News & Announcements

Join & Help Us

As 2024 draws to a close we hope you will consider making a charitable year-end donation to continue our important work.  If you are not a member, please join us! A strong and vibrant membership demonstrates to our partners that the Empire Ranch is meaningful to the community and worthy of investment.

Click below to make a secure donation via our website. For more information about legacy gifts or to arrange for monthly donations for the New Ranch House Fund please email us at admin@empireranchfoundation.org.

Christmas at the Empire Ranch

Over 375 guests and volunteers celebrated Christmas at the Empire Ranch on Saturday, December 14th from 10am to 2pm.  Click on READ MORE below for more information.

National Public Lands Day

On October 24, 2024, 137 students, 5 teachers, and 10 chaperones visited the Empire Ranch to celebrate National Public Lands Day. The students loved spending time in the Tack Room learning about chuckwagons, bridles, and saddle.

In the Hispanic Tradition: The Mexican Cowboy

Plan to visit the Empire Ranch to view an exciting photo essay by award-winning photographer Patrick Christman, In the Hispanic Tradition: The Mexican Cowboy. The photos are on display in Room 6 of the Empire Ranch House.

Volunteer Days

Dedicated volunteers have been key to preserving the historic Empire Ranch House and Headquarters.  Please join us on Saturday, February 1, 2025.

To volunteer, please submit a Volunteer Opportunities Form, and we will contact you with more details!

Watershed Soundscape

Plan to attend a music + art + landscape multidisciplinary concert on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 3 pm in the Adobe Haybarn,  Empire Ranch HQ. Sonoita, AZ.  Click on READ MORE for additional details.

Cowboy Festival

Over 1,500 enjoyed the Empire Ranch Cowboy Festival on  November 2-3, 2024.  Click on READ MORE  to view the final program.

A Star is Born

The Saturday, September 28, 2024 showing of A Star Is Born is cancelled and will be rescheduled.  The van and equipment used by The Loft Cinema were recently stolen.

National Day of the Cowboy

Over 300 participants joined the Empire Ranch Foundation in our celebration of National Day of the Cowboy on July 27, 2024.  Click on the READ MORE link to view photos of the day’s activities and the final program.

Filming of Red River

When the Boice family owned the Empire Ranch many Western movies were filmed at the ranch and nearby areas. One of the most iconic is Red River (1948) directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joanne Dru, and Walter Brennan. Location work began in early September of 1946 and was projected to take about eight weeks.

Click here to read the full story.