The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is a week-long celebration of life in the rural West, featuring the contemporary and traditional arts that arise from lives lived caring for land and livestock.The 27th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering will take place January 24-29, 2011 in the small community of Elko, Nevada, which will overflow with thousands of cowboys and cowgirls, poets and musicians, artisans and scholars, rural people and city folks. 

See the full daily schedule for the 26th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering,
held January 23-30, 2010:
January 23-26   January 27   January 28    January 29   January 30

Produced by the Western Folklife Center, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering was started in 1985 by a small group of folklorists and poets, and has become an annual ritual for thousands of people who value and practice the artistic traditions of the region, and are concerned about the present and future of the West. Hundreds of cowboy poetry gatherings have since taken hold across the West and the nation over the last 25 years, as the Elko Gathering has reinvigorated a tradition that never ceased to be a part of the lives of cowboys, ranchers and rural westerners. In 2000, the U.S. Senate recognized the cultural value of this tradition and the event responsible for its renaissance when it passed a resolution naming the Elko Gathering the “National” Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

Ranching Roots in the Deep South

For the 26th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering the Western Folklife Center was pleased to present Seminole and “Cracker” cowboys from Florida and swamp cowboys from Louisiana. Cattle ranching is one of Florida's oldest and most important cultural and occupational activities, beginning when Spanish explorers introduced horses and cattle to the region in the 16th century. Louisiana’s cattle business has flourished since the mid-18th century. In their part of the country they say “anyone can herd cows on dry land!” Our guests will include poets, storytellers, cooks, Creole zydeco musicians, craftspeople and Seminole Indian cowboys.

Louisiana’s swamp cowboys were represented at this year’s Gathering through zydeco, a lively music played for dancing. Creole cowboy Geno Delafose and his band, French Rockin’ Boogie, performed during the Gathering and at the Friday Night Dance, as seen above. When he’s not playing music, Delafose is operating his Double D Ranch outside of Eunice, deep in Southwest Louisiana’s bayou country, where he breeds cattle and raises American Quarter Horses.

View the 2010 Gathering preliminary brochure in pdf format.

The 26th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Poster

Jim Harrison designed the poster for the 26th Gathering. Jim is an award-winning graphic designer and artist from Gainesville, Florida. After 15 years as a designer and art director, Jim established MetaVisual in 2007, a design studio specializing in corporate identity, branding, visual systems and other design projects. He is also known for creating the Gainesville Fruit Company series of art prints of Gainesville landmarks, the U.S. Bureau of National Wonders, and the Vintage Football Archives—all featuring his trademark historical flavor and “faux vintage” aesthetic.

For more information about the history of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering and cowboy poetry as a traditional art form, click here. View a bit more about the Gathering by watching our promotional video;

• High-Speed connection (DSL or Cable Modem)
• Dial-Up

To watch cybercasts of some 2010 Gathering performances, click the Gathering Cybercast button above, on the right.

To apply to perform at a National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, click here. The Western Folklife Center is always interested in learning about new artists and keeping in touch with friends, and all submissions from cowboy poets and musicians will be considered for a National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.