It’s almost one for the record books.

The Powell High School Alumni Association has been holding an annual all-class reunion for 109 consecutive years — a matter of pride, if not an acknowledged record books entry. The first PHS reunion was held in 1915, just six years after Powell was officially proclaimed a town at the heart of the Shoshone Reclamation Project.

The 2024 edition of the annual high school alumni weekend in Powell is Friday and Saturday, June 28-29.

“This is not only a PHS alumni event, but also an event for the City of Powell,” said Gerry Wilkins of Billings, a PHS grad of 1968 and the chairman of the alumni association board.  “This year we are making sure that all alumni, as well as the community of Powell, knows this is open for everyone.”

History of the Powell area figures prominently into this year’s alumni weekend.

Friday morning, June 28, events kick off with a tour of the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp, which housed more than 10,000 Japanese Americans, primarily from the West Coast, during World War II. The camp history is being redeveloped with an original barrack, new buildings and a walking trail tour. Alumni visitors are advised to be there at 9:45 a.m. to check in and pay a $10 discounted ticket price for a 10 a.m. start.

Homesteader Museum in Powell will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to showcase history of the Powell area back to Shoshone Project settlement days.

Friday gatherings of individual anniversary classes are sprinkled through the afternoon and evening in the community.

Saturday, June 29 has a full day of alumni events, beginning with a 5K run at 7 a. m. sponsored by the PHS volleyball team. It begins at the American Legion Club.

The Powell Rotary Club is serving breakfast for alums at the American Legion from 8 to 10 a.m. Homesteader Museum is opening early on Saturday with hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  A special power point presentation of Powell’s history will be shown at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.

The NWC Car Show will be ongoing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on campus.

Starting at noon Saturday, the classes of 1968 and 1970 are hosting a BYOE picnic (Bring Your Own Everything) at Washington Park. It is open to all classes for an afternoon of reminiscing.

For the golfers, the annual PHS Panther Open golf tournament has a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. at the Powell Golf Course. Open registration begins at 12:30 p.m. with a $100 per person charge covering golf, cart, range balls and lunch.

The all-class reunion weekend shifts to the fairgrounds starting at 4 p.m. Saturday with the fourth annual PHS Cornhole Tournament. Registration begins at 3 p.m. with the first toss at 4 p.m.

Saturday evening activities are scheduled both indoors and outdoors, weather and mosquitoes permitting, from 4 p.m. on. Dinner is available from Hawg Heaven, beverages from the K-Bar Saloon and music from DJ Mr. Good Tunes.