Sept. 15, 2014 – If you missed the State Fair or summer rodeos, never fear. The Cowboy Festival to celebrate the horse and its many contributions to the culture of Utah will be held throughout the weekend of Sept. 20 – 21 at the Natural History Museum of Utah at the Rio Tinto Center on the University of Utah campus.

Cowboy poets C. R. Wood, Stan Tixier and Jeff Carson will recite, sing and tell stories through their unique form of authentic Western performance art.

Music will be provided by local bluegrass and country bands, including the New Folk Revival, Lab Dogs, The Drifter and Miss Judy and the Fall River Ramblers taking the stage Saturday and Sunday.

A wide selection of barbecue and other edible treats will be available, as well as wares from artisan jewelry to western wear and saddles. Costumed cowboys and cowgirls will mingle with attendees, and a mustache painter will be on hand to help you look the part.

There will be hands-on activities for all ages, artist demos, trick ropers to show their stuff and horse clubs from around the state to talk about their favorite topic: the horse. The complete and current schedule is available online.

The weekend festivities surround the Museum’s special exhibit “The Horse,” open until Jan. 4, 2015. The exhibit explores the history of how humans have shaped the horse, and how the horse, in turn, has shaped humans. Exhibit times and ticket prices are online here.