Cowboy Festival at Historic Empire Ranch – Saturday 11/01/2025
Trip Cost: Free, but you must register to attend (A parking donation requested.)
The Empire Ranch Cowboy Festival is the Foundation’s annual public event celebrating Arizona’s Western history and culture. Previously called the Roundup & Open House (2000-2017), the Festival also showcases Bureau of Land Management and Empire Ranch Foundation’s efforts to preserve the Empire Ranch for future generations. Enjoy Western heritage demonstrations including wild horse and burro training, cowboy mounted shooting, silversmithing, telegraphy, falconry; arena and livestock exhibits; cowboy cooking and Western entertainment. This event features many opportunities to capture live action shots and videos. You can even register directly with Empire Ranch for a 45-minute trail ride ($50 per rider).
Find more information about the Cowboy Festival here.
We’ll meet at the Photography Club upper-level parking lot at 8:30 AM for carpooling, departing at 9:00 AM. In previous festivals, hay bales were often used for seating during some of the events so please dress accordingly. Please wear your GVR Photography Club or Camera Club badge, if available. For those carpooling, $15.00 is an appropriate contribution to the driver.
Most of the rooms of the Empire Ranch House are wheelchair accessible through the breezeway (zaguán) entrance, as are most of the other buildings/structures. The public restrooms, located north of the Ranch House, are wheelchair accessible. The terrain around the Empire Ranch headquarters is primarily dirt with uneven surfaces that can be challenging for some mobility scooters.
Tom Parker will be the trip leader. For questions call Tom at 618 304-1456 or email at tparker324@aol.com. He will be disseminating more information to registered participants via e-mail as we get closer to the event.
GVR requires that every person participating in club's field trips must sign a waiver absolving GVR of any liability. You will be required to sign the waiver at the Photography club before the trip departs.
If you need to cancel, please contact the Field Trip Co-chair Lynn Rozema at 719-351-5193 or email lrozema51@gmail.com. We may have people on the wait list to take your place. On the morning of the trip, please call Tom and Lynn as soon as you know you cannot make the trip.
NOTICE:
All participants need to be responsible for an assessment of their mobility and health issues relating to field trips. Some trips may not be appropriate, but you must make that determination. However, the trip leader may deny participation in a specific field trip to anyone deemed not suitably prepared or able to walk with the group.
The club strives to provide several field trips specifically designed for members with physical limitations.
In order to participate in this event, you must be a member of the GVR Photography Club and GVR.
The GVR Photography Club is located in the Recreation Village of Santa Rita Springs.