m. for kids 0-12.
Thursday Night
Jesse James Pageant at 6 p.m., Redwolf Band starting right after the pageant, carnival starts at 6 p.m., and Frisbee throw at 7 p.m. for kids 0-12, food and vendor booths.
Friday Night
Lickety-Split Band at 6 p.m., carnival at 6 p.m., Frisbee throw at 7 p.m. for kids 0-12, food and vendor booths.
Saturday
5K/10K/13-Mile Bike Race (Running with the Outlaws) at 7 a.m., parade at 5 p.m., chicken dinner right after the parade in the Pineville Community Center, carnival at 6 p.m., Flashback Band at 6 p.m., food, vendor booths, auctions (live and silent), Dodge Durango raffle drawing at 9 p.m.