Gallup to host Honor Gourd Dance for Run for the Wall stop
Run for the Wall riders rolled into Gallup at 3:30 p.m., then the Black Creek Gourd Society led a veterans tribute at Red Rock Park.
Gallup’s Route 66 corridor turned into a veterans tribute Thursday as Run for the Wall riders arrived for an Honor Gourd Dance and a Gathering of Veterans at Red Rock Park, tying military remembrance, Native ceremonial life and downtown civic identity into one public event.
Visit Gallup said the Honor Gourd Dance ran from noon to 6 p.m. on May 14, 2026, and was meant to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of veterans who have served the nation. The city also said veterans of recent conflicts and those currently on active duty were especially welcome, making the stop a gathering for both long-serving veterans and younger service members.
The day’s schedule centered on a 3:30 p.m. motorcycle arrival at Exit 16 on Interstate 40, followed by a parade on Route 66 through town to Red Rock Park. A “Gathering of Veterans” ceremony began at 3:45 p.m. at the park, with dancers from the Black Creek Gourd Society, which was listed as the host of the Honor Gourd Dance and scheduled to perform at Red Rock Park from noon until 6 p.m.
Run For The Wall describes the ride as an annual motorcycle journey from California to Washington, D.C., created to honor veterans and call for an accounting of POWs and MIAs. Its 2026 Central Route brought riders from Williams, Arizona, to Gallup, then on to Eagle Nest and Angel Fire, New Mexico, underscoring Gallup’s place on a cross-country route that combines ceremony with a mission of remembrance.
For Gallup, the stop also carried a civic and economic role. Tourism materials describe the city as America’s Most Patriotic Small Town and say it is friendly to veterans, a brand that fit the sight of motorcycles, dancers and families gathering at Red Rock Park and along the Route 66 corridor. The event drew people downtown and kept attention on Gallup as a place where military service and Native tradition are publicly honored together.
Gallup has hosted the ride before. A prior city calendar entry said then-Mayor Jackie McKinney escorted riders from Gallup to Eagles Nest, New Mexico, a detail that reflects how long the city has treated the stop as part of its public calendar and its identity.
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