September 2013 Events

Western roundup of events where you can experience the Old West.

ANIMAL ADOPTIONS

Wild Horse and Burro Adoptions

Bend, OR, September 14: Wild horses and burros from Western states are offered up for adoption to folks who will provide long-term care.
866-468-7826 •  BLM.gov

ART FESTIVALS & EXHIBITS

Rock Island Auction

Rock Island, IL, September 13-15: Firearms enthusiasts get the chance to bid on antique and modern firearms, edged weapons and military artifacts.
800-238-8022 • RockIslandAuction.com

Oklahoma City, OK, Opens September 19: Denise Duong applies her storybook style of mixed media drawings to venture into unknown territories.
888-501-2059 • OklahomaHeritage.com

Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale

Cody, WY, September 20-21: Buffalo Bill Center of the West benefit features contemporary Western artworks, plus honors steel artist Charles Ringer.
888-598-8119 • BuffaloBillArtShow.com

Fort Bayard Days

Silver City, NM, September 20-21:Fort Bayard celebrates Buffalo Soldiers history with tours of the 1866 fort, a military ball, re-enactments and old-fashioned games and crafts around the parade ground.
575-956-3294 • FortBayard.org

Escalante Canyon’s Everett Ruess Days

Escalante, UT, September 20-29: Named for an artist who mysteriously disappeared, this plein air painting contest also offers historic building tours.
EverettRuessDays.org

Taos Fall Arts Festival

Taos, NM, Sept. 27-Oct. 6: In the city where master artist Joseph Henry Sharp painted, art lovers may view today’s art at Taos County’s oldest art festival.
505-681-4914 • TaosFallArts.com

COMPETITION

Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials

Meeker, CO, September 4-8: Held since 1987, this sheepdog competition refines the skills required of a dog and rancher to manage a sheep ranch.
970-878-0111 • MeekerSheepDog.com

HERITAGE FESTIVALS

Gold Rush Days

Sacramento, CA, Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Go back in time to 1850 Sacramento, where you can pan for gold, gamble and drink homemade sarsaparilla.
800-292-2334 • SacramentoGoldRushDays.com

Wagon Days

Ketchum, ID, Aug. 31-Sept. 2: Features one of the largest non-motorized parades in the Pacific Northwest, plus wagons and stagecoaches.
208-726-2777 • WagonDays.org

Defeat of Jesse James Days

Northfield, MN, September 4-8: A community gathering since 1948, this re-enactment celebrates the town heroes who stopped the Jesse James Gang during an 1876 bank raid.
800-658-2548 • DJJD.org

National Cowboy Symposium & Celebration

Lubbock, TX, September 5-8: Celebrate cowboy culture at one of the West’s best chuckwagon cook-offs, plus enjoy cowboy poetry and music.
806-798-7825 • Cowboy.org

Hells Canyon Mule Days

Enterprise, OR, September 6-8: This mule show and sale features an Old World Oxen living history camp, plus cowboy music, poetry and art.

888-323-3271 • HellsCanyonMuleDays.com

Fiesta de Septiembre

Wickenburg, AZ, September 7: Hispanic pioneer heritage celebration features stories and photos, Mariachi music and folklorico dancers.
928-684-5479 • WickenburgChamber.com

Western Spirit Celebration

Duncan, OK, September 13-14: Heritage celebration of nation’s largest cattle migration is held at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.
580-252-6692 • OntheChisholmTrail.com

Buffalo Bill Days Festival

Leavenworth, KS, September 13-14:  Cowboy Trail walking tour and concerts honor the frontiersman who lived here in the pre-Civil War years.
BuffaloBillFestival.com

Walnut Valley Festival

Winfield, KS, September 18-22: Bluegrass flatpickers gather for the National Guitar Flatpicking contest, with featured performers including Bill Barwick, Roz Brown, Dave Stamey and John McCutcheon.
620-221-3250• WVFest.com

Golden, CO, September 22: Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley re-enactors share their stories of the West, plus learn how a Civil War cannon works.
303-526-0744 • BuffaloBill.org

Western Heritage Weekend& Tom Mix Festival

Dewey, OK, September 28-29: Celebrate Oklahoma’s early beginnings with the Tom Mix festival, a parade, a Wild West show, rodeo contests and live bands. The silent Western film actor’s 1937 Cord Phaeton (above) will make an appearance; Mix was driving this convertible when he got killed on an Arizona highway in 1940.
918-534-1555 • TomMixMuseum.com

Standing Bear PowWow

Ponca City, OK, September 27-28: At the park honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear, six American Indian tribes gather for dances and songs.
580-762-1514 • PoncaCityTourism.com

RE-ENACTMENTS

Younger Brothers Capture

Madelia, MN, September 14: Re-enacts the 1876 capture of the Younger Brothers and James Gang member Charlie Pitts by residents of Madelia.
888-941-7283 • MadeliaMN.com

Rendezvous of the Gunfighters

Tombstone, AZ, Aug. 31-Sept. 2: Watch gunfighter groups from across the U.S. compete for the title of best gunfighter in Tombstone.
888-457-3929 • Tombstone.org

RODEO

Pendleton Round-Up

Pendleton, OR, September 11-14: At this PRCA rodeo, enjoy cowboy concerts, Indian relay races, the Happy Canyon festival and a rodeo parade.
800-457-6336 • PendletonRoundup.com

Omaha, NE, September 26-29: This PRCA rodeo and stock show entertains with trail rides, a barbecue contest, parade and Buckaroo Bash.
402-554-9600 • RiverCityRodeo.com

TREKS & RIDES

Adobe Walls Trek

Borger, TX, September 7: Walk through the 1874 site of the Second Battle of Adobe Walls and observe historical dioramas, exhibits and maps.
806-273-0130 • HutchinsonCountyMuseum.org

Woolaroc Fall Trail Ride

Bartlesville, OK, September 14: Head out on this 15-mile trail ride along a former oilman’s retreat, where you’ll see buffalo, elk and longhorn cattle.
888-966-5276 • Woolaroc.org