History Comes Alive at Salado's Cowboy Poetry & Music Gathering

Growing up in Central Texas, we all learned about the Chisolm Trail. I remember spending summers at Camp Tahuaya and seeing the wagon ruts, and some of my best memories are of sitting around a fire cooking, telling stories, and singing with my friends the way the cowboys of old did.

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The reason I bring it up is that a fantastic event is coming to Salado that will bring that rich cowboy history and heritage to life, as cowboy poets and musicians gather for a display of the spirit of the American West.

The Salado Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering will take place across several locations in Salado Village May 6 through 9.

It all starts Thursday, May 6 at the Salado Museum with a local artists reception. The event is open to the public and will feature snacks from Barrow Brewery and the Stagecoach Inn. For a $10 donation at the door, you can enjoy a live performance from Bill Lutz from the Heritage Country Church.

Friday night, the Heritage Country Church will host a concert MC'd by KCEN meteorologist Andy Andersen. There'll be a gang of great performers including Ol' Jim Cathey, JC Penney, Don Cadden, Chris Isaacs, Gary Allegretto, Washtub Jerry, Grady Lee, Christian Wigley and the Heritage Country Church Band. Ticket information is available here.

By the way, if the name Christian Wigley sounds familiar, it's because he's a 16-year-old junior at Harker Heights High School who plays guitar and sings at Agape Church in Belton and Heritage Country Church.

Saturday is full of great food, full and mini concerts, round tables, cowboy cocktails, BBQ, and arts and crafts at the Salado Museum, Barrow Brewery, and the Stagecoach Inn.

You can see a full schedule of events here, and a list of all the performers and guests here.

This will be the first year Salado hosts the Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering, and it looks like they've got a wonderful lineup of artists and events to pay tribute to Central Texas' cowboy heritage.

If you'd like to be a part of the festivities and get a feel for the music and storytelling that got our ancestors through the tough cattle drives, check out the Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering website for ticket information.

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