Disclaimer :: Yee haw! Fort Worth Moms blog is thrilled to promote this celebration in conjunction with Fort Worth’s very own Stockard Station, who is the sponsor of this post.
Cities across the country will celebrate the National Day of the American Cowboy (NDAC) this month, but Fort Worth’s event in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District on Saturday, July 25, is listed as one of the top five best places to celebrate the day by American Cowboy Magazine. NDAC is a community-wide celebration of the cowboy and our Western heritage.
The party starts at 10:00 a.m. and continues until 4:00 p.m. It is a free family event that will include cowboy karaoke, games (including a cow-chip throwing contest!), and more. All this is in addition to the twice daily cattle drive, and our special cowboy celebration parade at 11:30 a.m. featuring Fort Worth’s famous herd of Longhorns. Come celebrate the history and heritage of the American Cowboy at an event that gives families and the general public the opportunity to experience and appreciate the role cowboys and cowgirls of all ethnicities have played and continue to play in everyday life.
Afterwards, continue the fun at the many shops, restaurants, and activities in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Free activities and contests include a cow-chip throwing contest, watermelon eating, a cow-milking contest, and watermelon seed-spitting, among others. There will also be gunfight shows and a Riscky’s BBQ Rib Eating Contest. The event takes place all along East Exchange Avenue, the lawn of the Fort Worth Livestock Exchange Building, the lawn of the Stockyards Visitor’s Center, and the Cowtown Coliseum.
WHEN: Saturday, July 25, 2013 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Parade is at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: East Exchange Avenue in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District
WHY: The Fort Worth Stockyards National Day of the American Cowboy is a great entertainment and educational event for people of all ages. The Western authenticity of the entire weekend strengthens Fort Worth’s claim to some of the best Western heritage festivals in the country.
COST: FREE
Ticketed Activities: World Championship Hay Stacking Competition, Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., Stockyards Championship Rodeo at 8:00 p.m.
Sponsors include the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, Stockyards Station, the American Paint Horse Association, the National Cutting Horse Association, Shannon Rose Funeral Chapel, the Amon Carter Museum, the College of Healthcare Professionals, Tandy Leather, and Storm Tight Windows.
For more information visit www.stockyardsstation.com or call 817-625-9715.
National Day of the American Cowboy Schedule
- 10:00, World Championship Hay Stacking Contest // three-man teams compete for $400.00 cash.
- 10:00 — 4:00, Bill Picket Pictorial Exhibit – FREE // Learn about the life of the famous Bill Picket.
- 10:00 — 4:00, Cow Milking Contest – FREE // Milk the cow the fastest and win a prize!
- 10:30 — 12:30, Chuck Wagon Demonstration with Corn Hole Games- FREE // Learn about cooking on trails and taste the desert of the West while enjoying various games.
- 11:30, Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drive followed by the Cowboy Celebration Parade — FREE.
- 12:00, Watermelon Eating Contests — FREE // Yum! Eat your watermelon the fastest and you win!
- 12:00-1:00, “Tip to Tip” Guessing Contest — FREE // Guess the measurement of the horns and win a unique prize! Winners announced at 1:00 p.m.
- 12:00, Cowboy Karaoke — FREE // Sing your best country tunes way and win some great prizes!
- 1:00-3:00, Quick Draw Cap Gun Contest — FREE // Are you the fastest draw in the West? Prove it!
- 1:30, Seed Spitting Contest — FREE.
- 1:30-2:30, Fort Worth Herd CowCamp — FREE // Learn to swing a rope and learn about life on the trail.
- 1:30, Cow Chip Throwing Contest — FREE.
- 2:00-3:00, Legends of Texas Live Performance — FREE.
- 2:30-3:30, 1800’s Historical Fashion Show — FREE.
- 2:30, Riscky’s Rib Eating Contest – FIRST 20 CONTESTANTS // Eat finger lickin’ good ribs for prizes! MUST BE 18 YEARS AND OLDER.
- 4:00, Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drive – FREE.
*All contest winners will be announced at the conclusion of their contest. Must be present to win prizes.*
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
- Pawnee Bill Wild West Show at Cowtown Coliseum at 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. // For tickets and more information contact (817) 625-1025.
- Bill Pickett History Wall Museum 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. // Located inside the Cowtown Coliseum – free and open to the public.
- Everyone wearing a cowboy hat gets in free to Billy Bob’s Texas until 5:00 p.m.
- Stockyards Rodeo at Cowtown Coliseum at 8:00 p.m. // For tickets and more information contact (817) 625-1025.
- Legends of Texas gunfight shows at 11:00 a.m. & 4:15 p.m. inside Stockyards Station.
- Stagecoach rides, Petting zoo, Grapevine Vintage Railroad, and MORE!
You can follow the Stockyard Station, staying up-to-date on events and news, through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
