Since 1927 Shelley has been home to the "Idaho Annual Spud Day", which is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of September.

It typically features a parade, live bands, a Spud Tug, a spud-picking Contest, and free baked potatoes.

He'd moved to the area intending to open a small store, and needed lumber and other supplies to build it.

Since the site was some distance from the nearest existing community, he asked the railroad company to make a special stop to offload the supplies he'd ordered.

His daughter, Lottie, wrote the following in her personal history: With the help of Chris Mickelson and others, the lumber was thrown off the train on both sides of the track.

Shelco was submitted to the railroad company and they replied: 'Call your town what you wish, but we have already named the spur, Shelley '.

Soren Yorgesen, a local Justice of the Peace and proprietor of the first hotel in Shelley recounts the experience as follows: ...One windy afternoon in the heat of the summer, a fire started in a small grocery store operated by James Jensen.

It did not take long until the wind was fanning a flame that wiped out quite a long string of frame buildings - two saloons, restaurant, Odd Fellows Hall, Post Office and Confectionery, Grocery Store, and dwelling.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.81 square miles (4.69 km2), all of it land.

[6] Shelley is located on the eastern side of the Snake River, facing the Blackfoot Mountains.

These events have included a parade that features the various clubs and bands of the schools in the area, as well as local businesses and groups.

Other events include the spud tug - where teams play a game of tug of war over a pit of mashed potatoes blended together in a cement truck, spud run - a set of 1-mile and 5k races,[8] concerts, fairground booths and games, and a demolition derby hosted at nearby North Bingham County Park.