The 30th annual Festival of the American West will run July 27-Aug. 4 (except Sunday). This celebration of all things Western is known for its accuracy in offering visitors a realistic understanding of our history. It has twice received the Freedom Foundation Award and has been chosen five years in a row as one of the top 100 attractions in North America by the American Bus Association.
Special features of the festival include:
— The Great West Fair, daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Features historic re-enactors, folk-life craftspeople, entertainers and food vendors. Includes an American Indian village, mountain man rendezvous, military encampment, pioneer settlement, heritage craft demonstrations, cowboy shootouts, a zany medicine show and more.
— "The West: America's Odyssey" pageant, July 27 through 30 through Aug. 4; 9-10:15 p.m. This will be the final year for the outdoor, multimedia pageant, hosted by Robert Peterson and with taped narration by the late Jimmy Stewart, which tells the story of Western expansion through music and dance. Bring a jacket and a blanket or lawn chairs.
— Sagebrush Symphony Concert, July 28, 8 p.m. This special 30th anniversary celebration event will feature Michael Martin Murphey, the Rio Grande Band, Waddie Mitchell and the American West Heritage Orchestra. A highlight with be the "1812 Overture" with live cannons. Tickets for this event, sponsored by the Deseret News, are $20.
— American West Cowboy Poetry Gathering: July 27, 28, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Cowboy poets and musicians from the western United States gather to swap tales about what life is like on the range.
— American West Art Show, daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Showcasing the works of sculptor Grant Speed and several other noted Utah artists, the art show is held in the Livery Stable.
— Western Horse Parade, July 28, 9 a.m., Main Street in Wellsville. Lots of horses and historic horse-drawn equipment. The Buffalo Soldiers will participate.
— World Championship Dutch Oven Cook-off, Aug. 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Teams from across the nation compete with delicious and exotic Dutch oven dishes. After the judging, samples are available to the public.
— American Heritage Quilt Show: daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Wellsville Tabernacle. Beautiful and intricate quilts and samplers will be on display in the historic building three miles south of the center.
Tickets to the Great West Fair are $10 for adults, $9 for groups and seniors, $6 for students and $5 for children (under 12). In the past, there has been a separate charge for the pageant, but in honor of its last year, the 2001 pageant is free with the purchase of a fair ticket.
For tickets or information, call 1-800-225-FEST or 435-245-6050. Or visit the Web site at www.americanwestcenter.org. The American West Heritage Center is located along Highway 89-91 just past Wellsville in Cache Valley.