About The Gathering
The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering brings the best traditional cowboy musicians, poets, and artists together to celebrate the western tradition of ranching and cowboy life. Past nationally known entertainers — many of whom have performed at Carnegie Hall, Grand Old Opry, on National Public Radio, and numerous other venues around the world include - Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, Baxter Black, R. W. Hampton, Wylie & the Wild West, Stephanie Davis Band, Paul Zarzyski, Sourdough Slim, Doris and Belinda and Juni Fisher.
The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering also hosts a Gear & Art Show, a series of workshops, and dances throughout the event. Opportunities abound for guests to see local and regional cowboy and cowgirl poets and crooners share rhymes, stories, and songs in Historic Downtown Ellensburg.
The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering Board of Directors invites you to join in the celebration of traditional cowboy music, poetry, and art in Ellensburg, Washington.
SWCG Mission:
Celebrate the history, heritage and diversity of ranch culture through music, poetry and art.
Create a venue for cowboy and cowgirl musicians, poets and artists in an authentic western environment.
Mission Statement
The mission of "The Spirit of The West" is to preserve the heritage of the American Cowboy and the pioneer values that distinguish our nation's history. The legends of the American West and cowboy culture are romanticized and passed on through stories, songs, poetry, and rodeo yet today. In the absence of law and order in the unsettled West, cowboys and frontier families practiced unwritten laws which are known as the "Code of the West". As we pioneer new frontiers, the Cowboy Gathering here in Ellensburg, Washington strives to perpetuate those same values of honesty, self-reliance, and consideration of others, thus passing on the cowboy code to future generations.
Our History
For the past twenty years people from all over the country and beyond have met in Elko, Nevada each January for the four day National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. The event draws over 8,000 people and generates in excess of $7.5 million. The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering is now an annual three-day event staged in Ellensburg, Washington, and is modeled after the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko. Over 70% of our attendance travels from out of the area, with a full 1/3 from the Puget Sound Region.
The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering came to the Northwest for the first time in February of 2005. The event brought some of the best traditional cowboy musicians, poets, and artists together along with a gear show, workshops, and dances that incorporated the entire Historic Downtown of Ellensburg.
With The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering, Ellensburg is continuing its rich tradition of attracting major events, such as the nationally ranked Ellensburg Rodeo, The National Art Show (second only to Cheyenne), Jazz in the Valley (a huge mid summer success), and now The Spirit of the West.
Each year we attract over 4,000 visitors to hear well known entertainers like: Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, Sons of the San Joaquin, Wylie and the Wild West, Cowboy Celtic and many more national and local entertainers. Ellensburg continues to be a popular destination city. And like Elko, The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering is drawing attention from beyond our region, bringing old west aficionados and new devotees from Oregon, Montana, Idaho, California, British Columbia, and as far away as Maine, to name a few.
Our marketing efforts include:
• 15,000 direct mailings
• 250,000 website hits
• Advertisements in prestigious magazines such as Cowboys and Indians and Western Horseman
• Advertisements in newspapers such as The Yakima Herald, The Daily Record, The Washington Post
• Advertisements in radio including KMPS (Seattle), KXLE (Ellensburg), KPQ (Wenatchee), and KVLR (Winthrop)
• Inclusion in the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce Directory, and the Daily Record's "Four Seasons" (seasonally produced with local events)
The marketing mentioned above, along with growing interest in all things "old west", also resulted in numerous feature articles and editorials in the Yakima Herald, Daily Record and Capital Press.
The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering would like you to consider becoming a Sponsor of our event for 2010. Your financial participation is instrumental in continuing our mission of honoring the traditions, history and heritage of the old west in a proven and authentic western environment.
The success and future of The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering is brought about through our world-class entertainers, visitors, our community, and generous sponsors.
Special Thanks
Event CommitteeDiana Tasker Committee Members JoAnn Wise, Treasurer Web Site DesignEclectic Horseman Communications, Inc |
Thank you for support -Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce |
Volunteers
We'd like to thank the many volunteers that are helping to make the Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering a success!
If you would like to volunteer, please contact us at info@ellensburgcowboygathering.com
| Jackie Hood Jeniffer Henderson Joel Smith Marie Smith Al Parsons Faye Doyle Miguel the Sound Man Amber Baack Janie & Ken Larson Kerry & Phyllis Daniels Louie Turtino Don Fuller Leslie Berry Andy Mills Claude Layman Cody Gilbert Ellensburg Rodeo Posse Joe Meuchel John Shea CWU Rodeo Club Allyn Wickstrom Eric & Shannon Burvee Owen Wickstrom Steve & Bonnie Kiesel Keith Anderson Columbia River Cowboy Heritage Society Doug MacArthur Jerry Lael Melanie George |
Paul Arnold Shelly Kessler Alan Halverson Deanie Hosker Jennifer Parker Lori Smith Marion Christianson Nancy Clark Pam Thomas Rodeo City Equestrians Teresa Whitworth Bink Picard Cheryl Paul Chloe Widenbach Clem Kayser Dave Lundy Erin Black Harry Hudlow Josephine Camarillo Joyce Weeks Kay Davis Lillian Plunkett Pam Scott Pine Needle Baskets Group Rex Buck Rusty Figgins Silver Glen Terry Niles |
