Cowboy Fest Rides into Santa Clarita

By Stephen Ford May 2, 2011

The West winds were blowing up a gust. The posse was just riding in as tumbleweeds wheeled on the edge of town. As you turned the corner, the blacksmith’s hammer chimed over the noise of the crowds that gathered outside shops and meandering down Main Street. Santa Clarita, circa the 1800’s.

None of those new-fangled noisy machines called automobiles rumbled in this town. Cutting through the rustle of swishing petticoats, cowboys having a joke and Indian chants were the friendly sounds of swinging doors, the clink of glasses and dancehall music. A saloon! The perfect antidote for a whistle parched by the Santa Ana dust storm kicking up.

From April 30-May 1, the City of Santa Clarita’s 2011 Cowboy Festival unspooled, gaining an authentic touch from the Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studios. Famous Westerns from Deadwood, Tall Tails and Last Man Standing to The Magnificent Seven have featured the sets of Melody Ranch. Author David Matuszak was there hawking his new book, The Cowboy’s Trail Guide to Westerns, a roadmap to feature-length Westerns of the sound era.

In keeping with the entertainment theme, the Fest featured country music in the main tent. Grammy nominated singer-guitarist Don Edwards and the Texas-based Hot Club of Cowtown performed. Prairie victuals like peach cobbler, hot dogs and sausages were dished out in heapin’ helpings. Anyone who left this fest hungry was a fool!

The City of Santa Clarita did a top-notch job providing acres of parking for hundreds of cars and thousands of visitors, with non-stop buses running from the parking lot to  Melody Ranch. The Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival is a must-see, well worth putting on your calendar for next year.

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