40th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering: Full Schedule

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.

9:00am PST

Rawhide Braiding

Sunday January 26, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

SOLD OUT
Day 1 of 4
Build commemorative 40th anniversary Gathering hobbles with Doug Groves. A skilled teacher and highly respected rawhide braider, Doug started braiding out of necessity, making the gear he used every day as a working cowboy. Once again, he and his friends will share their know-how in this four-day workshop. Learn Doug’s techniques for processing rawhide—from hide harvest to finished string. And, add specially engraved silver to your project. The storytelling, camaraderie, and cooperative learning among fellow braiders makes this workshop a veritable celebration of rawhide and community! For beginning and intermediate experience levels.

Artists & Special Guests

Doug Groves

Great Basin buckaroo and braider Doug Groves makes rawhide reatas, quirts, reins and bosals of great beauty and function. He started braiding out of necessity, to make the gear he needed as a working cowboy, and eventually as cowboss on the TS Ranch outside of Battle Mountain. A 2009... Read More →

Sunday January 26, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Leather Carving

Monday January 27, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Cedar Room

Day 1 of 3
Make a pair of teardrop-style floral spur straps adorned with a simple carving with Cow Camp Saddlery’s Mark Barcus. Under Mark’s instruction, you will learn how to lay out and place your design, how to use the tools, how to carve the design, and how to apply a simple oiled finish. At the end of the class, you will leave with well-made single-ply spur straps. Take home a wearable, working piece of art custom carved at the 40th Gathering! For intermediate and advanced students.

Artists & Special Guests

Mark Barcus

For over 20 years, Wyoming leatherworker Mark Barcus has created chaps, saddles, and other leather goods while working ranches in many locations. He got his start in 4-H and with the help of his father. Mark’s extensive experience in ranching and leatherworking has led to countless... Read More →

Monday January 27, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Cedar Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Rawhide Braiding

Monday January 27, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

SOLD OUT
Day 2 of 4

Build commemorative 40th anniversary Gathering hobbles with Doug Groves. A skilled teacher and highly respected rawhide braider, Doug started braiding out of necessity, making the gear he used every day as a working cowboy. Once again, he and his friends will share their know-how in this four-day workshop. Learn Doug’s techniques for processing rawhide—from hide harvest to finished string. And, add specially engraved silver to your project. The storytelling, camaraderie, and cooperative learning among fellow braiders makes this workshop a veritable celebration of rawhide and community! For beginning and intermediate experience levels.

Artists & Special Guests

Doug Groves

Monday January 27, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

7:00pm PST

Words With Heart

Monday January 27, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

The Gathering has always been about words—words that reflect land, words that reflect work, words that reflect our worlds. And it’s about how those words are shared in the company of others, turning moments into memories and expression into connection. Start the 40th with a quartet of rooted performers who will make you sing, laugh, think, and feel. Their timing is impeccable. Their insight is eye-opening. And their words have heart. Join reflective rancher Darrell Holden, compelling cowman Terry Nash, skilled songster Ed Peekeekoot, and pensive poet M.L. Smoker as they reflect what’s at the heart of the Gathering.

Sponsored by Baymont by Wyndham Elko

Artists & Special Guests

Darrell Holden

Darrell Holden is a proud fifth-generation rancher who raises cattle on Utah’s West Desert. He started writing cowboy poetry in high school, but he only started performing after gentle nudges from his family (“nudges” may have been slightly veiled threats of bodily harm.) He... Read More →

Terry Nash

Western Colorado beef producer and acclaimed poet Terry Nash knows how to draw you into his poetry. His tales are of the West not seen from the highway or from the rodeo bleachers. Terry lives the life he writes about, and he’s the master at showing it to you. He and his wife Kathy... Read More →

Ed Peekeekoot

Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and storyteller, Ed Peekeekoot is a skilled and seasoned performer who has received much recognition over the years. He has a timeless kind of cool that appeals to audiences of all ages. Ed’s performances go from blazing guitar work to foot... Read More →

M.L. Smoker

M.L. Smoker is Nakoda, Dakota, and Lakota, a citizen of the Fort Peck Tribes, and rooted in her family’s homeplace Tabexa Wakpa (Frog Creek). M.L.’s poems speak to themes of personal struggle and identity, drawing from Native American culture, language, and history. “Being... Read More →

Monday January 27, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

The Art of Recitation

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Cowboy poetry consists of two different arts, the writing of it and the telling of it. While some poems are crafted for the page, others are destined for the ear. The cowboy poetry resurgence that came along 40 years ago emphasized recitation, tapping into oral performance (and aural delight!) through the spoken sharing of verse. The better a poem is presented, the better listeners enjoy it. Join reciter extraordinaire Waddie Mitchell to mull over ideas to help you refine your recitations, improve your delivery, and have some fun with the art of sharing cowboy poetry live and in person.

Artists & Special Guests

Waddie Mitchell

Waddie Mitchell was immersed in the cowboy way of entertaining on the Nevada ranches where his father worked. By age 10, he too was reciting poetry after long days of pushing cows and living off the land. Waddie recites the older classics as well as his own works, eloquently expressing... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Sourdough, From Starter To Finish

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PST

First Presbyterian Church

Father and daughter duo Dan Landa and Lauren Landa share their spin on this staple bread of cowboys and townies alike. Learn traditional sourdough bread recipes and techniques that will keep you “sourdough slim.” Then, add some more techniques to your bread-baking saddlebags with sourdough takes on artistic loaves, sweets, and snacks. This workshop will give you just the start you need to rise to the rest of the Gathering.

Artists & Special Guests

Dan & Lauren Landa

A love of bread and bread-making runs deep in the Landa family. Dan Landa is a retired Elko firefighter and owner of Bucking Chorizo, a chorizo-flavored almond business. He grew up on the family ranch in Lovelock, Nevada, where he learned Basque culture and traditional practices from... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PST
First Presbyterian Church 1559 Sewell Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Stamped Leather Valet Tray

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 3:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Gold Room

Create a one-of-a-kind stamped leather valet tray for that special someone (or yourself). Ranch wife, mother, and leatherworker Jonelle Nutting will take you through the process of prepping and casing the leather, laying out the design, and stamping. Then, you’ll finish the leather with oil and antiquing, if desired. You’ll complete your creation by finishing the edges and applying hardware. Each student will leave with a fully stamped and functioning tray to corral your keys, coins, jewelry, guitar picks, or any stray treasures and trinkets. You will be provided with a set of tools for the workshop and to take home with you. No experience necessary.

Artists & Special Guests

Jonelle Nutting

Jonelle Nutting was born and raised on her family’s wheat and cattle ranch in eastern Washington. For more than 10 years, Jonelle pursued a career as a licensed large animal veterinary technician, while also nurturing her artistic interests on the side. Coming from a family of leatherworkers... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 3:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Gold Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Leather Carving

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Cedar Room

Day 2 of 3
Make a pair of teardrop-style floral spur straps adorned with a simple carving with Cow Camp Saddlery’s Mark Barcus. Under Mark’s instruction, you will learn how to lay out and place your design, how to use the tools, how to carve the design, and how to apply a simple oiled finish. At the end of the class, you will leave with well-made single-ply spur straps. Take home a wearable, working piece of art custom carved at the 40th Gathering! For intermediate and advanced students.

