2025 Cowboy Festival Program
2025 Cowboy Festival Preliminary Program
Updated October 28, 2025
ARENA DEMONSTRATIONS–Matt Griffin AKA DJ GATOR, MC
- Cienega High School NJROTC Presentation of Colors
- 10 am—Regi Basinger Horsemanship
- 10:30 am–Charros y Modelos de Arizona
- 11 am–Sonoita Royalty Presentation
- 11:15 am-–Kids Stick Horse Race
- 11:30 am–Tombstone Ghost Riders Mounted Shooting
- 12:15 pm– Sonoita Royalty Presentation
- 12:30 pm–Kids Stick Horse Races
- 12:45 pm–Charros y Modelos de Arizona
- 1:15 pm–Regi Basinger Horsemanship
- 1:45 pm–Tombstone Ghost Riders Mounted Shooting
- 2:30 pm–Sonoita Royalty Presentation
- 2:45 pm–Kids Stick Horse Races
- 3 pm–Regi Basinger Horsemanship
MUSIC
- 10 am–Doug Figgs
- 11 am–Ramblin’ Rangers
- 12 pm–Doug Figgs
- 1 pm–Ramblin’ Rangers
- 2 pm–Doug Figgs
- 3 pm–Ramblin’ Rangers
John Anderson & Ken Brown, strolling musicians
COWBOY CONVERSATIONS
Tent 1
- 10:30 am–The 1890 Cattle Drive from the Empire Ranch to California, Alison Bunting and Chip Fears
- 11:30 am–What Women Wore in the West, Grace Auclair-Lee
- 12:30 pm–The Total Wreck Mine and the Empire Ranch, Greg Dowell
- 1:30 pm–My Experiences as an Empire Ranch Cowboy in 1953, Norman Hinman
Tent 2
- 11 am–Movies on the Empire Panel Discussion, Bunker De France, Marty Freese, and Gene Freese
- 12 pm–Photographing Arizona’s Ranching Community, Scott Baxter
- 1 pm–Empire Ranch and the Battle against Sprawl in Pima County, Tom Sheridan
- 2 pm–Modern Ranching; From the 20th Century Forward, Steve Boice and Ian Tomlinson
DEMONSTRATIONS
- Animal Husbandry — Yana Carter
- Blacksmithing — Ron Applegate
- Branding—Bill Schock
- Cowboy Clothing, Hollywood vs. Reality—Pete Fischer, Gerry Lawford, Chris Rivera
- Horseshoeing — Tyler Basinger
- Leather Bag Lacing for Kids—Mark Ellis & Rick Collins
- Reata Making—Dick Schorr
- Roping — Kurt Schild
- Saddlemaking—Drew Bevan Church
- Saddles, Evolution of Military & Cowboy —Mark Ellis & Rick Collins
- Silversmithing — Byrd Moss
- Telegraph Operation — Joe Mortimer
- Western Sketching — Chip Travers
- Women in Science at the Turn of the 20th Century—Barb Collins
NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
- Arizona Rangers
- Forever Home Donkey Rescue & Sanctuary Inc.
- Friends of Sahuarita Community 4-H Club
- Habitat for Humanity
- Horse’n Around Rescue
- Mescal Movie Set
- Mountain Empire Rotary Club
- Oro Valley Historical Society
- Santa Cruz County Cowbelles
- Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area
- Sonoita Rodeo Royalty
- Sonoran Plein Air Painters
- Tucson Chicks n Chaps
- Tucson Rodeo
- Tucson Rodeo Parade Committee/Tucson Wagon & History Museum
WESTERN AUTHORS
TRAIL RIDES
Take a 45-minute trail ride. Rides start at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm for $50 each.. Riders must be age 8 or older; a parent/guardian must ride with children under 18 years of age. Click below to register online. Online registration ends on October 29th
GREAT LUNCH GRUB
- BlackJack Citrus Infusions (lemonades and iced teas)
- Chew Philly Foodtruck (authentic Philly cheesesteaks and burgers)
- Gunny’s Barbeque (burgers, dogs, brats, Italians, Polish, pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, chips, soda)
- KOOLTWISTS/KOOLSIPS (Soft serve ice cream, root beer floats, slushies, sundaes, flavored lemonade, tea, banana split, brownie sundaes)
- Las Vigas (Mexican food)
- The Kettle Corn Connection (freshly popped Kettle corn in a variety of flavors)
STEAK FRY DINNER (Friday, October 31st at 4pm)
Dinner ($45/plate) includes Grilled Tri-Tip Steak, Cream Corn, Potatoes, and Dinner Rolls with Texas Sheet Cake for dessert! Musician Andy Hershey will entertain you as you relax and enjoy dinner in the historic Adobe Hay Barn. TICKETS ARE LIMITED so make your reservation now by clicking the link below.
VENDORS
- Arizona Hatters (western and non western hats)
- Betty’s Antler Mix (Dog products: elk antler chews and products, ollars, leashes and more. People products: jam and jelly, wild rags, Cloth napkins, cowgirl scrunchies)
- Cheryl’s Jams and Jellies (homemade jams and jellies, candied pecans, local honey, homemade all purpose seasoning blend)
- Cookie & Books LLC,/ Lit by Lex (100% soy wax candles that have a western music theme)
- Cowboy Grade (soaps, beard & body oil, colognes, balms, hand scrubs, and branded apparel)
- Crafting Resilience (handmade and upcycled goods including clothing, bandanas, stitched patches, hand-embroidered accessories, small home goods, and original textile art)
- Firesky Farms Lavender Farm (Elgin-grown lavender culinary and bath and beauty products)
- Flip Flop Farm (boozy jams and jellies, rendered lard and pork shares, and herbal remedies)
- GG Jewels (women’s hats, western jewelry)
- Joyce Hansen (vintage collection of Western-themed books, photos, collectables)
- Little Pop of Joy (caramel corn mix consisting of popcorn, pretzels, crunchy rice cereal and pecans in a variety of flavors)
- L N L Leatherworks (leather products, hand sew, hand cut and tooled)
- Painted Windmill Ranch (decorated cowboy boots with Christmas lights, jewelry, new western saddle, lots of bling, donkey pillows)
- Rebel Rose Boutique (ladies clothing and accessories; Western and classic inspired pieces)
- Rocking M6 Tallow (tallow products such as facial creams, body butter, body wash chapsticks, hair serums and much more out of locally sourced beef suet)
- Thats Just Bull Designs (handmade cowhide and leather handbags and accessories, logo t-shirts and canvas bags)
- The Plaid Buffalo Candle Co. (100% “better for you” soy candles, wax melts, car air fresheners)
- The Prickly Patio (handmade leather goods, purses including conceal carry bags , wallets, holsters, sheaths, potholders, jewelry and other home goods)
- The sassy bronc (men’s and women’s Western clothing and hand tooled leather items)
- Vaquero Biscuit Co. (Western/ranchero inspired apparel–from rodeo to ranching)
- Williams Crafts (usable wood products – some with turquoise inlay)
- Windsor Hat Shoppe (hats, sea glass jewelry, cork products, 3-D printed items)