40th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

The 40th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering—Be the Poem. Be the Song.
#cowboypoetrygathering #westernfolklifecenter #ncpg2025

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Schedule is subject to change. We recommend double-checking Sched regularly for the latest updates.

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TBA

Between Grass & Sky: Rhythms of a Cowboy Poem Western Folklife Center - Wiegand Gallery

8:30am PST

Music Open Mic Signups Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain Music Stage Poetry Open Mic Signups Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

9:00am PST

Wiegand Gallery & Gift Shop

9:30am PST

Keynote Elko Convention Center - AuditoriumPainted Horse • Gail Steiger • Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr.

11:00am PST

First Came Collaboration: Managing for Riparia Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room Adrian Brannan Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain BallroomAdrian Brannan Dave Munsick Elko Convention Center - Turquoise RoomDave & Tris Munsick Andy Hedges Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain Music StageAndy Hedges Why the Cowboy Sings Western Folklife Center - Black Box Theater Poetry Open Mic 1 Elko Convention Center - Silver Room Finding Your Place Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar TheaterPatricia Frolander • Lone Piñon • Sam Platts & the Plainsmen • M.L. Smoker Have I Told You About My Horse Elko High School Performing Arts Building - AuditoriumMaria Lisa Eastman • Doug Figgs • Dakota Holdaway • Jarle Kvale

11:15am PST

Learning From the Land: Women in Ranching Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room

11:45am PST

Cowboys Without Borders Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room

12:15pm PST

Dom Flemons Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar TheaterDom Flemons Juni Fisher Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain BallroomJuni Fisher Cowboy Poets Western Folklife Center - Black Box Theater Music Open Mic 1 Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain Music Stage The Bull Got Out Elko Convention Center - Turquoise RoomYvonne Hollenbeck • Katie McCall-Owen • Andy Nelson • Tom Sharpe

12:30pm PST

Matt Robertson Elko High School Performing Arts Building - AuditoriumMatt Robertson Poetry Open Mic 2: Reciting the Classics Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

1:00pm PST

Indian Relay Northeastern Nevada Museum Crittering Elko Convention Center - AuditoriumDW Groethe • Darrell Holden • Betty Lynne McCarthy • Jonathan Odermann • Dick Warwick

1:30pm PST

Let Me Show You How It's Done Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar TheaterDave & Tris Munsick • Ed Peekeekoot • R.P. Smith Don't Touch My Hat Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain BallroomVenessa Carpenter • Melanie LaRue • Annie Mackenzie • Olivia Romo Bring Them Home Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room Deep West & Ranch Communications Western Folklife Center - Black Box Theater

1:45pm PST

Sam Platts & the Plainsmen Elko High School Performing Arts Building - AuditoriumSam Platts & the Plainsmen Music Open Mic 2 Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain Music Stage Between the Silences Elko Convention Center - Turquoise RoomMaria Lisa Eastman • Amy Hale • Henry Real Bird • M.L. Smoker

2:00pm PST

Poetry Open Mic 3 Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

2:45pm PST

Lara Manzanares Elko High School Performing Arts Building - AuditoriumLara Manzanares • Lone Piñon Wylie & the Wild West Elko Convention Center - AuditoriumWylie & the Wild West Thrown but Not Broken Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar TheaterMarleen Bussma • Jarle Kvale • Kye Rieff • Sandy Seaton Sallee

3:00pm PST

Buffalo Kin Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain BallroomBuffalo Kin Semblances Western Folklife Center - Wiegand GallerySean Sexton

3:15pm PST

Sterling Drake Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain Music StageSterling Drake Badger Clark: Poet Among the Pines Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room Making the Ordinary Heroic: The Story of John A. Lomax Elko Convention Center - Turquoise RoomHal Cannon

3:30pm PST

Poetry Open Mic 4 Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

4:00pm PST

Wild Women Elko High School Performing Arts Building - AuditoriumJuni Fisher • Patricia Frolander • Amy Hale • Kristyn Harris

4:15pm PST

Brigid & Johnny Reedy Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain Music StageBrigid & Johnny Reedy Collaborative Cowpokes Elko Conference Center - Ruby Mountain BallroomBrenn Hill • Darrell Holden • Zach Martinez

5:30pm PST

Young Buckaroo Open Mic Signups Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

6:00pm PST

Class of '85 & That Other Guy Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar TheaterDick Gibford • Ross Knox • Waddie Mitchell • Gail Steiger Cowboy Schoolin' Elko Convention Center - AuditoriumDoris Daley • Pipp Gillette & Lloyd Wright • Hot Club of Cowtown • Sourdough Slim & Robert Armstrong

6:15pm PST

Young Buckaroo Open Mic Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

8:00pm PST

California Gold Elko Convention Center - AuditoriumMargo Cilker • Ismay • Trinity Seely • Dave Stamey Now That's Classic Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar TheaterMarleen Bussma • Andy Hedges • Bill Lowman • Jake Riley • Tom Sharpe

10:00pm PST

Saloon Session: Jessie Veeder Western Folklife Center - Pioneer SaloonJessie Veeder