Artists & Special Guests

Mark Barcus

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Cedar Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Rawhide Braiding

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

SOLD OUT
Day 3 of 4
Build commemorative 40th anniversary Gathering hobbles with Doug Groves. A skilled teacher and highly respected rawhide braider, Doug started braiding out of necessity, making the gear he used every day as a working cowboy. Once again, he and his friends will share their know-how in this four-day workshop. Learn Doug’s techniques for processing rawhide—from hide harvest to finished string. And, add specially engraved silver to your project. The storytelling, camaraderie, and cooperative learning among fellow braiders makes this workshop a veritable celebration of rawhide and community! For beginning and intermediate experience levels.

Artists & Special Guests

Doug Groves

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Silver Cuff Bracelet

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Great Basin College - Jewelry Lab, Arts & Music Annex (Bldg 22 on map)

Day 1 of 2

Make not one, but two!, cuff bracelets in this creative jewelry workshop. Silversmith Rodney Mike of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe will teach you about materials, tools, and finishes. You will start out by making a copper cuff bracelet with a simple finishing process. This will get you in the groove to make your cuff bracelet out of a sterling silver overlay material on day two. Choose between four finishes for your silver bracelet—a smooth polish, satin polish, hammered texture finish, or a combination of these. Suitable for beginners.

Artists & Special Guests

Rodney Mike

Rodney Mike is a highly skilled silversmith and saddlemaker who has been practicing both crafts for 20 years. His preferred style is western bright engraving, although he appreciates all styles of the art form. A member of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, Rodney was born and raised in... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Great Basin College - Jewelry Lab, Arts & Music Annex (Bldg 22 on map)

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Beef ala Argentina

Tuesday January 28, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm PST

First Presbyterian Church

Take a trip to the southern hemisphere with home cook Jordan Wright whose culinary journey through his Basque roots gives his food global flavors, from the high desert to the pampas. Jordan will guide you through preparing a hearty Argentine lunch worthy of gourmet gauchos. Make matambre (flank steak rolled with seasonal vegetables and cheese) accompanied by an Argentine-style squash salad topped with chimichurri dressing. While you’re cooking, partake in the time-honored South American tradition of passing a cup of mate (herbal tea) among friends. Finally, wash down your meal with a fernet con coca (fernet with Coke). ¡Qué buena onda!

Artists & Special Guests

Jordan Wright

Jordan Wright grew up in Elko County, being raised in Tuscarora on his family’s cattle ranch. He learned to cook by watching his mother, grandmas, and aunts, who always had the best stories to accompany the recipe lessons. Jordan refined these food service skills working in different... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm PST
First Presbyterian Church 1559 Sewell Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Patchwork By Hand

Tuesday January 28, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm PST

Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room

Learn the age-old basics of hand piecing from master quilter Yvonne Hollenbeck and discover how simple and relaxing this sewing method can be. Yvonne will guide you through various needles, threads, and notions used in constructing quilts. You will receive a kit to make a simple nine-patch block with printed instructions, and you will also receive hints to assist you with your hand work, whether you are attaching binding, making simple blocks, or attempting to make an award-winning heirloom quilt. Be part of the quilting circle at this rewarding and fun-filled workshop doing patchwork as it’s been done for generations.

Artists & Special Guests

Yvonne Hollenbeck

Yvonne Hollenbeck is a South Dakota cattleman’s wife who writes poetry about her life on a beautiful, remote ranch where she has spent years putting up hay, feeding a crew, doing bookwork, or working cattle. Although her poetry is often humorous about situations that were not humorous... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm PST
Elko Conference Center - Lamoille Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

3:00pm PST

Perfect Pour

Tuesday January 28, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm PST

Duncan LittleCreek Gallery & the Gallery Bar

SOLD OUT

Throughout modern history, our obsession with the cocktail has been one of adoration mixed with innovation, weighing creative passion with our capacity for vice. We continue this tradition with an examination of the cocktail’s evolution over the decades and its impact on our own local history. Join us for this year’s installation of Perfect Pour at Duncan LittleCreek. Learn tips and tricks to create your own stunning libations. Take some poetic license on a few classic cocktails, and learn to make some of the DLC’s exclusive signature drinks with Nick Heguy. Must be 21+ with valid ID.

Artists & Special Guests

Nick Heguy

The beginning of Nick Heguy’s strictly academic study of alcohol began, like many, in college. Working his way through various positions and establishments, he gleaned what he could from both smoke-filled dive bar and high-end cocktail lounge alike, amassing knowledge and technique... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm PST
Duncan LittleCreek Gallery & the Gallery Bar

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

7:00pm PST

Nevada On My Mind

Tuesday January 28, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

From the Ruby Mountains to the Owyhee Desert, from the Humboldt River to the Jarbidge Wilderness, from the hot springs to the quakies, Nevada’s expanses leave an imprint on a person’s soul. Cowboy poet Ross Knox earned his stripes on the Great Basin’s big outfits. Katie McCall-Owen was raised on the Silver State’s remote ranges. And, special guest Richard Elloyan lives and sings at the edge of Nevada’s dark starry skies. Together, in Elko, they bring you an evening of entertainment that sparkles like a buckaroo’s breath on a sunny winter day.

Sponsored by Thunderbird Motel

Artists & Special Guests

Richard Elloyan

Richard Elloyan is a singer, songwriter, poet, and performer of unique wit and imagination. Richard grew up in the historic mining town of Virginia City and uses his love of the state, its rich history, and its magnificent vistas as a constant source of inspiration. Richard has performed... Read More →

Ross Knox

Ross Knox first aspired to be a cowboy as a little boy, when he watched his father work their ranch in central Oregon. At 16, he quit school and moved to Nevada to buckaroo, where he also began writing poetry to occupy his time alone. He has worked at both the Grand Canyon and Saguaro... Read More →

Katie McCall-Owen

Cowboy poet Katie McCall-Owen grew up reciting classics, first with her family and then at gatherings. Katie works in town, but still brands and works cows with friends and family every chance she gets. After stepping away from the poetry side of things for nearly 20 years, she is... Read More →

Tuesday January 28, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

A Meatball Comeback

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PST

First Presbyterian Church

The Elko County CattleWomen’s meatballs have near-legendary status among Gathering crowds and staff. A favorite hors d'oeuvre at the exhibit reception for many years, and the star players in more than one Gathering memory (who said the chafing dishes blew a fuse in the theater?), the meatballs are finally making their comeback. But this time, you can learn how to make them, and other beefy appetizers, too. Join the ranch ladies to learn Marianne Glaser’s signature mouth-watering, crowd-pleasing, spherical morsels of meaty delight. The secret is in the beef!

