Giddyup, gals and guys! National Day of the Cowboy gallups into summer’s schedule offering families a chance to explore history.
And we’ve got ideas.
Held annually since 2005 on the fourth Saturday of July, the National Day of the Cowboy is now observed in several states – including right here in Texas.
The holiday offers us a chance to reflect on the impact cowboys had on shaping the American West, both through myth and reality.
“The era of the cowboy began after the Civil War in the heart of Texas. Cattle were herded long before this time, but in Texas, they grew wild and unchecked. As the country expanded, the demand for beef in the northern territories and states increased. With nearly 5 million head of cattle, cowboys moved the herds on long drives to where the profits were.”
With 2020 being a pandemic year, it’s hard to know for sure what public options will be available in the Hill Country to celebrate the occasion.
But we feel like cowboys – and Western culture – are worth celebrating, so we came up with a family-friendly collection of ideas to get you started.
National Day of the Cowboy activities
We’re crossing our fingers that the popular annual Bandera shindig will take place, welcoming everyone to “The Cowboy Capital of the World.” (Psst . . . They’ve got dude ranches.)
Of course, not everyone can make the drive to Bandera – even during a non-pandemic year.
So, here are some other ways to celebrate the holiday with your family:
- View a classic Western.
- Discuss the landscape and how life “out West” has changed. With older kids, try talking about how movies romanticized the era and tackle “the cowboys and Indians myth”.
- Watch a rodeo online.
- Consider the physical demands placed on old-school and modern cowboys and cowgirls alike.
- Take in some Western art – in person or online.
- We’re partial to public places like Briscoe Western Art Museum and the Bullock Texas State History Museum (check their online calendars for special events) as well as artists like Rebecca Moran.
- Ask your family to think about the art, the subject matter, and key themes. What do you notice?
- Make your own cowboy-themed craft.
- This summer, our friends at the Briscoe have affordable kits for kids.
- Don’t forget to spend some time learning about cowgirls, vaqueros, and Black cowboys – especially the legendary modern rodeo clown Leon Coffee (a true son of the Texas Hill Country).
- Discuss what a broader, deeper understanding of the people of the West reveals about America.
Living the cowboy (and cowgirl) way
When European settlers expanded westward across the United States in the 1800s, lack of familiar laws and codes of ethics meant individuals had to come up with basic ways of behaving and interacting with others.
To survive, successful pioneers, cowboys, miners and others had to work hard, lean in with one another, be honest brokers, and play fair.
That doesn’t mean mistakes weren’t made – and there’s plenty to be said about how westward expansion impacted Native Americans.
Still, there are some human lessons from earlier days worth keeping in mind, even here in the 21st century.
For starters, as The National Day of the Cowboy Code of Conduct for Cowboys & Cowgirls© reminds us, it’s important to:
- Live each day with honesty and courage.
- Take pride in your work. Always do your best.
- Stay curious. Study hard and learn all you can.
- Do what has to be done and finish what you start.
- Be tough, but fair.
- When you make a promise, keep it.
- Be clean in thought, word, deed, and dress.
- Practice tolerance and understanding of others.
- Be willing to stand up for what’s right.
- Be an excellent steward of the land and its animals.
