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28 years of cowboys and poetry

Annual Gathering is next weekend in Durango

After 28 years, the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering is still the highlight of the fall season in Durango. This year the event will be held Sept. 29 through Oct. 2 with headquarters at the Strater Hotel. The Gathering brings in over 40 talented cowboy poets, storytellers and musicians who play traditional cowboy music and tell authentic stories of life in the West.

A highlight this year is Wylie and the Wild West who will have two shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Thursday in the Henry Strater Theater. The late show will have a floor open for dancing.

Other activities over the weekend include a cowboy poet train on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, an authentic chuckwagon reakfast, and shows of Western fine art at the Mestenó Gallery, Sorrel Sky Gallery and Toh-Atin Gallery.

The highlight of the Gathering is next Saturday, Oct. 2, which starts with a chuckwagon breakfast from 6 to 11 a.m. at the corner of Fifth Street and Main Avenue. Scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy are $10 to benefit the Animas Museum.

After breakfast, the motorless Cowboy Parade starts at 10 a.m. on Main Avenue in Durango. This parade features horses, riders, wagons, and walkers, but no motorized vehicles. Special guests at the Parade this year will be American Idol contestant Jeneve Rose Mitchell, artist Veryl Goodnight, Blizzard the Longhorn steer, and lots of music up and down Main Avenue.

The rest of the day on Saturday features free sessions of cowboy poetry and music at the Strater Hotel in downtown Durango from 10:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Evening shows at the Strater are at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets usually sell out and should be purchased this week to guarantee a seat.

New this year there will be a Cowboy Comedy Revue at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Strater Theater and a special Poster Session at Toh Atin Gallery.

In the poster session, performers will recite a poem with their interpretation of this year's poster art, "The Cowpuncher" by artist Glenn Dean. The poster session is free.

For a complete schedule and more information go to www.durangocowboypoetrygathering.org or call 749-2995.