Artists & Special Guests

Elko County CattleWomen

Founded in the late 1950s, Elko County CattleWomen is dedicated to enhancing demand for beef while satisfying consumer needs. Their mission is to promote a positive perception of the cattle industry. The organization actively engages with the community by hosting a variety of events... Read More →

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PST
First Presbyterian Church 1559 Sewell Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

The Spirit of Place

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

The unique places that shape, and often dictate, our livelihoods also have distinctive feelings we've learned to recognize and write about. Adding human characteristics to certain aspects of place, like the trees, rocks, rivers, and mountains, brings them alive in our poetry and prose. Many cultures and native philosophies incorporate animism as a part of their worldview, attributing a spirit, a heart, or a soul to some of these subjects. Join Patricia Frolander in this workshop, where we will attempt to find a sense of spirituality that is unique to where we live, hopefully enriching the depth and scope of our poetic expression

Artists & Special Guests

Patricia Frolander

Wyoming Poet Laureate Emeritus Patricia Frolander is author of award-winning books including Married Into It and Second Wind. For more than 50 years, she has ranched in the Black Hills, enjoying a profession that brings families closer to livestock and nature, and that develops pride... Read More →

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

A Day at the Ranch

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm PST

Western Folklife Center - Pioneer Saloon

SOLD OUT

Join retired Elko High School agriculture teacher Shane Sutton on a day trip to beautiful Clover Valley in northeastern Nevada. Under the towering peaks of the south Humboldt Mountains, learn and share with the Dalton Ranch, a generational family ranch focused on commercial cattle and producing high-quality beef. Then, have a barbeque lunch prepared by members of the Wells High School FFA. The last stop on the tour is Lotspeich Family Farms, a unique agricultural operation with a deep family ranching history. Dress warm for winter weather and don’t forget to wear sensible footwear!

Artists & Special Guests

Shane Sutton

Shane Sutton is a retired agriculture education teacher and administrator from Elko County. He grew up in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming on a livestock and farming operation and attended the University of Wyoming for both his undergraduate and graduate studies. Over his 39-year career... Read More →

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm PST
Western Folklife Center - Pioneer Saloon

Tour, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Cinchmaking

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Gold Room

Learn the basics of cinchmaking and make your very own handmade 17-strand mohair cinch with Judy Hatch, rancher and owner of Hatch Idaho Cinches, LLC. Judy, as a seasoned instructor in the art of cinchmaking, will provide you with mohair, buckles, D rings, looms, and all of the tools you need. You will have the choice between three base colors (natural, gray, sand). Show up empty-handed and go home with a finished cinch! Looms and supplies to continue on your own at home will be available for purchase after the workshop.

Artists & Special Guests

Judy Hatch

Judy Hatch is the owner and operator of Hatch Idaho Cinches, LLC. With 12 years of perfecting her craft under her belt, Judy specializes in creating high-quality, handwoven mohair cinches, breast collars, camera and purse straps, and various other mohair items. She is always looking... Read More →

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Gold Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Leather Carving

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Cedar Room

Day 3 of 3
Make a pair of teardrop-style floral spur straps adorned with a simple carving with Cow Camp Saddlery’s Mark Barcus. Under Mark’s instruction, you will learn how to lay out and place your design, how to use the tools, how to carve the design, and how to apply a simple oiled finish. At the end of the class, you will leave with well-made single-ply spur straps. Take home a wearable, working piece of art custom carved at the 40th Gathering! For intermediate and advanced students.

Artists & Special Guests

Mark Barcus

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Cedar Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Rawhide Braiding

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

SOLD OUT
Day 4 of 4
Build commemorative 40th anniversary Gathering hobbles with Doug Groves. A skilled teacher and highly respected rawhide braider, Doug started braiding out of necessity, making the gear he used every day as a working cowboy. Once again, he and his friends will share their know-how in this four-day workshop. Learn Doug’s techniques for processing rawhide—from hide harvest to finished string. And, add specially engraved silver to your project. The storytelling, camaraderie, and cooperative learning among fellow braiders makes this workshop a veritable celebration of rawhide and community! For beginning and intermediate experience levels.

Artists & Special Guests

Doug Groves

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Silver Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Silver Cuff Bracelet

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST

Great Basin College - Jewelry Lab, Arts & Music Annex (Bldg 22 on map)

Day 2 of 2

Make not one, but two!, cuff bracelets in this creative jewelry workshop. Silversmith Rodney Mike of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe will teach you about materials, tools, and finishes. You will start out by making a copper cuff bracelet with a simple finishing process. This will get you in the groove to make your cuff bracelet out of a sterling silver overlay material on day two. Choose between four finishes for your silver bracelet—a smooth polish, satin polish, hammered texture finish, or a combination of these. Suitable for beginners.

Artists & Special Guests

Rodney Mike

Wednesday January 29, 2025 9:00am - 5:00pm PST
Great Basin College - Jewelry Lab, Arts & Music Annex (Bldg 22 on map)

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Western Songwriting

Wednesday January 29, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

SOLD OUT

With over 200 songs (and 1.5 million downloads) under his belt, it’s a testament to Wylie Gustafson’s character that he’s still buckling up to write more. And with outfits like True West Magazine calling Dave Stamey the greatest cowboy balladeer of all time (ok, ok, they said, “best living western solo musician”), it speaks highly of Dave’s humility that his hat still fits. Learn the western songwriter’s trade from not one, but two!, of the best. Wylie and Dave will cover a range of topics, such as developing good writing habits, co-writing, using eminent domain poems, avoiding clichés, approaching artists with your songs, placing songs in movies or TV, demo choices and recording, and using the western lifestyle and landscape to inspire and motivate.

Sponsored by the Ian Tyson Legacy Fund

Artists & Special Guests

Wylie Gustafson

Wylie Gustafson is an American original. He was born into a fourth-generation ranching family on the empty sprawl of northern Montana. A singer, songwriter, rancher, horseman, and world-famous Yahoo! Yodeler, Wylie has led the musical outfit known as Wylie & the Wild West for over... Read More →

Dave Stamey

Dave Stamey has been a cowboy, a mule packer, and a dude wrangler. Now, he is one of the most popular western entertainers working today. Dave has made it his life's work to celebrate the rural American West. In the past two decades, he has recorded 11 albums of original music, traveled... Read More →

Wednesday January 29, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Chiles Rellenos

Wednesday January 29, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm PST

First Presbyterian Church

Love chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers)? Learn to make this classic Mexican dish with Yolanda Rosales, former Elko restaurant owner and cook. Yolanda learned the art of making chiles rellenos from her mother, following a recipe that has been in her family for generations. Students will learn the joy of constructing chiles rellenos from start to finish, with tips on prepping the chiles, fluffing the egg batter, stuffing with cheese, and frying. Yolanda will also guide you through making two sauces, salsa ranchera (red sauce) and salsa con crema (creamy bell pepper sauce). As the saying goes, “panza llena, corazon contento.”

