It’s a bit surreal, being back on the finishing end of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. It’s been a wild ride these past couple of years, but it was great to be able to get together with friends old and new at the 38th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. I hope everyone who was able to attend had as good of a time as I did and had some moments that really made them smile. It’s wonderful to be a part of making an event dedicated to bringing people together from around the West to share their stories and their creativity.
Whether you went to one show or 30, shared your story from the stage or just with someone in the bar, took a workshop or not, I hope you had an experience that you’ll remember fondly in the future. If you’re feeling inspired, maybe try picking up a pen yourself and put down some of those memories in verse (and maybe even put it to a chord or two, if you’re feeling really ambitious!). We all should be rested up enough from all the fun to have that kind of energy, right?
To be serious for a moment, it is a lot of work putting the Gathering together each year, and that was even more true this year. It’s a massive effort by a big group of dedicated, smart, funny people and it wouldn’t happen without each and everyone one of them putting in more than their fair share of the work. It can be exhausting work at times, but seeing all your happy faces really makes it worth it. And, as I look through the photos that are starting to roll in from our talented photographers (see a sneak peek of some of those images below!), I’m reminded over and over of that Gathering feeling, the special moments and smiling faces.
And now it’s time to start working on the 39th! The first big step is to gather up information from all the cowboy poets and musicians out there who are interested in getting on stage and sharing their art with the audience. If you’re interested in doing just that, you can find more information at https://www.nationalcowboypoetrygathering.org/submit. Going through people’s submissions is one of our favorite parts of putting the Gathering together–it’s a chance to just sit and listen to a wide variety of poetry and music. Seeing what other people are doing with their creativity and passion helps to spark ours when trying to envision what the next Gathering is going to look like. So we encourage everyone to share what they’re working on, and to use it as a chance to look back at what they’ve worked on over the last year and what they’re excited to share with the world. We can’t wait to see what people bring to the stage next January, and hope to see you all there!
- Brad McMullen, Programs Manager and National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Manager
Some Photos That Captured That Gathering Feeling
