Live music, bison, children’s fun and other activities to take place at Chisholm Trail Heritage Center’s 9th annual free National Day of the Cowboy celebration

DUNCAN, Okla. – Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan has a full day of indoor activities planned for this year’s free National Day of the Cowboy celebration, Saturday, July 27. Among those, a nationally-touring exhibit, “Bison: Ancient. Massive. Wild,” live music, children’s art projects and fun surprises, plus special guests to meet.

NDOC is an all-day event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. designed so that no matter what time guests choose to attend – morning, mid-day or afternoon, they will be able to enjoy everything planned. The entire day of activities is designed for families and individual fun – no matter your age.

Special guests include Oklahoma author, Kristi Eaton of Tulsa, who wrote “The Main Streets of Oklahoma: Okie Stories from Every County” published in 2014; Pauline Asbury owner of Habasketry, out of Oklahoma City, who will be demonstrating basket weaving; bison ranchers James and Sandy Stepp from Wichita Buffalo Co. at Sandy Springs Farm in Hinton, will feature their products, share stories about bison herd management and have a surprise for the children. Also, “A Texas State of Mind” original paintings and souvenir prints by Nocona, Texas artist, Larry G. Lemons will be on exhibit. Children’s games and an art project will be available, made possible with funding from the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Live music, which has been a popular part of the day’s fun will again feature Allen Wooten and the Cowboys at Heart band, Gaylon Blankenship and Dedra Frye, all from the Comanche Opry. Plenty of chairs are staged so that guests can sit and enjoy the music or dance if they choose.

“I am a cowboy at heart and from this area. The Heritage Center is history of this area,” Wooten said. His band formed about six years ago and the Heritage Center is one of their favorite venues to perform.

This year, visitors to CTHC’s National Day of the Cowboy celebration will have one final chance to see the “Bison: Ancient. Massive. Wild.” exhibit before it is packed up and shipped out. It is the largest exhibit the Heritage Center has hosted and is a visual, educational and historical display filling the entire multi-purpose room.

As in the past, visitors can experience the 4D theater, Campfire Theater, the Garis Gallery of the West and all exhibits and activities on this day of free admission.
In 2016, the Heritage Center was awarded the “Cowboy Keeper Award” by the National Day of the Cowboy non-profit organization. The award is given to those who make substantial contributions to the preservation of pioneer heritage and cowboy culture, while also inspiring others to do the same. Since 2010, the Heritage Center has been celebrating National Day of the Cowboy with a free admission day. In 2013, Oklahoma state legislators approved a resolution to officially recognize NDOC.