Music for the Masses

Need to get out of town over Labor Day weekend? Look no further than our neighbor to the north: The city of Cheyenne is hosting two (count ’em) festivals this weekend, featuring the best of the West’s musicians, storytellers, poets, vendors and artisans.

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More About

• Jon Chandler
• Otto Rosfeld
• Mike Hurwitz
• Bluegrass
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

The Americana Music Festival (which comprises both the Cheyenne Cowboy Heart of the West Festival and the Magic City Bluegrass Festival) kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. with Prickly Pair, Long Road Home and Jon Chandler & the Wichitones in Cheyenne’s historic Atlas Theatre. Tomorrow, catch Mike Hurwitz, Andy Nelson, Blue Water Cowboy Band, High Plains Tradition, western-music virtuoso Otto Rosfeld (he plays everything!) and more at the Gathering Stage; $13 buys you admission to those shows. Vendors, poets and storytellers will ply their trades in the Depot Lobby from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for free, and outside you’ll find a farmers’ market, trolley tours, horseshoeing demonstrations and free carriage rides. Later, enjoy a chuckwagon dinner ($25), followed by a free Whiskey Trip concert at 7 p.m.

On the bluegrass side of things, from 10 a.m. to noon in Lions Park, you’ll find a free, fun and informal music lesson; bring your own banjo, bass, fiddle, mandolin or guitar. Bluegrass bands will play sets in the park from noon to 9:45 p.m.

And there’s more, including a free Cowboy Church session on Sunday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., a Cowboy Brunch ($15.95) at 10:30 a.m. and more bluegrass from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Visit www.cheyennemusic.org or call 1-307-778-3133.
Aug. 29-31, 2008