Don Edwards

Take a step back in time and enjoy an authentic Old West experience with world-class entertainment and activities at the City of Santa Clarita’s 2012 Cowboy Festival on Saturday and Sunday at Melody Ranch in Placerita Canyon.

Once owned by Gene Autry, Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio is set as the picturesque backdrop for the Festival’s fantastic performer lineup and weekend event schedule.

Returning to the Festival is Master of Ceremonies Joe Herrington as well as Grammy nominated musician Don Edwards and cowboy entertainer Dave Stamey. Western swing musicians Cow Bop and The Quebe Sisters Band are back to perform popular jazzy-western tunes. Returning entertainers also include songwriter Brenn Hill and Jon Chandler and the Wichitones. Western Music Association’s newest Hall of Fame inductee R.W. Hampton will join The Band of the California Battalion at the Festival once again, while new headliners include songsmith Adrian – Buckaroogirl and Carin Mari & the Pony Express.

New this year: Adrian, Buckaroogirl

Three other Festival stages will feature saloon pianist Dave Bourne, old time banjoist John Reynolds, fiddler Dave Rainwater, and Santa Clarita natives The Messick Family, among others.

Guests can also enjoy western stories shared by some of the most recognized cowboy poets in the country. Waddie Mitchell, master cowboy poet, will share personal accounts of his life as a buckaroo. Joining him at the Festival is acclaimed cowgirl poet Doris Daley, as well as professional storyteller Gary Robertson.

Festival entertainment goes beyond musical talent to include magician Pop Haydn, gun spinner Joey Dillon and trick ropers David Thornbury, John Hustead and Jim Townsley. In addition, the Festival showcases multicultural entertainment including North American Indian performances by Wild Horse Singers & Dancers, as well as flutist Carlos Reynosa, and singer Tracy Lee Nelson.

On Saturday night guests can visit nearby Heritage Junction to enjoy a dinner show and Patsy Cline tribute with Marie Wise Hawkins and the Bodacious Band, or attend the Cowboy Cabaret at the Repertory East Playhouse with performances by Cow Bob and The Quebe Sisters Band. Sunday night entertainment includes a Western style street dance featuring Cody Bryant of The Riders of the Purple Sage at the Festival’s Old Town Hoedown.

Children can relive the Old West with The New Buffalo Soldiers, pan for gold, or learn about leatherworking at Biskit Hatch’s Saddle Arts station. At Buckaroo Story Time, children can listen to award-winning authors read from their Western tales. Families can stop by the Buckaroo Book Shop for the best in Western fiction, toys, and film.

Tickets for the 2012 Cowboy Festival can be ordered by phone at (661) 250-3735, by fax at (661) 250-3730, or online at cowboyfestival.org. Daily General Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for kids ages 12 and under. Children under the age of three receive a free one-day admission to Melody Ranch. A Two-Day Weekend Pass is available to adults for $30 and $15 for kids ages 12 and under. The Friends of the Festival Weekend Package is available for $150 to a limited number of guests who are looking for an exclusive Melody Ranch experience.

For more information about the 2012 Cowboy Festival, including additional attractions, parking details, maps and tickets, call 661-250-3735 or visit cowboyfestival.org.

To watch TV interviews and hear concerts with many of the festival performers, click here: http://www.scvtv.com/html/cowboy-list.html