Artists & Special Guests

Yolanda Rosales

One of the hidden treasures of Elko is the rich Mexican style cuisine served by Yolanda Rosales. Yolanda has cooked in the Elko community for 15 years. She learned how to cook as a very young child watching her mother mix ingredients and fill their home with delicious aromas. While... Read More →

Wednesday January 29, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm PST
First Presbyterian Church 1559 Sewell Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

3:00pm PST

Perfect Pour

Wednesday January 29, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm PST

Duncan LittleCreek Gallery & the Gallery Bar

Artists & Special Guests

Nick Heguy

Wednesday January 29, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm PST
Duncan LittleCreek Gallery & the Gallery Bar

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

5:00pm PST

Come & Get It! (Dinner Show)

Wednesday January 29, 2025 5:00pm - 6:30pm PST

Elko Euzkaldunak Club (Basque House)

SOLD OUT

Brandings are fun, sociable events, but they are also hot, grueling affairs that depend on the willingness of your neighbors and friends. The Wright family has perfected the art of keeping their crews satisfied and coming back every year. Their secret? Feed them well and feed them everything. So, belly up for the Wright take on branding grub. Jordan Wright and his kitchen crew will serve up a dinner that’ll have you asking for a second helping. No strangers to the sweat of branding season, Sam Platts & the Plainsmen provide songs of work and revelry while you supper up. In the true spirit of brandings, this fancy dinner will be served on paper plates. Grab your Koozie and get in line!

Artists & Special Guests

Sam Platts & the Plainsmen

Sam Platts and the Plainsmen is an energetic Americana band that brings traditional country and western swing to modern audiences. Sam’s songwriting is in the vein of “old” country music, and his inspiration comes from rural, agricultural life and his family’s western heritage... Read More →

Jordan Wright

Wednesday January 29, 2025 5:00pm - 6:30pm PST
Elko Euzkaldunak Club (Basque House)

Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

7:00pm PST

Kicking Up a Ruckus

Wednesday January 29, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

When you throw together a crew, this is the kind of talent you want. Wylie Gustafson, along with his die-hard band, revs up ranch rhythms with the kind of songs you can’t stop humming. Underneath a seemingly sweet ranch wife surface, poet Yvonne Hollenbeck’s rabble-rousing spirit makes for spirit-rousing poetry. And, cool-as-a-cucumber Dave Stamey stirs up a frenzy when he lets out a yippee-yi-yo. When the “Rebel Rouser” joins forces with the “musical Charlie Russell” and the “American original,” you’ve got a crew that’ll kick up a ruckus and get the job done right. Like any good cowboss, you just need to show up and enjoy yourself.

Artists & Special Guests

Yvonne Hollenbeck

Dave Stamey

Wylie & the Wild West

Wednesday January 29, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Crittering

Thursday January 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

From the loyal cow dogs who assist us in our daily work to the ornery cows who insist on spicing up our days, critters loom large in our lives. Every rancher has encountered a creature worthy of immortalization in verse…and some worthy of a choice curse. Critters make us laugh and they make us cry. If there’s one thing that unites DW Groethe, Darrell Holden, Betty Lynne McCarthy, Jonathan Odermann, and Dick Warwick, it’s critters. From laughable observations to humorous run-ins, these poets share stories, and snortles, inspired by the non-human occupants that skitter through their days.
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Artists & Special Guests

DW Groethe

DW Groethe is the son of a son of pioneers. He was born and raised in the west of Dakota and has lived the past 25-plus years across the border in Montana. It is the same land...same folks...same weather...same heartbeat. The lyrics may change, but the rhythm stays true. He is a ranch... Read More →

Darrell Holden

Betty Lynne McCarthy

Betty Lynne McCarthy has three award-winning volumes of poetry and has been sharing her work for decades throughout the United States and Canada. She grew up along the banks of Cedar Creek in Eastern Montana, on the range the XIT Ranch left Texas to get to. A lifetime of ranching... Read More →

Jonathan Odermann

Jonathan Odermann grew up on a ranch north of Medora, North Dakota. After a short time working as a mechanical engineer in the city, Jonathan and his wife Marie returned to the Badlands to raise cattle on the family ranch. Much of Jonathan’s poetry is inspired by the mechanical... Read More →

Dick Warwick

Dick Warwick lives with his wife Sue on the old home place amid the rolling hills of the Palouse country of eastern Washington state. Dick writes about the foibles and follies of his own life, the land, relationships with nature, and issues regarding the West and rural lifestyles... Read More →

Thursday January 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

6:00pm PST

Class of '85 & That Other Guy

Thursday January 30, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

SOLD OUT
What’s better than friendship? Pardship, of course! And who knows what could happen when these old-school buckaroo bard pards take our stage to reminisce about the past 40 years through story, poetry, and song. (Hint: It’s going to be epic!) From before the dawn of the Gathering to clean up ’til yesterday, Dick Gibford, Ross Knox, Waddie Mitchell and Gail Steiger have seen and heard a few things, got up to all sorts of shenanigans, and shared more than an adventure or two. If you’ve ever wondered about the Gathering’s early days (or would just like to relive them), this is a show you won’t want to miss.

Artists & Special Guests

Dick Gibford

Dick Gibford is still working horseback on the Walking R Ranch in south Central California. He has cowboyed around the West for 30 years, with the past 20 spent on this rough and rugged chunk of real estate that has become his adopted home. With a string of four mountain-raised horses... Read More →

Ross Knox

Waddie Mitchell

Gail Steiger

Gail Steiger, foreman of the 50,000-acre Spider Ranch in Yavapai County, Arizona, has been playing guitar and writing songs for over 30 years. He has released two albums, The Romance of Western Life and A Matter of Believin’. A talented filmmaker, Gail produced and directed the... Read More →

Thursday January 30, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

6:00pm PST

Cowboy Schoolin'

Thursday January 30, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

Whether passed down by compadres around a campfire or grandparents around a record player, cowboy schooling has its roots in all kinds of traditions. Pipp Gillette & Lloyd Wright gain inspiration from the folk heroes of music history. Hot Club of Cowtown repurpose the jazzier roots of country swing. Sourdough Slim & Robert Armstrong take on the image of Hollywood’s “singing cowboys.” And, Doris Daley casts a keen eye on how people and pop culture shape even the most bona fide of buckaroos. They’ll entertain you with lore that reveals even the “real deals” sometimes get their inspiration from TV Westerns.

Sponsored by Nevada Gold Mines

Artists & Special Guests

Doris Daley

"Doris Daley writes like Fanny Sperry Steele rode broncs—with skill, grace, and a lot of class," says Dave Stamey. Born and raised on the family ranch in the Alberta foothills, Doris is a favorite on stages throughout North America. She has performed at the Smithsonian Folklife... Read More →

Pipp Gillette & Lloyd Wright

Distinguished singer and musician Pipp Gillette lives and works on the family ranch near Lovelady, Texas, where his grandfather raised cattle and cotton. His lifelong interest in western history and music was fostered as a kid through the stories told to him by his grandfather and... Read More →

Hot Club of Cowtown

Hot Club of Cowtown has been stunning audiences worldwide for over 20 years with its trademark blend of hot jazz, western swing, American songbook standards, and music from 1930s Paris and the American West. Elana James (fiddle, vocals) grew up in a musical family, and early on spent... Read More →

Sourdough Slim & Robert Armstrong

.Sourdough Slim and Robert Armstrong joyously rekindle the cowboy classics, country blues, vintage jazz, and string band favorites from 1920s and ’30s prewar America. Whether capturing the haunting refrain of a Jimmie Rodgers’ blue yodel or swinging out a hot novelty number, everyone... Read More →

Thursday January 30, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

8:00pm PST

California Gold

Thursday January 30, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

When it comes to agricultural wealth, the Golden State has its fair share. Whether you love it or love to hate it, this westest of the western states turns out happy cows and happy artists. An abundance of crops and livestock aren’t the only ranchy riches to be found between the Sierra Nevadas and the Pacific Ocean. Among California’s greatest treasures are gold-dusted songwriter Margo Cilker, jewel of a singer Trinity Seely, and precious musical resource Dave Stamey. This ain’t no fool’s gold. You’re sure to leave this show shouting, “Eureka! I hit the jackpot!”

