Event Address:

Palm Springs West Fest 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262 (Palm Springs Convention Center)

2011 WestFest Site Map (subject to change)

View of WestFest grounds (subject to change)

Weekend Recap

March 24-27, the Palm Springs WestFest and Frank Bogert Memorial PRCA Rodeo presented by Spa Resort Casino comes back to downtown Palm Springs for a week of Western-themed events. Admission is just $5 to the 20 acre WestFest, and rodeo tickets start at $10 for 14 and under youths.

Palm Springs and the desert communities were once a haven for cowboys and horsemen with an annual rodeo and miles of riding trails. This long weekend event harkens back to those "hay days" of yesterday. It includes a professional  rodeo with events such as steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing in the timed events competitions, while bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding are in the roughstock competition.

In addition to the rodeo activities, there is also 20,000 square feet of upscale Western Design Expo retail shopping with the top American artists who create furniture, sculpture, fashion, art and other coveted Western design items, all inside the Renaissance Hotel beginning Thursday, March 24 at Noon.

Here you can commission a roomful of furniture, get fitted for a pair of custom boots or have your hat shaped just right. See the patriotic display of rhinestone studded couture by the world-famous Manuel from Nashville, and have him measure you for a custom suit or dress.

See a variety of custom jewelry, handbags, woven fashion, rugs and top couture, brought to Palm Springs from all over the U.S.

You may also view dozens of Western artists displaying their work, and meet your favorite Western authors signing and selling their publications. Hollywood celebrities will be signing autographs and several lookalike characters will be on hand for photos.

Fans of the singing cowboys will be interested in viewing recently restored television shows and movies during the Gene Autry FilmFest in the Mojave Room at the Renaissance. Enjoy three days of screenings accompanied by the expert commentary of Karla Buhlman from the Gene Autry Foundation. For an additional fee, enjoy the hour-long live performances of The Cowboy Project, an original show combining live music and visual flashbacks to the Golden Days of the Silver Screen. Plus, "Oh, You Cowgirl," the acclaimed documentary about turn of the last century rodeo cowgirls will be presented throughout the weekend, including a stage show by Juni Fisher.

Outside, there is a TwangFest Stage throughout the three-day WestFest featuring cowboy music Friday and Saturday, with Latino music on Fiesta del Charro Sunday the 27th. On that day, a Spanish flavor influences the rodeo, with Escaramuza teams competing for prizes while Charros compete in team roping Sunday morning, following Cowboy Church at 9 am.

In the Native American Village, enjoy Indian tribal singing, drumming and even cowboy poetry on the cultural stage during the weekend.

Nearby, thrill to regular gunfight reenactments by the Mojave Muleskinners in their Cowboy Camp area. For a really unique rodeo experience, Cowboy Mounted Shooting is part of the daily competition as Old West riders gallop through the arena firing 6-guns at targets.

For the children, there are carnival rides of all sorts as well as a petting zoo, pony rides and a mechanical bull in two sizes to challenge the young as well as older riders. A Pioneer Living display allows kids to pan for gold and create toys like our forefathers played with before the iPad. Try your hand in a Fast Draw interactive game to benefit United Way of the Desert, loop a rope around a dummy steer and toss horseshoes in the Cowboy Game area.

Enjoy the Bogert BBQ Showdown, visit an educational Old West encampment, dine at the Taste of the West food court, tip one back at the Spa Resort Casino Saloon and

On top of all that, there will be a lovely lady who will be named the Palm Springs Frank Bogert Memorial Rodeo Queen along with a Queen's court which will be chosen from a dozen contestants from the surrounding area.

The annual event is located at the Palm Springs Convention Center and the rodeo is named  for Palm Springs' iconic cowboy, renaissance man and mayor Frank Bogert who helped brand the city a "Cowboy Mecca" in the middle of the 20th century.

Along with general admission, there is a VIP tent that includes not only preferred arena-side seating, but a fantastic array of dinners provided by Spa Resort Casino chefs. An open bar is included. Proceeds benefit the Bogert Memorial Scholarship.

The event typically draws between 12,000 and 15,000 spectators over the course of the weekend event.

Visit www.PalmSpringsWestFest.com for details and tickets and hotel rooms

800-664-5617

The Southern California Equestrian Directory