Every fall, the Fort Worth Stockyards celebrate cowboy culture and ranching life during the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival. It’s one of the biggest Fort Worth events of the year, where you’ll find yourself two-steppin’ across the dance tent and digging into biscuits straight from a chuckwagon! The weekend is a tribute to the music, food, and stories that make Fort Worth what it is.
How It All Started
Back in 1991, Red Steagall had a simple idea: bring people together to celebrate the cowboy way of life. What started as a small shindig quickly turned into something much bigger than anyone expected. Today, the festival draws thousands every year and still holds onto the same spirit it began with: good people, good music, and a love for Western heritage.
Event Highlights
The festival is packed with events that celebrate the cowboy way of life.
At the Ranch Rodeo, you’ll see real working cowboys and cowgirls showing off their skills while taking part in some friendly competition. Teams from various ranches compete in events like Team Sorting, where they have to cut specific cattle from a herd, and Team Doctoring, where teams rope, stretch, and “treat” a steer. There’s also Stray Gathering, Wild Cow Milking, and Saddle Bronc riding.
At the Chuck Wagon Cook-Off, teams prepare meat, beans, bread, and desserts over open flames using 1880s techniques. While a panel judges the food, visitors can tour the camps, interact with cooks, and learn about traditional frontier cooking methods…