Sponsored by Home2 Suites by Hilton Elko

Artists & Special Guests

Margo Cilker

Singer-songwriter Margo Cilker has spent the last few years on the road—from South Carolina to Montana, to the Basque Country and back to the American West. She says she pines for “Basque wine, music, and cowboys.” Forging a path that is both deeply rooted and ever-changing... Read More →

Ismay

Melding the experience of taming wild horses, escaping wildfires, and birthing lambs with the mystical soundscape that nature inspires, Ismay has sharpened their musical craft over the last decade while living and working on the family ranch in Northern California. Growing up backstage... Read More →

Trinity Seely

Trinity Seely's life has taken her to many different places, from the Chilcotin of British Columbia to the high deserts of central Wyoming to the Big Belts outside Cascade, Montana. She now lives in Ojai, California, where she is Director of The Thacher School’s Horse Program. Living... Read More →

Dave Stamey

Thursday January 30, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

8:00pm PST

Now That's Classic

Thursday January 30, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Everybody loves a classic. And, everybody loves it when reciters take the stage to honor the greats of their field. Join poets Marleen Bussma, Andy Hedges, Bill Lowman, Jake Riley, and Tom Sharpe for their favorite classic cowboy poems. They’ll take turns sharing beloved touchstones of the tradition. They’ll go rounds delivering masterpieces that still seem fresh today. And they’ll bandy rhymes that have stood the test of time. This show has cowboy trimmings and cowboy substance…now, that’s classic!

Sponsored by Stockmen’s Casino-Ramada by Wyndham

Artists & Special Guests

Marleen Bussma

As a young girl, long hours spent on horseback herding cattle stirred Marleen Bussma’s imagination and sparked a desire to emulate Dale Evans. Marleen, described as a formidable storyteller, draws from the lessons she learned growing up on her North Dakota farm. She believes that... Read More →

Andy Hedges

Andy Hedges is a songster, reciter, storyteller, guitarist, and collector of cowboy songs and poems. The son of a schoolteacher and a rodeo-cowboy-turned-preacher, Andy grew up in Tokio, Texas, where his family paid rent on an old farmhouse by looking after a few head of cattle. There... Read More →

Bill Lowman

Bill Lowman and his wife JoAnn and family own and operate a 20,000-acre generational ranch in the remote North Dakota Badlands, where they are widely known for their love of and respect for the well-being of their livestock and pets. As a multi-talented visual, literary, and performing... Read More →

Jake Riley

Jake Riley grew up, for the most part, in the upper Arkansas Valley of the Colorado mountains. He began roping and rodeoing as a kid, which led to helping out at local ranches, which spawned his love for cowboy culture. Jake has always enjoyed rhyming, publishing some of his first... Read More →

Tom Sharpe

Born and raised in south central Colorado, Tom Sharpe grew up working in the family packing plant and feedlot. Convinced from birth that one must be good with horses to be good with cows, he has spent his life studying horses and following cows. Tom has worked the beef industry vertically... Read More →

Thursday January 30, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry/Prose, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

9:00am PST

Diehards Ride Hard for the Gathering

Friday January 31, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

If you’re our type—the kind who is up and at ’em before the first birds, we’ll see you at this special morning show featuring Doris Daley, Hot Club of Cowtown, and Brigid & Johnny Reedy, with appearances by Waddie Mitchell and other guests. Kick off your Friday right with a chance to participate in a live auction and give in support of the Western Folklife Center’s mission. As a nonprofit, we are committed to keeping tickets affordable and accessible, but ticket revenue only covers a third of all we do. The rest comes from the generous support of folks like you!

A special show of support!

Artists & Special Guests

Doris Daley

Hot Club of Cowtown

Waddie Mitchell

Brigid & Johnny Reedy

Brigid Reedy is a singular young voice representing her beloved home state of Montana. A charismatic performer since the age of two when she first yodeled at the Pioneer Saloon, she has traveled widely, carrying with her boundless enthusiasm, grace, passion, and soul. An accomplished... Read More →

Friday January 31, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

10:00am PST

Rodeo Swing

Friday January 31, 2025 10:00am - 12:00pm PST

Flag View Intermediate School

SOLD OUT

If your toes are tapping but you need some good moves, this is a perfect dance for you. Rodeo swing is the easiest form of swing dancing and the style you'll see at rodeo dances around the West, as well as at Gathering dances. Amy Mills will teach you the moves and keep you smiling, while Sam Platts & the Plainsmen provide live music. Geared to beginning and intermediate dancers, but all levels are welcome. You don't need a partner to attend.

Artists & Special Guests

Amy Mills

Amy Mills, a soul who simply cannot stay still when music is playing, returns to the Gathering every year to share her love of traditional dance with others. She is an accomplished dancer of many traditional styles, ranging from ballroom to Balkan, swing to Scandinavian. A past National... Read More →

Sam Platts & the Plainsmen

Friday January 31, 2025 10:00am - 12:00pm PST
Flag View Intermediate School 777 Country Club Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

10:00am PST

Makila Carving

Friday January 31, 2025 10:00am - 3:00pm PST

Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 150

SOLD OUT

Learn the significance of carving makilak (Basque walking sticks), and make your own, in this educational, hands-on workshop. A prestigious symbol and instrument for both trekking and defense, the traditional makila can take years to make—from the initial cut in a living tree, to the time-consuming curing process, to carving designs and attaching silver tippings. Bob Echeverria will pare it down for you, providing harvested sticks pre-prepped for carving. You’ll also be introduced to other ingenious, practical items that provide the canvas for carving. Never get caught unprepared for downtime in the sheep camp again. Bring your favorite carving tool (pocket knife). All ages welcome.

Artists & Special Guests

Bob Echeverria

Bob Echeverria is a long-time resident of Elko, Nevada. After becoming a decorated veteran, Bob worked as an educator for many years, first at the Nevada Youth Training Center, where he taught social studies, and then at the Elko County School District’s Alternative School, where... Read More →

Friday January 31, 2025 10:00am - 3:00pm PST
Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 150

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

11:00am PST

Bones

Friday January 31, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm PST

Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 132

Learn the knack of clacking the bones! Described as the American Songster, Dom Flemons draws on his extensive old-time and folk music knowledge to teach the history and skill behind this popular traditional rhythm-maker. No bones needed—you’ll be provided with your own pair to use in the workshop and to take home with you to practice. All ages welcome.

