Booth Western Art Museum to Host 7th Annual Cowboy Gathering

Jan. 19, 2010 - PRLog -- The Booth Western Art Museum will host the 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering, March 11-14, 2010 in Cartersville, GA. Scheduled events include evening concerts on Friday and Saturday night, chuck wagon and Dutch oven cooking contests, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and banjo contests, children’s activities, and an artist’s workshop with featured artist Nelson Boren. Other special guests include Red Steagall and Sweethearts in Carhartts. The event will take place at the Booth Western Art Museum and the Grand Theatre, both located in historic downtown Cartersville.
The Gathering begins Thursday, March 11, and will include a Western musical performance in the Museum Atrium by Doc Stovall and the Tumbleweed Cowboy Band from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. During this time, visitors may also meet the featured artist for the Gathering, Nelson Boren of Sandpoint, Idaho. At 7:00 p.m., Boren will present a lecture in the Booth Theatre on his artistic style and career highlights, and will be available to sign copies of the official Gathering poster in the Museum Store following his lecture.
On Friday, March 12, the Museum will host an artist’s workshop conducted by featured artist Nelson Boren. This class, designed for novice through experienced artists, will focus on watercolor painting. The cost is $125 for members and $150 for not-yet-members. Interested participants should register soon as the class size is limited. For more information or to register, call 770-387-3849.
Friday evening, guests are invited to experience a special concert in the Booth Ballroom with musical guests Sweethearts in Carhartts. Comprised of Western poets, singers and songwriters Jean Prescott, Yvonne Hollenbeck and Liz Masterson, Sweethearts in Carhartts showcases the talent of these three amazing musicians while also paying tribute to the women of the West. Tickets are $15 for Booth members and $18 for not-yet-members.  
Saturday evening’s concert features famed Western singer, songwriter, poet, and guitarist Red Steagall. A native of Texas, Steagall has entertained audiences all around the world and has been called “a singing scholar of the old West” by James Earl Jones, and “the best of the best” by Rex Allen. In 2006, Steagall was named Poet Laureate for the state of Texas making him the first “cowboy” poet laureate for the state.
Throughout the day Saturday, there will be a variety of events for the entire family. As part of the Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook-Off, teams of cooks will prepare beans, meat, potatoes, bread and desserts just as they did during the cattle drives of the 1800s. Those interested may purchase tickets in advance for $12 to sample the menu items. Other activities include a fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo contest, adult Cowboy Poetry workshop, continuous family entertainment, and children’s activities throughout the Museum.
The weekend wraps-up Sunday, March 14, beginning with Cowboy Church in the Booth Ballroom at 11:00 a.m. This is a non-denominational church service that will feature cowboy prayers and Western spiritual music. After the service, from Noon to 4:00 p.m., a Dutch Oven Cooking Contest will take place on the Museum’s festival grounds. Top cooks will compete for prizes and bragging rights in three categories: bread, main dish and dessert, and will serve samples to the public. Also during this time the Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest Finals will be held in the Booth Theatre. The top 10 Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest finalists in four age divisions, representing grades five through twelve, will compete for cash prizes which are awarded for first, second and third place. Children’s activities will also be offered throughout the Museum.
The Southeastern Cowboy Gathering is designed to celebrate our rich Western heritage and is a unique opportunity for residents of the Southeast to explore the West without leaving the South.
“With the new expansion complete here at the Booth Museum, visitors can enjoy even more Western paintings and sculptures than before,” said Booth Museum Executive Director Seth Hopkins. “Not only do we want visitors to experience America’s Story through art, but we also want them to understand the life, work, and play of the American Cowboy by exposing them to cowboy poetry and music.  Those attending the events scheduled will hopefully walk away with a greater appreciation of the Western experience. Whether it is a Dutch Oven Cooking Contest or a performance by a cowboy poet, we hope people will learn something new at the Cowboy Gathering.”
For more information on the 7th Annual Southeastern Cowboy Gathering, including admission prices and schedule, call 770-387-1300.

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About the Booth Western Art Museum:
The Booth Western Art Museum, an Affiliate to the Smithsonian Institution, is a 120,000 square foot museum located in Cartersville, Georgia, where guests are invited to explore the American West through contemporary Western artwork. The Museum also houses a Presidential Gallery, Civil War art gallery, and Sagebrush Ranch, an interactive children’s gallery. Open since August 2003, the Booth Museum is the only museum of its kind in the Southeast and is the second largest art museum in the state of Georgia. To learn more about the Booth Western Art Museum, visit www.boothmuseum.org.