Published Caption: Wrangler Rich and his horse, Poncho, at the Genoa Courthouse Museum in Genoa on Friday during the Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival.
Concert tents are up and performers are ready for opening day of the second annual Genoa Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival Thursday.
The Town of Genoa will be loaded with cowboy art, cowboy demonstrations, cowboy music and cowboy food during the four-day event.
Genoa Town Manager Sheryl Gonzales is expecting up to 5,000 visitors to this year's event.
"Everything's falling into place," Gonzales said about festival preparations. "People are hustling, bustling and cowboying up."
Day passes and event tickets are required for entrance into most of the venues, however, all events happening in the Cowboy Corral, excluding dinners and brunch are free.
Some of the entertainment appearing here include Old West Trio, Tony Argento, Gillmor Coons and Guns of the West with Michael Curcio.
The cost of a one-day pass is $20 for adults and $10 for children, and two-day passes are $35 for adults, $15 for children. Event tickets cost $10-$30.
Mark Twain, Wyatt Earp, Kit Carson and Snowshoe Thompson will be making appearances throughout the weekend, and there will be a trail ride with a chuck wagon dinner and concert on Saturday.
There will be five concerts on Friday, four on Saturday and two on Sunday.
Entertainers this year include Dave Stamey, David John & the Comstock Cowboys, Sourdough Slim, The Saddle Cats, All Hat No Cattle, Paul Zarzyski and more. New acts this year are Belinda Gail, Doris Daley and Wylie & the Wild West.
In addition to concerts and performances, there are also cowboy art galleries, a Native American Cultural Center, Genoa Courthouse Museum tours, a bird walk and various demonstrations from Dutch oven cooking, to saddle-making to cowboy fast draw.
Cowboy dinners are served 5-7 p.m. nightly with Thursday's south of the border style dinner being served up by Mom & Pop's Diner which includes barbecue tri-tip and chicken, enchilada casserole and southwest chili spaghetti. Owners Doug and Jamesa Cramer have worked with Genoa before providing meals for Candy Dance and other town events.
"We've made these recipes before, but we're changing it a little and doing it more old-time style," Doug said.
Friday's dinner will be traditional Basque prepared by Mendiko Euskaldun and Saturday will be barbecue night provided by Q's Catering.
Thursday night's entertainment on the Mormon Station Main Stage begins at 7 p.m. with David John & The Comstock Cowboys, Ken Gardner, Cindy White and the Douglas High School Madrigal Choir.
New to this year's event is after-hours dancing beginning at 10:30 p.m. Friday in the Town Hall with The Saddle Cats. Wylie & the Wild West take the stage Saturday night.
The festival winds down Sunday with Cowboy Church at 9 a.m. in the Town Hall and a Mother's Day brunch by Molly Catering at 11 a.m. in the Cowboy Corral.
Parking is off Jacks Valley Road in the Genoa Cemetery parking lot.
Day passes and event tickets can be purchased by calling 782-8696 or 782-8207.
For a complete list of concerts and events visit www.cowboypoetrygenoa.com.
DETAILS
What: 2011 Cowboy Poetry and Music festival
When: Thursday through Sunday
Where: Genoa
Info: www.cowboypoetrygenoa.com, 782-8696, or 782-8207.
