We’ve been collecting activities over the years on what you might want to include in your National Day of the Cowboy celebrations. If you come up with some we’ve missed, please send them our way. In the meantime, here’s a list to help get you started on a great event or celebration.
A potluck featuring ranch recipes
Art Spur contest (the painting or photo “spurs” the writing)
Artifact writing challenge
Autograph signings by western tv and movie stars
Awards recognition to local ranchers, cowboys & cowgirls
Bareback and saddle bronc competition
Bareback relay
Barn dance
Barb wire education & exhibit
Boot makers demonstration
Branding demonstration
Buckboard rides
Buffalo soldiers
Bull riding
Character impersonators (Roy, Gene, Hoppy. etc)
Charros
Chili cook-off
Chuck wagon cook-off
Chuck wagon gear exhibit
Chuck wagon meals
Costume contests for adults and kids
Country music concert
Covered wagon trips
Cow pie throwing
Cowbelles ranching photo exhibit
Cowboy boot throw
Cowboy breakfast
Cowboy collectibles show
Cowboy Dances
Cowboy hat toss
Cowboy Karaoke
Cowboy mounted shooting contest or demonstration
Cowboy Poetry readings or contests
Cowboy swap meet
Dutch oven meals
Essay contest about your favorite cowboy/cowgirl/ranch
Equine drill demonstrations
Extreme horse racing
Fiddle contest
Free museum admission with your boots, hat, or pearl snap shirt.
Free raffle tickets with boots, hat, or western shirt
Fundraise for nonprofits
Fundraise for the NDOC
Gather around a campfire for singing/story telling
Gun spinning
Handout National Day of the Cowboy Conduct cards
Handout National Day of the Cowboy membership forms
Have a community parade
Historic gun show
Hold a celebration at your ranch
Honor a local Cowboy or Cowgirl
Honor a local rancher or local cowboy poet or musician
Horse drawn parades
Horse hair hitching
Horse shoeing demo/contest
Horse trailer safety demonstration
Horseback rides
Horseback riding lessons
Host a “Read Em Cowboy” event for young people
Host horse clinics
Invite a cowboy or cowgirl to dinner
Ice cream social
Jackpot barrel racing
Join the National Day of the Cowboy 501c3
Land stewardship workshops
Leather crafters
Leather stamping activities
Longhorn parade
Mechanical bull rides
Mounted Sheriffs’ demonstration
Moustache contest
Mule or horse packing lesson
Mutton busting
Offer a store discount
Old time horse races
Organize a team roping
Organize or attend a Ranch Rodeo
Petting zoo
Pie/cobbler baking
Poker ride
Poker tournament
Pony rides
Potato print making lessons
Pro rodeo or Senior or Women’s or kids’ rodeo
Purchase a book about cowboy culture
Purchase a book about pioneer heritage
Purchase a CD of western music or cowboy poetry
Quilt display
Raffle a calf
Raffle a saddle
Raffle spurs
Ranch gear exhibit
Ranch horse competition
Ranch photography contest or exhibit
Ranch picnic
Read Em Cowboy Circle
Reenactments
Reining competition
Rodeo queens
Rope making activities
Rope spinning
Saddle maker’s demonstration
Short story and/or poetry writing contest for young people
Show Cowboy TV shows
Single Action Shooting contest or demonstration
Spur makers and demonstrations of spur making
Stagecoach rides
Steer roping
Stick horse races and stick horse making
Stock show
Story telling
Stuntmen
Teach a pioneer or cowboy history lesson
Teach about cowboys’ clothes and gear
Teach calf roping
Teaching about brands and how to read them
Team roping competition or demonstration
Teen rodeo
Toy gun show
Trail rides
Trick roping demonstration or lessons
Vaqueros
Vintage cowboy movies
Vintage train ride
Visit a dude ranch
Visit a ranching heritage museum
Visit a working ranch
Visit an historic site
Visit a western art or western photography museum or exhibit
Watermelon seed spitting
Western art exhibit
Western Book signing
Western coloring contest
Western movies under the stars
Western Music
Whip tricks
Wild horse saddling competition
Wild rag contest
Wildwest show
Window decorating competition (vintage cowboys, cowgirls, scenes, etc.)