Mark your calendar for the annual Chisholm Trail Festival, slated for Saturday, October 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mollie Spencer Farm, 1001 Garth Brooks Blvd. in Yukon. Admission is FREE!
The family-oriented event celebrates the western history of the famous Chisholm Trail. The festival is filled with living history re-enactors of the Old West, a variety of food trucks, gunfights, craft booths, chuck wagons, and the ever-popular Kids Korral. Special new addition this year will be a Mechanical Bull!
The Mollie Spencer Farm is located one half-mile north of Interstate 40, exit 136, which is Garth Brooks Blvd. Free parking is available on the north side of the festival property at Yukon Middle School. Cattle traveling along the Chisholm Trail regularly crossed the Mollie Spencer Farm, making it the perfect location to experience this step back in time!
LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
Head on over to the Entertainment Stage for a day packed with exciting acts and superb music! It opens at 10 a.m. and continues throughout the festival until 5:00 p.m. The Bazemore Bluegrass Band will kick things off at 10 a.m., followed by Cynthia Ridge Band at 12:30 p.m. and Bread & Butter Band at 2:30 p.m.. Stay up-to-date with the entertainment schedule at www.yukonok.gov/ChisholmTrailFestival.
LIVING HISTORY REENACTED
A western-themed olde town, located on the southern side of the festival grounds, provides an immersive backdrop for historical re-enactments of life in the 19th century. This site includes a livery stable, featuring “Horsing Around Oklahoma,” presented by Doug Sauter and Express Ranch Clydesdales. Gunfighters stroll the town site and promise to get rowdy from time to time.
The General Store has penny candy and other goodies like wooden flutes and whistles! Nellie’s is open for business with a variety of foods, and the School House is in session all day with samplings and education from Historic Fort Reno Museum. Stop into Parker Station to learn more about Chisholm Trail History and the history of the Mollie Spencer Farm, which was owned by L.M. Spencer, one of Yukon’s founders.
At the camp, blacksmiths, settlers, wagons and more await your visit. Cowboy and mountain men camps welcome all questions!
KIDS ACTIVITIES
Little cowpokes and cowgirls love the Kids Korral, a special area on the grounds designed especially for children’s entertainment, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Included are free rides on the “Yukon’s Best Express,”, western make-and-take crafts, archery, Cow Milking and panning for gold, shooting gallery, and axe throwing. Fall-themed activities such as pumpkin bowling and pumpkin chunkin’ return. Pony rides and a petting zoo are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Maguire O’Hara Pumpkin Patch provides pumpkin-filled wonderland to stroll through and pick out your favorite, at no extra cost! Donations are accepted. The Pumpkin Patch will open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Earn wooden tokens by visiting a historic station or special opportunities in the kids area. These wooden tokens can be exchanged for a Pumpkin! Pumpkin decorating is also available.
ADVENTURE FOR YOUR TASTEBUDS
Come experience the original food truck! Chuckwagon chefs are demonstrating cattle drive cooking. For those craving food, a variety of food trucks are available.
CONTESTS
Feeling competitive? Then save up your appetite for the Pie Eating Contest at 11:30am, with divisions for adults and kids! Click here to register for the Pie Eating Contests (LINK)
Back for the 3rd year is the ever-popular Kids Karaoke Contest taking place at 4:00pm! Cash winners for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Click here to register for Kids Karaoke (LINK)
Both the Pie Eating and Kids Karaoke Contest’s will take place on the entertainment stage and registration is limited so be sure to register as soon as you can.
The City of Yukon and the Chisholm Trail Historical Preservation Society are proud to partner together to host the Chisholm Trail Festival. Sponsors are Kirkpatrick Family Fund; Maguire O'Hara Construction; Kirkpatrick Oil; YNB; Yanda & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services; Spanish Cove Retirement Village; Integris Canadian Valley Hospital and BancFirst.
For more information, visit www.chisholmtrail.org, www.yukonok.gov/chisholmtrailfestival, or call 405-350-8937.
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The Chisholm Trail Festival is one of Yukon’s best events. Optimism, energy and opportunity inspire the best in everything we do. To learn more about Yukon’s best, visit www.yukonok.gov or call 405-350-8937.