Artists & Special Guests

Dom Flemons

Dom Flemons is a GRAMMY-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, slam poet, podcaster, and creator and host of the American Songster Radio Show on WSM in Nashville. Carrying on the songster tradition, Flemons strives to mix a repertoire covering over one hundred years... Read More →

Friday January 31, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm PST
Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 132

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Cattle Calling & Mountain Hollering

Friday January 31, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

Cowboys are no strangers to situations that call for a good yodel. Like most cowboy necessities, yodeling has been elevated into an artform stamped with regionally distinctive touches and performed with range, skill, and showmanship. Montana hollerer Wylie Gustafson will wow you with his mastery of the phrase “little old lady who.” Kristyn Harris carries on in the ilk of “The Queen of the Yodellers” Rosalie Allen. And, Gary & Kurin Haleamau share paniolo yodeling like that that took root when cows took hold of Hawai’i. Get ready for a pitch-defying, coyote-crying, lung-frying yodeling extravaganza.

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Artists & Special Guests

Gary & Kurin Haleamau

Gary Kawiliau Haleamau of Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i began his musical career at an early age; first as a solo artist, then traveling with Hawaiian music groups throughout the world sharing his amazing talent. Gary is a recipient of the 2008 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for “Best Religious... Read More →

Kristyn Harris

Kristyn Harris is a singer, songwriter, and entertainer known for her western swing spin on original and classic songs of the rural lifestyle. Her music is heavily influenced by her own ranch life experiences and her love for Texas and the West. She has received accolades and recognition... Read More →

Wylie & the Wild West

Friday January 31, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Baile with Lone Piñon

Friday January 31, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm PST

Flag View Intermediate School

Get moving to the music of Lone Piñon, who will teach you a few simple and fun traditional dance steps and figures. Dances like La Camila, la varsoviana, el valse de los paños, la vaquera, and others have been danced in New Mexico weddings and dance halls for centuries. These dances have a deep history in the Spanish-speaking ranching communities of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado and they are a proven recipe for lots of fun. Earn the rancheros’ respect (or try to!) with these waltzes and figure dances from the Upper Rio Grande Valley. Suitable for all ages.

Artists & Special Guests

Lone Piñon

Lone Piñon is a New Mexican string band, or orquesta típica, whose music celebrates the integrity and diversity of their region’s multicultural and rural roots. The group spurs creativity around the oldest sounds of the region's traditional string music, which had all but disappeared... Read More →

Friday January 31, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm PST
Flag View Intermediate School 777 Country Club Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Harmony Singing

Friday January 31, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PST

Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 132

Webster defines harmony as “an interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative.” Join Dave Munsick, patriarch of The Munsick Boys, to explore how singing different parts makes a whole. Unison, two-part, three-part, and even four-part structures will be addressed along with ideas that will help you to find your note in a crowd of voices. Whatever your experience level, age, or register, you always have a part in group singing. Let this seasoned singer give you some tips on knowing when, why, and how to go about the business of making one out of many.

Artists & Special Guests

Dave & Tris Munsick

Father and son Dave and Tris Munsick hail from northern Wyoming, where they have ranched and made music together for most of their lives, often as The Munsick Boys with Dave’s other two sons Sam and Ian. Tris trains horses and works in the ag industry, while Dave has run mountains... Read More →

Friday January 31, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm PST
Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 132

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

6:00pm PST

Cohorts & Collaborators

Friday January 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

SOLD OUT

With more than 40 years of poeting under his belt, cowboy poet icon Waddie Mitchell has penned and performed many a rhyme and verse. Between ranching and hitting the stage, he’s also found time to record a few albums with the friends he's picked up along the way. Enjoy a live performance of Waddie’s album Cohorts & Collaborators featuring Waddie and his partners in songwriting, Juni Fisher, Pipp Gillette & Lloyd Wright, Andy Hedges, Brenn Hill, Trinity Seely, Dave Stamey, and Gail Steiger. From their matchups on this album, to their more recent joint efforts, you’ll be inspired to jot a couple jingles with your pals at this show that celebrates the best of collaborations with the best of collaborators.

Sponsored by John G. Searle Family Trust

Artists & Special Guests

Juni Fisher

Growing up in a central California farming family, Juni Fisher participated in 4-H and FFA. She captained her college horse show team, then worked for a reined cow horse trainer before hanging her own shingle and winning her first Snaffle Bit Futurity. While working for a cutting... Read More →

Pipp Gillette & Lloyd Wright

Andy Hedges

Brenn Hill

For more than three decades, Brenn Hill has stood under a cowboy hat and behind a microphone on countless stages blending his voice with bending guitar strings in a performance style all his own. He uses lyrical language to peel back the layers of life in the West to reveal a more... Read More →

Waddie Mitchell

Trinity Seely

Dave Stamey

Gail Steiger

Friday January 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

6:00pm PST

Everything Old Is New Again

Friday January 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Committing to a tradition and making it your own is a delicate endeavor. These fresh voices tread the grounds of heritage oh-so-skillfully, balancing reverence and mastery with originality and spunk. Kristyn Harris takes classic country, folk, and swing at her own speed. Lone Piñon reverently study with elders to recreate and revamp their region’s musical repertoire. Annie Mackenzie writes original rhymes built on the foundation of classic cowboy poetry and life on the range. And, Brigid Reedy recites the poems of her personal heroes and moves forward the art of cowboy music. By lovingly trodding the hallowed ground of their forebears, they’re breaking ground of their own and proving that everything old is new again.

Sponsored by Alaethes Wealth, LLC

Artists & Special Guests

Kristyn Harris

Lone Piñon

Annie Mackenzie

Annie Mackenzie is a fourth-generation rancher and part-time cowboy poet. She was born and raised in Jordan Valley, growing up on her family’s ranch just north of the small town in southeast Oregon. She spends her days helping her family tend cattle, start horses, and manage the... Read More →

Brigid & Johnny Reedy

Friday January 31, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

8:00pm PST

Get Ridin', When You Get the Blues

Friday January 31, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

Two great American musics ride hard across the open range of rural life. Country and blues draw their power from everyday speech, emotional resonance, lived stories, and hard-driving, hard-laboring beats. Both sing with the contributions of Black artists, as does the cowboy trade itself. Join Buffalo Kin, Dom Flemons, Andy Hedges, and Jessie Veeder as they explore the crossroads of these musical styles, from old-timey favorites to contemporary stylings, delivering a bit of blues, a bit of country, a bit of cowboy philosophy. And, one powerful show.

Sponsored by Maverick Casino & Hotel

Artists & Special Guests

Buffalo Kin

Seldom will you find a duo weaving high and lonesome sounds with such ease as Buffalo Kin. The West comes alive with their blending of traditional cowboy folk tunes and haunting original pieces. At home in rural Oregon, Buffalo Kin is Seth Brewster on guitar, banjo, and vocals, and... Read More →

Dom Flemons

Andy Hedges

Jessie Veeder

Jessie Veeder writes and sings about the Badlands of western North Dakota where she grew up as the fourth generation on her family’s cattle ranch. She released her first original album at 16 and has gone on to tour nationally, releasing five more original albums and two books about... Read More →

Friday January 31, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

8:00pm PST

Play It Right

Friday January 31, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

SOLD OUT
The West is not all cows and blue skies. Those cows and blue skies represent opportunity, and some western-made opportunities are more upstanding (and legal) than others. From legendary mischief makers to gritty escapades, take a walk on the darker side of cowboy life. From saloons to dance halls, gambling dens to more notorious establishments, there is a lot of vice, and virtue, lying in wait. So, take a chance and roll the dice with gritty songstress Adrian Brannan, honky-tonking musician Sterling Drake, scoundrel-loving band Sam Platts & the Plainsmen, and folly-finding poet Dick Warwick. Afterall, you are in Nevada.

