Our History
THREE DECADES OF CHROME, CARS & ROCK ’N’ ROLL
The story behind Kool Deadwood Nites
Long before today’s six-day celebration, Kool Deadwood Nites was already bringing classic cars and music to Deadwood. Its history lives in archived event materials, old concert programs, and the owners who have made the trip for decades.
The 1990s — Early roots
Deadwood’s anniversary records point back to 1994: the city celebrated 30 years in 2024 and 31 years in 2025. Those milestones place the event’s roots in the mid-1990s. A separate piece of evidence survives at Black Hills State University’s Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies, which holds a file titled “Kool Deadwood Nites, 1996” in the Troy L. and Watson Parker Collection. The show was already part of the Black Hills tourism record by then.
2018 — Cars by day, classics by night
The published August 23–26, 2018 program shows how much the celebration had developed. The Grass Roots played the 10th Annual Sock Hop; The Lettermen and The Box Tops appeared in the free Main Street concert lineup. Car owners could join a rod run through Spearfish or Vanocker Canyon, while the program also included an auction at Deadwood Mountain Grand, judging at Ferguson Field, and walking and driving poker runs. Sunday’s parade continued through Central City and Lead before Show & Shine and awards in Deadwood.
2024 — Thirty years, six days
The 30-year milestone brought a longer celebration. In 2024, organizers added a Tuesday start, extending the event to six days, August 20–25. Registration, activities for car owners, and entertainment began earlier in the week. The city’s August newsletter marked the anniversary with a program built around classic cars, a parade, Show & Shine, and free Main Street concerts. The expansion gave visitors another day to enjoy the event.
2025 — The tradition keeps growing
Deadwood celebrated 31 years of Kool Deadwood Nites from August 19–24, 2025. The city’s newsletter described a mix of classic cars, custom hot rods, 1950s and 1960s music, and street dancing. The classic car auction ran August 21–23. Free shuttle service connected parking at Cedar Rose Spa, Lead High School, and the Lead Visitor Center with downtown Deadwood—part of the practical work behind a celebration spread across the town.
2026 — A road trip 31 years in the making
Some of the best history comes from the people who return. In an August 2026 interview with Cowboy State Daily, Wheatland, Wyoming collector Frank Jones described attending Kool Deadwood Nites for 31 years. His first trip involved four people and one car, and he recalled seeing roughly 50 cars at the event—his personal recollection, rather than an official registration count. For the 2026 trip, he brought 18 cars from his collection, mostly 1955–1957 Chevrolets, with friends helping drive them to Deadwood. His story shows how a single visit can become a decades-long tradition.
2027 — The next chapter
The Deadwood Chamber identifies 2027 as the show’s 33rd anniversary, with the celebration scheduled for August 17–22. The modern program brings together registration, Show & Shine, concerts, the auction, judging, and the parade. Those activities connect today’s event with the traditions visible in earlier programs—and leave room for another generation of owners and visitors to add their own memories.
The cars change. The memories stay.
Archived programs tell us what happened. Returning owners tell us why it mattered. Together, they tell the history of Kool Deadwood Nites.
Explore the 2027 event details →
Historical references: Black Hills State University’s Leland D. Case Library; City of Deadwood newsletters (August 2024 and 2025); KOOL 101.9’s 2018 event program; 95.1 KSKY’s 2024 event listing; Cowboy State Daily (August 30, 2026); Deadwood Chamber event information.