Summerville Cowboy/Western Heritage Festival Set for Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend families will want to wrangle up the children and mosey on over to the Summerville Depot, located at 119 East Washington Street, for the Cowboy/Western Heritage Festival. Scheduled for Saturday, September 2, this family day of western activities is sure to be a hit for all ages. A celebration of western traditions and the cowboy lifestyle will be the theme throughout the day. Western artisans and vendors, demonstrations, displays of buggies, wagons, cowboy church clowns, square dancing, mock old west gun-fights, cowboy music, the arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Passenger Train, and a wagon train/cowboy parade are sure-fire crowd pleasers at this free event.

Musical entertainment for the Cowboy Western Heritage Festival will be on the back deck of the Summerville Depot. Music headliners include Scott Warren & Michael Teague in concert from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and Catherine Thompson 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For the Wild West gun fight fans, old timey gun fight reenactments are scheduled at 10:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Plenty of photo opportunities will be found throughout the day. A Wagon Train/Cowboy Parade is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The parade route will begin at Penn Street and will proceed down College Street onto University Street and then follow U.S. Route 27 North to East Washington Street. Parade goers on U.S Route 27 are encouraged to view the parade on east/northbound side.                                                  

Train fans will enjoy the arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Passenger Trail and witnessing the working of the Summerville Turntable, as it turns the majestic antique steam engine. Train arrival is expected around 12:45 p.m. The Western Promenaders Square Dance Club is set to entertain with square-dancing on East Washington Street beginning at 1:00 p.m.

A rolling U.S. Marshall Jail Wagon is expected to be a photo spot favorite. Festival goers will have the chance for photos in the jail wagon, or to have a friend on sight “arrested and jailed”. The Chattooga Young Farmers Milk Cow Simulator will be on site for little cowpokes wishing to try their hand at milking. The Horseshoeing School out of Villanow, Georgia will be presenting live horseshoeing and blacksmithing demonstrations and comedy relief will be provided by the Lafayette Cowboy Church Clowns. Food will not be short at this event. Numerous cowboy favorites, and desserts cooked over an open fire will be on hand. Plenty of western artisans and vendor booths will be on site with their goods and wears for sale.

Event parking is suggested in downtown Summerville. For more information on this event contact visit www.summervillega.org or Summerville Main Street at (706) 859-0900 Ext 1337.