Sponsored by NV Energy Foundation

Artists & Special Guests

Adrian Brannan

Adrian Brannan is a chart-topping singer-songwriter who is equally at home in the branding pen, on stage, or on a bucking horse. An author and musician, she is also known for her successful series of publicly written “Dear Cowgirl” letters on social media that spurred an online... Read More →

Sterling Drake

Steeped in the traditions of roots music, songwriter Sterling Drake’s journey has taken him from the Big Cypress of south Florida to the mountains of western Montana and everywhere in between. With a penchant for honest storytelling, Sterling weaves his own perspective into the... Read More →

Sam Platts & the Plainsmen

Dick Warwick

Friday January 31, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

10:00pm PST

Friday Night Dance

Friday January 31, 2025 10:00pm - 11:59pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

It’s no big secret that cowboys love to dance. Some show up and show off. Others sidle in and quietly listen. Whatever your style, the Friday night boogie with Hot Club of Cowtown will make you smile. The band revs up the room with their trademark sounds. A bit of bass, a lick of guitar, a little fiddle, and a whole lot of rhythm and groove. Stretch them weary bones, step up to the dancefloor, and swing the night away.

Sponsored by NV Energy Foundation

Artists & Special Guests

Hot Club of Cowtown

Friday January 31, 2025 10:00pm - 11:59pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

Dance, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

10:00am PST

Kī hōʻalu: Slack-Key Guitar

Saturday February 1, 2025 10:00am - 12:00pm PST

Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 150

Kī hōʻalu (to slack or loosen the key) is a genre of guitar music that originated in Hawai’i among paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys). When Mexican vaqueros visited Hawai’i to teach the paniolos how to manage the island's wild cattle, they also taught them to play the guitar. Without traditional knowledge of guitar tuning, nā paniolo loosened the strings to an “open G tuning” and this unique style was born. In this workshop, Gary & Kurin Haleamau will teach the Hawaiian “open G” tuning, similar to bluegrass DGDGBD. Using a Hawaiian song as a foundation, students will also learn finger picking and chord progression, which incorporates playing the top three strings for a bass rhythm.

Artists & Special Guests

Gary & Kurin Haleamau

Saturday February 1, 2025 10:00am - 12:00pm PST
Elko High School Performing Arts Building - Room 150

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

10:00am PST

Two-Step & Jitterbug

Saturday February 1, 2025 10:00am - 12:00pm PST

Flag View Intermediate School

SOLD OUT

If you can count to six, you’re ready to master two dance rhythms for the price of one. Glide around the room to the boom-shik-ka of your favorite two-step. This western classic will have you snuggling close to your sweetie. Then, jitterbug your heart out to the jumpier six-count beats. Whether you call it jive, lindy, or swing, this versatile dance lets you romp to western swing and rockabilly, hot jazz and sultry blues. You provide the feet and Amy Mills will show you the moves while Wylie & the Wild West show you the beat. Get two-stepping and swinging in time for Saturday’s dance. All levels welcome. No partner necessary.

Artists & Special Guests

Amy Mills

Wylie & the Wild West

Saturday February 1, 2025 10:00am - 12:00pm PST
Flag View Intermediate School 777 Country Club Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Ranch Family Show

Saturday February 1, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

Horses may be glamorous and flashy, galloping long distances and smoothly jumping barriers to get us where we’re going. But mules, with their fortitude and bullheadedness, take us all the places we’d never get without provisions and patience. Some say horses are smoother, while mules are smarter. Some say horses are more ready, while mules are more steady. We say, sometimes you need a bit of both. Juni Fisher, Brenn Hill, Andy Nelson, Kye Rieff, and Sandy Seaton Sallee bring you an entertaining, equine-heavy afternoon of music and verse in tribute to mules and horses, and the places they carry us.

Sponsored by John G. Searle Family Trust

Artists & Special Guests

Juni Fisher

Brenn Hill

Andy Nelson

Andy Nelson is an energetic and high-spirited cowboy poet and humorist from Pinedale, Wyoming. As a second-generation farrier raised in Idaho, he traveled the Great Basin with his father on farrier jobs. Now, he and his brother Jim co-host the Clear Out West (C.O.W.) Radio Show weekly... Read More →

Kye Rieff

Kye Rieff’s poetry comes from years spent on the ranch and in the arena, and provides an authentic look into the joy, humor, heartbreak, and hardship of the cowboy life. Kye has ridden saddle broncs, been a professional bullfighter, trained racehorses, started colts, and dayworked... Read More →

Sandy Seaton Sallee

Sandy Seaton Sallee grew up at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone Park where she drove four-up stagecoaches. She was born into a Montana ranching family and worked ranches in New Mexico after college. Sandy and her husband Scott live in a log cabin above the Yellowstone River in Paradise... Read More →

Saturday February 1, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

1:00pm PST

Line Dance (Beginner)

Saturday February 1, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm PST

Flag View Intermediate School

Do you feel like you have two left feet? You don’t need elegance, just a willing spirit for this beginner line dancing workshop. Jeff Cunningham will have you kickin’ and stompin’ to the music with simple steps. You will build on these steps to create choreographed movements for different line dances. Jeff is adept at teaching students with little to no experience. He will have you ready to jump in and move with the group at the rodeo, country bar, or any of the many occasions that embrace line dancing. This is an opportunity to learn to dance and get your heart pumping, with or without a partner.

Artists & Special Guests

Jeff Cunningham

Jeff Cunningham was born in Ely, Nevada. After a successful 54-year career as a carpenter, he transitioned to teaching line dance in 2017. Upon his return to Elko County, Jeff has become an active and valued volunteer at the Western Folklife Center. His classes encompass a diverse... Read More →

Saturday February 1, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm PST
Flag View Intermediate School 777 Country Club Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

2:45pm PST

Cowboy Songs

Saturday February 1, 2025 2:45pm - 4:00pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

SOLD OUT

Join Michael Martin Murphey and a bevy of special guests for this live re-recording of Murph’s quintessential album, Cowboy Songs. First released in 1990, Cowboy Songs (Vol. 1) was a 21-track round up of new hits like “Cowboy Logic” and good ol’ classics like “Goodbye Old Paint.” The first cowboy music album to go gold since Marty Robbins, its success spurred the creation of the Warner Western imprint on the Warner Bros label. Love for cowboy music may ebb and flow among mainstream audiences, but Murph—and his Elko audiences—are steadfast admirers, making the Gathering the ideal place to recapture the album. Warm up your clappers and tune up your yappers—you might just hear yourself on the live recording.

