Cowboy Poetry Gatherings
Events you might be interested inThere are many different cowboy poetry and music gatherings around the world. Here are a sampling. View schedule.
If you know of other events that should be included, please let us know.
Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering
Prescott, AZ - Held in August on the campus of Yavapai College in Prescott, the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering invites men and women who are now or have been in the past a part of the working cowboy's environment and workplace. The 34th Gathering scheduled for August 11-13, 2022, will showcase more than 40 cowboy poets and musicians over two days and three nights. The ticketed night shows will feature Dale Burson, Floyd Beard, and Joni Harms and include numerous other poets and musicians. All daytime performances are free, and in small rooms. Come to Arizona for a great time!
Best Little Cowboy Gathering In Texas
La Grange, TX - This is a weekend of great music & dancing day and night, BBQ cookers, children's events, historical events, and Texas sized hospitality! The 2022 family-friendly gathering was March 11-12 and included more than 8 musicians playing country, western swing, and western music at the Fayette Country Fairgrounds; a BBQ cook-off, chuckwagon exhibits; horse clinics; outdoor cooking demonstrations; dutch oven exhibits; a fiddle extravaganza; arts and craft exhibits; blacksmith demonstrations; food booths; and children's activities.
Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous
Logan, UT - The 2022 Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous was held March 11-13, 2022 at the Cache County Events Center, preceded by a country swing dance on Thursday, March 10. It featured two stages of western music and cowboy poetry, plus western vendors, and included educational activities to enrich individuals, families, and schools. Most activities at the event are offered free to the public of all ages.
Cimarron Cowboy Music and Poetry Gathering [ended]
Cimarron, NM - Held in August in northern New Mexico, the 2021 7th Annual Cimarron Cowboy Music and Poetry Gathering featured eight poets and eleven musicians/groups. Unfortunately, this was the final event. See the website for a letter from the organizers, and photos from 2014 to 2021.
Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering
Sierra Vista, AZ - Attendees heard the Sons of the Pioneers, Kristyn Harris with Hailey Sandoz, Joyce Woodson, Joe Herrington, and more than 30 other poets and musicians at the 30th Cochise Cowboy Gathering Feb. 4-5, 2022. Sierra Vista is 75 miles southeast of Tucson in Cochise County. We will post info about 2023 when it becomes available.
Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Golden, CO - The Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering is held each January. The next Gathering will be January 13-15, 2023 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). The 2022 Gathering had eight performers, and attendees could purchase a weekend pass, tickets for individual shows, or take a harmonica class.
Cowpoke Fall Gathering
Loomis, CA - The mission of the Cowpoke Foundation is to preserve and promote the American cowboy heritage. Our premier event is the Cowpoke Fall Gathering where cowboy storytelling music and verse reinforce the "cowboy way" at the heart of western traditions. The 28th Annual Cowpoke Fall Gathering will be held Nov. 10-12, 2022, with Juni Fisher, Mike Beck, and Andy Hedges appearing. Tickets go on sale Oct. 1. All shows are held at the 400-seat Blue Goose Event Center.
Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Medora, ND - The 36th Annual Dakota Cowboy Poetry Gathering was held on Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-29, 2022, at the Medora Community Center in picturesque Medora, North Dakota. Cowboy poets, singers, and musicians can be enjoyed at the daytime and evening shows. Participants and audience members gather together every year to keep the tradition of cowboy music and poetry alive.
Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Durango, CO - The 2022 Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering is Sept. 29-Oct. 2 (Thursday-Sunday), and will feature Western Music Association multiple award winner Dave Stamey. The event will include the largest non-motorized parade in Colorado (Oct. 1). The 2021 event also incorporated a chuckwagon breakfast, a trail ride, sessions at various locations throughout downtown Durango, and evening shows at Fort Lewis College.
Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering
Encampment, WY - The Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering is held the third full weekend in July. The 21st annual gathering is scheduled for July 14-16, 2023. It will include open mic music and poetry; a campfire jam session; a free Western entertainment roundup on Saturday afternoon; an all-star poetry and music show; a cowboy ranch breakfast, and cowboy church.
Heber Valley Western Music & Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Heber City, UT - The Heber Valley Western Music and Cowboy Poetry Gathering began in 1994 with three local cowboy poets and some $5 chili. When 250 people came, they knew they were on to something. The Gathering now attracts people from across the country, and has become a premiere event in the state of Utah. The 2021 Gathering was held Oct. 13-17 and featured a number of musicians and poets.
Juab Cowboy Poetry & Music Gathering
Nephi, UT - The Second Annual Juab Cowboy Poetry & Music Gathering will be held March 31-April 1, 2023 in Nephi, Utah, about 85 miles south of Salt Lake City. Performers will include Andy Hedges, Trinity Seely, Joel Nelson, Andy Nelson, Dakota Holdaway, Kaden Miner, and Hannah Caudill. The 2022 event also included a Friday night dance, vendors, and exhibitors. Tickets for 2022 ranged from $20 for a single session pass for one person to $200 for a weekend family pass for 5.
Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Alpine, TX - The Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering is held the third Friday-Saturday of February each year on the campus of Sul Ross State University. Its purpose is to promote narratives of the cowboy way told in poetry, songs, stories, and art by those who have lived that life. Come join us in the beautiful high desert of the Big Bend country Feb. 17-18, 2023 with forty scheduled performers (poets and musicians), four ticketed shows, two chuckwagon breakfasts, and two suppers.
