Celebrations were not held just at the Holidays.  Celebrations might be held at the completion of a new fort, arrival at rendezvous, a wedding, or finding that friend known to be dead was still alive.  Celebrations might include dancing, singing and storytelling, and almost certainly the use of ardent spirits if available.  

After Fort Hall had been constructed, Nathaniel Wyeth allowed his men to celebrate the occasion and their hard work.  The following was recorded by John Kirk Townsend: "August 5th. At sunrise this morning, the "star-spangled banner" was raised on the flag-staff at the fort, and a salute fired by the men, who, according to orders, assembled around it. All in camp were then allowed the free and uncontrolled use of liquor, and, as usual, the consequence was a scene of rioting, noise, and fighting, during the whole day; some became so drunk that their senses fled them entirely, and they were therefore harmless; but by far the greater number were just sufficiently under the influence of the vile trash, to render them in their conduct disgusting and tiger‑like. We had "gouging," biting, fisticuffing, and "stamping" in the most "scientific" perfection; some even fired guns and pistols at each other, but these weapons were mostly harmless in the unsteady hands which employed them."    

"On the arrival of the trappers and hunters a big drunken spree took place. Our boss, who was a good one, and did not like to be backward in such things, I saw flat on his belly on the green grass, pouring out what he could not hold in."

Written June?, 1833 by Charles Larpenteur in Forty Years a Fur Trader.  At this time Larpentuer was a young man going on his first trip up to the mountains as a hired hand with the pack train Sublette and Campbell were taking to supply the Rocky Mountain Fur Company at the Rendezvous of 1833.  The Rocky Mountain Fur Company had not sent anyone done to St. Louis this year to confirm the shipment of goods to rendezvous, or the location at which it was to be held.  The trappers and hunters referred to were a party sent out be the Rocky Mountain Fur Company to confirm details.  

"In a short time a tent was rigged up into a kind of saloon, and such drinking, yelling, and shooting as went on I, of course, never had heard before. Mr. Redman, among the rest, finally got so drunk that Mr. Fitzpatrick could do nothing with him, and there was not a sober man to be found in camp but myself. So Mr. Fitzpatrick asked me if I would try my hand at clerking. I remarked that I was willing to do my best, and at it I went. For several days nothing but whisky was sold, at $5 a pint. There were great quarrels and fights outside, but I must say the men were very civil to me."

Written July, 1833 by Charles Larpenteur in Forty Years a Fur Trader.  The setting is during the opening days of the 1833 Rendezvous.  At this time Larpentuer was a young man going on his first trip up to the mountains as a hired hand with the pack train Sublette and Campbell were taking to supply the Rocky Mountain Fur Company.

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