Sponsored by Carole Anderson

Artists & Special Guests

Michael Martin Murphey

For more than 40 years, Michael Martin Murphey has left an indelible mark on the American music landscape by topping the pop, country, bluegrass, and western charts with hits like “Wildfire,” “Carolina in the Pines,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “Boy From the Country... Read More →

Saturday February 1, 2025 2:45pm - 4:00pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

3:00pm PST

Line Dance (Advanced)

Saturday February 1, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm PST

Flag View Intermediate School

Step up your line dancing skills and learn some moves you can take home to your local honky-tonk. Sherry Hooper will guide you through more intricate turns and steps, starting with step-by-step instructions, before kicking it up a notch by adding fast-paced music. Sherry’s classes are always lively, fun, and full of line dance favorites like “Kick the Dust Up,” “Aww Naw,” “Flatliner,” “If You’re Going Through Hell,” “Any Man of Mine,” and more. Best suited for students who have some previous dance experience, either line dance or other.Boots not required.

Artists & Special Guests

Sherry Hooper

Sherry Hooper grew up in Colorado in a family that loved music and dancing. A resident of Elko for over 10 years, Sherry is an active and enthusiastic volunteer at the Western Folklife Center. Her western line dance classes are a popular offering at the bimonthly Let’s Dance! program... Read More →

Saturday February 1, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm PST
Flag View Intermediate School 777 Country Club Dr, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Workshop, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

6:00pm PST

Bellyaches & Heartbreaks-A Humor Show?

Saturday February 1, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

Making a living in agriculture isn’t for the faint of heart. Nor is it for the humorless. Some days the ups and downs happen with the intensity of a bucking bronc buzzed by a bee. To keep cool while the ranch tests your good nature, it helps to find a little humor in the crises. So, cinch up your sunny disposition and join lovelorn troubadour Doug Figgs, witty wordsmith Yvonne Hollenbeck, self-effacing sonneteer Jarle Kvale, playful poet Jake Riley, and genuine jokester R.P. Smith for an evening that will have both your heart and your sides aching with hysterics.

Sponsored by Blach Distributing Co

Artists & Special Guests

Doug Figgs

Doug Figgs is an AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier, horseman, and western music singer-songwriter from New Mexico. For more than three decades, Doug has lived close to his greatest love—horses! He has shod tens of thousands of steeds, started around a hundred colts, raised cow ponies... Read More →

Yvonne Hollenbeck

Jarle Kvale

Jarle Kvale turns his experiences with horses, rodeo, and North Dakota rural living into humorous verse. He's been writing cowboy poetry for over 25 years, sharing his stories with friends and family members over trail ride campfires, at various community events, and at cowboy poetry... Read More →

Jake Riley

R.P. Smith

R.P. Smith is the fourth generation of his family to have the privilege to care for a small part of God's creation in central Nebraska. His poetry and stories are drawn from his own experiences and, on occasion, brought to focus through the lens of past and future generations. Thirty-plus... Read More →

Saturday February 1, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

6:00pm PST

I Held You as a Pup

Saturday February 1, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Love has lasted a lifetime for these pairs. From the first moment they met, they were bound together. By blood or by love, there’s a special connection that forms between generations. One minute, one begins as a mentor holding a baby. The next, that baby is holding them steady. The roles switch back and forth as they bring each other guidance, mentorship, fresh eyes, and new perspectives. Adrian Brannan & Dick Gibford, Dave & Tris Munsick, and Jessie & Gene Veeder honor their lifetimes of shared craft, shared advice, shared admiration, and that greatest gift, shared time together. Join these bonded pairs for an evening of music, poetry, and rapport that’ll hold you close and help you grow.

Sponsored by Red's Ranch

Artists & Special Guests

Adrian Brannan

Dick Gibford

Dave & Tris Munsick

Jessie Veeder

Saturday February 1, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

8:00pm PST

Be The Poem, Be The Song

Saturday February 1, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST

Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Close out the 40th by gathering in the spirit of the Gathering’s essence, by gathering for the good and the true. Here, the creative possibilities are endless. The inspiration of everyday people is epic. The poetic expressions become a medium through which we envision, and enact, new possibilities for the communities that feed us and the communities that are fed. Join musicians Margo Cilker, Sterling Drake, Lara Manzanares, and Ed Peekeekoot, along with all the “old ghosts and young cowpunchers” that haunt these halls, to soak up the artistic life and to conjure the next 40 years.

Sponsored by Alex Benna & Chrissy Menicucci Benna

Artists & Special Guests

Margo Cilker

Sterling Drake

Lara Manzanares

Lara Manzanares is a bilingual singer-songwriter from Northern New Mexico. She grew up singing the traditional New Mexican boleros, rancheras, and corridos of her sheep-ranching childhood, and composes her own style of music in both English and Spanish. Through a combination of storytelling... Read More →

Ed Peekeekoot

Saturday February 1, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST
Western Folklife Center - G Three Bar Theater

Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

8:00pm PST

Cow Trails & Cowboy Tales

Saturday February 1, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Auditorium

Isolated in the vast backcountry for large periods of time, entertainment for cowboys consisted (and still consists) of spinning yarns, crafting poetry, and passing the time in song. These compadres recreate the creative recreation and cultural production of the cattle trail. Dom Flemons provides sustenance around the campfire with his songster lore. Ross Knox drives tradition with his poetic stylings. Matt Robertson wrangles the musical wilds with his bronc scholarship. Trinity Seely keeps the crew in high spirits with her whistling ways. And, Gail Steiger refuses to let a verse straggle behind. They’ll transport you to the space where the oral tradition we know as cowboy poetry began, in the cow camp and along the cow trail.

Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy-Nevada

Artists & Special Guests

Dom Flemons

Ross Knox

Matt Robertson

Raised in Wyoming, Matt Robertson grew up on the back of a horse, starting colts as a young teen and riding broncs through his youth. He has been writing and playing music since the age of 16 and credits Ian Tyson and Chris LeDoux for his inspiration. In his earlier years, Matt made... Read More →

Trinity Seely

Gail Steiger

Saturday February 1, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Auditorium 700 Moren Way, Elko, NV 89801, USA

Poetry & Music, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed

10:00pm PST

Saturday Night Dance

Saturday February 1, 2025 10:00pm - 11:59pm PST

Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

Get in one last dose of dancing before the 40th comes to a close. Dancers and wallflowers alike can’t resist the supremely danceable sounds of Wylie & the Wild West. So, get on the floor and give it your best spin, shake, and shuffle. If you’re better at busting broncs than busting moves, don’t worry, Wylie’s got enough moves of his own to keep you entertained. This is the place to fling off your troubles, recharge your soul, and store up that Gathering spirit to carry you through the rest of the year. Come one, come all, and close out the 40th with this cowboy ball.

Sponsored by NV Energy Foundation

Artists & Special Guests

Wylie & the Wild West

Saturday February 1, 2025 10:00pm - 11:59pm PST
Elko Convention Center - Turquoise Room

Dance, Ticketed

Ticket Type Ticketed