Cowboys have been an integral part of the Texas landscape for hundreds of years, and the Fort Worth Stockyards will be celebrating that history this weekend. Vaqueros were the original pioneers, having first started herding cattle in the region in the 1590s, when the state was still part of northern Mexico. Then, in the 1860s, “cowboy” started to become a more commonly used term for cattle drivers, and over the next few decades, it was this branding that turned out to be more famous and Hollywoodized.
To pay tribute to those who lent to the history of this illustrious profession, the National Day of the American Cowboy was created in 2005 in Wyoming. The day is meant to celebrate the culture and history of the American South and West where “all cowboys are welcome,” as Patricia Moore (Bandera County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s executive director) put it in 2021.
And what better way to mark the occasion than by spending the day at the Fort Worth Stockyards on July 25 where a full schedule of events is set to take place.
Fort Worth Stockyards celebration details
The Fort Worth Stockyards celebration marking the National Day of the American Cowboy takes place Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Many of the events are free to attend, though some require tickets to be purchased in advance. A note will be made next to those on the schedule so you can plan accordingly.
At the Exchange Main Stage, the Fiddle Showcase takes place from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and overlaps slightly with the Cowtown Ramblers, who are slated for 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. showtimes. The Cowtown Opry is from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., followed by Buttermilk Junction at 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.
If these aren’t your speed, several events are happening at the same time over at Exchange Entertainment Plaza. Glitter tattoos and face painting are available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and there are also cow milking contests, armadillo races, and roll-o-roper taking place then, too.
The Cowboy Celebration Parade is one of the day’s main events. It kicks off at 11:30 a.m. and follows a route along East to West Exchange Avenue. Then the Stockyards Championship Rodeo Matinee begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Cowtown Coliseum Entertainment Plaza. You’ll need tickets to check out the rodeo—click here to buy those now.
The Salt Creek Band plays at Cowtown Coliseum Entertainment Plaza from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. before the Stockyards Championship Rodeo has its evening performance. Tickets for that show (which are sold separately from the matinee at 1:30 p.m.) can be purchased here.
Additional events are scheduled at the following places and times:
Cool Corral Yard: Face painting and glitter tattoos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Chuck Wagon Cowboy Poetry at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Stockyards Station: Face painting and glitter tattoos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Risky’s BBQ Rib Eating Contest at 11 a.m.; Old West Comedy Gun Fight Shows at 12 p.m.; Billy Robert’s from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Old West Comedy Shows at 4:15 p.m.
Fort Worth Herd: Cattle drive down East Exchange Ave. at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; Herd Experience at the Longhorn Pen behind the Livestock Exchange Building at 1:30 p.m.
Billy Bob’s Texas: Lone Star Murder Mystery Dinner & Show at 7 p.m. (tickets are available here); Josh Weathers performance at 10 p.m. (tickets can be purchased at this link)
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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