Miles City Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Miles City, MT - The Miles City Cowboy Poetry Gathering, an annual fundraiser for the Range Riders Museum, was held on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022 on the grounds of the museum in Miles City, Montana. Featured performers were Jim Hamilton of Decker, MT; Bill Lowman of Sentinel Butte, ND; Brent Voigt of Rhame, ND; and Vickie Hill of Turtle Lake, ND. The event (11:30 AM to 4 PM) included a meal, the main show, and open mic performances for $25.
Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous
Lewistown, MT - Central Montana is proud of its history — for many on the great cattle drives north in the mid-1880s, our Judith Basin was the last stop on a journey to a better life. The 2022 Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Music Rendezvous will be held August 11-14, 2022. Tickets go on sale Nov. 26, 2021. Dave Stamey will perform in the Grand Stage show.
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Elko, NV - The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is a week-long festival of cowboy poetry, music and art, rooted in tradition but focused on today's rural West. It showcases over 40 featured artists and events in seven venues. The 38th Gathering for 2023 will be held Jan. 30-Feb. 4, 2023. Normally, members of the Western Folklife Center can purchase tickets in late October or November. The full schedule is available in mid-January each year.
Old West Days and Nebraska Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Valentine, NE - Come to Valentine in the historic sandhills of Nebraska to mingle with modern-day cowboys, ranchers, and craftsmen. The 31st annual event will be held Oct. 20-23, 2022, and includes a melodrama on Thursday evening; a Western art, trade, and quilt show; free poetry and music sessions; a workshop; featured performances, and a trail ride. Watch the website (oldwestdays.net) for performer announcements.
Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering and Western Swing Festival
Fort Worth, TX - Held in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards each October, the 2021 Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering and Western Swing Festival will take place Oct. 28-30, 2022. This is the 31st Gathering, and will include a wagon train from Jacksboro to Fort Worth; a youth fiddle extravaganza and Western swing show in Weatherford on Tuesday, Oct. 25; a cowboy trappings and trade show; a chuckwagon competition; musicians, including Jean Prescott, Dan Roberts, Mikki Daniel/Hailey Sandoz/Kristyn Harris, and R.W. Hampton; poets, including Chris Isaacs, Jay Snider, Teresa Burleson, and Straw Berry; ranch rodeo and roping events; and multiple performances by Red Steagall and the Boys in the Bunkhouse, Jake Hooker, and Jason Roberts.
Salado Cowboy Poetry & Music Gathering
Salado, TX - About 50 miles north of Austin, Salado's early development was defined by its location along the stagecoach route and the Chisholm Trail. Today, Salado is a creative destination with artists, boutiques, wineries, a microbrewery, and fine restaurants. The Salado Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering presents performers who are now, or have been in the past, a part of the working cowboy environment. For May 5-6, 2023, performers will include Andy Hedges, Jim Jones, Kristyn Harris, Don Cadden, Floyd and Valerie Beard, Doug Figgs, Theresa Burleson, Washtub Jerry, Terry Nash, and Straw Berry.
Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival
Santa Clarita, CA - The 27th annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival originally scheduled for April 23-24, 2022, was canceled by the City of Santa Clarita in mid-January, citing county public health restrictions and a 2022 surge in COVID-19 cases.
Texas Hill Country Cowboy Gathering
Fredericksburg, TX - Scheduled for Nov. 4-5, 2022 in the beautiful Texas Hill Country town of Fredericksburg, this two-day festival of song, story, and poetry features internationally acclaimed, regional, and local talent. Songwriters, poets, and balladeers will celebrate the legend and cowboy spirit in all of us. Performers announced include Mike Blakely, Pipp Gillette, Andy Hedges, Brenn Hill, Andy Nelson, Joel Nelson, Brigid and Johnny Reedy, Randy Rieman, Trinity Seely, and Sourdough Slim.
West End Cowboy Gathering
Nucla, CO - The 5th Annual West End Cowboy Gathering was a one-day poetry and Western music festival, held Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. It featured Doug Figgs, Peggy Malone, The Russellers, Terry Nash, and Floyd and Valerie Beard, and was sponsored by the Nucla-Naturita Area Chamber of Commerce.
Western Heritage Classic
Abilene, TX - The Western Heritage Classic is held each May in Abilene with many different events, including a parade and street dance, cowboy poetry and music, a chuckwagon cookoff, a bit and spur show, ranch rodeo, a ranch horse sale, cowdog trials, matched horse races, an art show, a fiddle contest, vendors, cowboy church on Sunday, and more. In 2021, their "Cowboy Poetry Under the Stars" night featured Jeff Gore, Chris Isaacs, Teresa Burleson, and Jay Snider, and participating musicians included Jeff Gore, Jimmy Burson, Mikki Daniel, Randy Huston, and Gary and Jean Prescott. The 2022 event was scheduled for May 12-15, and online ticket sales began April 11.
Western Slope Cowboy Gathering
Grand Junction, CO - The Western Slope Cowboy Gathering is held the first weekend in November, in partnership with the Museums of Western Colorado, and features twelve to fourteen performers. The 2022 7th Annual Gathering will be held Nov. 4-5 at the Grand Valley Event Center and will include Doug Figgs, plus Floyd Beard, Valerie Beard, Nona Kelley Carver, Bill Clark, Jo Lynne Kirkwood, Paul Larson, Peggy Malone, Ernie Martinez, Terry Nash, Dale Page, The Russellers, Caitlyn Taussig, and Kacey & Jenna Thunborg.