Cowboys and cowgirls, the 37th Durango Cowboy Gathering has a weekend planned for you!
The Gathering kicked off Wednesday and runs through Saturday night. And the schedule between today and Saturday is stuffed with events, including open mics, where everyone is invited to sign up to sing a Western tune or recite a poem; a gunfight reenactment; cowboy comedy night ... and it wouldn’t be the Durango Cowboy Gathering without the Cowboy Chuckwagon Breakfast and parade on Saturday morning on Main Avenue.
So without further ado, here’s what the rest of this year’s Durango Cowboy Gathering has to offer, according to its website:
COWBOY MOSEY: All day, everywhere. It’s a call for locals and visitors alike to put on their Western-inspired “fashion” and mosey around town.
COWBOY MUSIC AND POETRY TRAIN: 8 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Train. A special D&SNG steam train excursion to Silverton. Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering entertainers will perform onboard on designated coaches during the excursion to Silverton only. Hear the music, poetry, stories and a few tall tales of the West. All trains have a concession car with a variety of light snacks available for purchase. Or discover a sweet spot in Silverton to enjoy lunch during a two-hour layover in this historic mining town. Boarding begins at 7:45 a.m., final boarding 8 a.m., train departure 8:15 a.m. For tickets and details, visit https://tinyurl.com/5wf87wem.
COWBOY GATHERING TRAIL RIDE: time TBD, Bears Ranch, 51 Haviland Lake Road. Cowboy Gathering Trail Ride offered by Bears Ranch, a two-hour trail ride through the San Juan Mountains. Enjoy some classic Western music and poetry along with a cowboy lunch. Space is limited. Reserve at www.bearsranch.com or call 884-4049.
POETS AND MUSICIANS IN THE COMMUNITY: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., downtown Durango. Free performances at select downtown venues. See performers below:
JON CHANDLER, R.P. SMITH, SARAH PIERCE and KEVIN BLAINE: 11-11:50 a.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave.
B.J. SMITH, TIMBERLINE COWBOYS, JAKE RILEY AND JIM JONES: 11-11:50 a.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
JAKE RILEY, DAVE STAMEY, GEORGE RAY RUSSELL AND KEVIN BLAINE: noon-12:50 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
JEFF DAVIDSON, LINDY SIMMONS, KYE RIEFF AND JIM JONES: noon-12:50 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave.
ERNIE MARTINEZ AND JOEL ALDEN WHITE: noon-12:50 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
SARAH PIERCE AND JON CHANDLER: 1-1:50 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
LINDY SIMMONS, JEFF DAVIDSON AND TIMBERLINE COWBOYS: 1-1:50 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
JOEL ALDEN WHITE, GEORGE RAY RUSSELL AND ERNIE MARTINEZ: 2-3 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
DAVE STAMEY AND KYE RIEFF: 2-3 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
OPEN MIC SESSION: 1-3 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. Cowboy music and poetry. Come and sing a Western song or recite a cowboy poem – open to everyone. Sign up on the spot and show off your talent. Sign up sheet available at 11 a.m.
COWBOY COMEDY NIGHT FEATURING R.P. SMITH AND B.J. SMITH PLUS INVITED PERFORMERS: 7 p.m., Main Stage at the Doubletree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio. Reserved seating $35 or $45. R.P. is a fourth-generation cattleman whose brand of cowboy poetry and country commentary will make you smile, laugh and cry. B.J. received the Academy of Western Artists Will Rogers Award. His comical performances are known across the U.S. and Canada. For tickets and details, visit https://tinyurl.com/33hehs59.
COWBOY CHUCKWAGON BREAKFAST: 8-10:30 a.m., Main Avenue at Eighth Street. Tickets $15 available at the event. Before the parade, enjoy a cowboy breakfast of biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs and lots of hot coffee.
HORSE RIDES FOR KIDS: 8:30-10:30 a.m., Main Avenue (between 11th and 12th streets). For kids 12 and younger. Hosted by Bears Ranch and Colorado Trails Ranch.
HORSEBACK SOCIAL: 8:30-10 a.m., Downtown Main Avenue. Trailer parking on Second Avenue. Riders mingle in the street before the parade. Register to ride at https://tinyurl.com/4wj7wfr7.
PETTING CORRAL: 8:30 a.m.-noon, Main Avenue. Farm and ranch critters. Hosted by Colvig Silver Camps.
COWBOY PARADE: 10:30 a.m., Main Avenue. One of Colorado’s largest nonmotorized parades. Historic wagons, ladies and gents dressed in period costumes, and horses/mules/burros make this a family favorite. For more information and entry forms, visit https://tinyurl.com/4wj7wfr7.
WILD WEST SHOOTOUT: 11 a.m., in front of parade judging stand on Main Avenue. Immediately after the parade. Cowboys reenact a real gun battle that occurred on Durango’s Main Street in 1906.
COWBOY POETRY, MUSIC, STORYTELLING AND FOLKLORE: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., various locations, running concurrently and changing every hour. Free.
KEVIN BLAINE, ERNIE MARTINEZ AND JOEL ALDEN WHITE: 11 a.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Free.
SYD MASTERS & THE SWING RIDERS: 10-10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Seventh and Ninth streets and Main Avenue. Syd Masters & The Swing Riders are a multitalented, thoroughly funny, high energy cowboy band from New Mexico. The Swing Riders have been performing with Syd since 1998. The band has been called cultural ambassadors for their work entertaining troops and veterans in 26 foreign countries. Syd was recently named official ambassador to Guitars for Vets, an organization that provides musical healing therapy by giving acoustic guitars and lessons to returning veterans suffering from PTSD. The mission of this high energy Western swing band is to save vintage Western music one two-step at a time. Free.
BASIN HIGH SCHOOL RODEO TEAM ANNUAL PIE AUCTION: 11-11:30 a.m., at the intersection of Seventh Street and Main Avenue. Immediately after the shootout and parade. Bid on tasty pies to support the Basin High School Rodeo Team. All proceeds go to the kids. Directly followed by live music by Sid Masters and the Swing Riders.
WESTERN HERITAGE TRIBUTE: noon, Main Avenue Stage. Honor the 2025 Parade Grand Marshals.
PRESENTATION OF GRAND MARSHALS: LISA AND LOREN SKYHORSE: noon, downtown Main Stage. Lisa and Loren are a husband and wife saddle-making team. They have been building saddles full-time since 1974 and together with no employees have built over 1,300 handmade one-of-a-kind Western saddles of all styles. Their passion for horses has always been a driving force in their lives. They raised and bred Arabian horses for 20 years in the Pacific Northwest. They were avid endurance riders and finished five World Championship Ride & Ties. The Skyhorses moved to Durango in 1996. Skyhorse saddles are ridden and exhibited all over the world and are proudly shown in Durango at Toh-Atin Gallery. Their story and saddles can be viewed on their website www.skyhorse.com. Lisa and Loren feel strongly about giving back and passing on the Western tradition of saddle making. They have done projects all over the world – Mongolia, Siberia, Peru, Portugal and at home with 4-H, the Navajo Arts Council, At Risk Youth programs and numerous apprenticeships.
Saturday special sessions:
JEFF DAVIDSON, GEORGE RAY RUSSELL, MISKA PAGET AND TIMBERLINE COWBOYS: 11-11:50 a.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave.
SCOTT “T” TONELSON, RIK “YONDER” GOODELL AND LINDY SIMMONS: 11-11:50 a.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
JIM JONES, LYNNE BELLE LEWIS AND TIMBERLINE COWBOYS: noon-12:50 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
MISKA PAGET, GAIL STARR, SARAH PIERCE AND KEVIN BLAINE: noon-12:50 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave. Cowboy Lore.
JON CHANDLER, GEORGE RAY RUSSELL, MARK MUNZERT AND B.J. SMITH: noon-12:50 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. Stories of the range.
JAKE RILEY, KYE RIEFF, LINDY SIMMONS AND R.P. SMITH: noon-12:50 p.m., Main Mall between Eighth and Ninth streets. Poet’s Corner.
CAL FARLEY’S YOUTH POETS: 1-1:50 p.m., Main Mall between Eighth and Ninth streets.
JAKE RILEY, SCOTT “T” TONELSON AND TIMBERLINE COWBOYS: 1-1:50 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Sagebrush tales.
ERNIE MARTINEZ, R.P. SMITH AND JEFF DAVIDSON: 1-1:50 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
DAVE STAMEY, SARAH PIERCE AND JIM JONES: 1-1:50 p.m., Eighth Street Stage.
KYE RIEFF, LYNNE BELLE LEWIS AND JOEL ALDEN WHITE: 1-1:50 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. Chuckwagon tales.
GAIL STARR, LINDY SIMMONS, MISKA PAGET AND KYE RIEFF: 2-2:50 p.m., Balcony Bar & Grill, 600 Main Ave.
JON CHANDLER, ERNIE MARTINEZ AND MARK MUNZERT: 2-2:50 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Four Corners Fun.
SCOTT “T” TONELSON, KEVIN BLAINE, JEFF DAVIDSON, RIK “YONDER” GOODELL, JAKE RILEY AND GEORGE RAY RUSSELL: 2-3 p.m., Main Mall between Eighth and Ninth streets on Main Avenue. Cowboy and his Creator.
GAIL STARR, SARAH PIERCE AND JOEL ALDEN WHITE: 3-3:50 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave.
JIM JONES, JON CHANDLER, LYNNE BELLE LEWIS AND MARK MUNZERT: 3-3:50 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave. Tails from the trail.
OPEN MIC SESSION HOSTED BY KARREN LITTLE: 2-4 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. Come and sing a Western song or recite a cowboy poem – open to everyone. Free.
TOH-ATIN GALLERY ARTIST RECEPTION: 4:30 p.m., 145 W. Ninth St. An artist reception will follow at 5:30 with posters being signed by Clark Kelley Price. Invited poets and musicians will perform their interpretation of this year’s limited-edition poster “Down to the Wire.”
DAVE STAMEY PLUS INVITED PERFORMERS: 7 p.m., Main Stage at the Doubletree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio. Reserved seating $35 or $45. For tickets and more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/y3en988s.
DURANGO COWBOY GATHERING WESTERN DANCE: 8-11 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave. Syd Masters & the Swing Riders will have you dancing your boots off. 2024 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western Song, two-time Academy of Western Artists Male Vocalist of the Year. Tickets: $15 online/$20 at door. For tickets and more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/mrctr7my.
For more information, visit https://durangocowboygathering.org.
katie@durangoherald.com
