Artists wanted, tickets on sale for Genoa cowboy poetry event

Staff Reports

Western, cowboy, and Indian artists are invited to apply for the Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival, April 29 to May 2. 

The juried art show includes a preview reception and two days of gallery showings of the artists' work for sale. Jurying fee is $20. After being accepted, the gallery fee is $125.

The Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival is sponsored by the Town of Genoa and the Carson Valley Arts Council, and features cowboy poets and musicians. Scheduled to appear are Waddie Mitchell, Don Edwards, Paul Zarzyski, Lacy J. Dalton, Dave Stamey, Larry Maurice, Richard Elloyan, David John and the Comstock Cowboys and McAvoy Lane. Master of ceremonies is KOLO-TV's John Tyson. 

Artists' application and information about vendor opportunities, at the Town of Genoa, 782-8696.

Tickets are available for pre-concert cowboy dinners, a pleasure trail ride and a tour of a working ranch including lunch.

One- and two-day passes allow entrance to 80 Western-related artist demonstrations and workshops including Chautauqua with McAvoy Layne as Mark Twain, Michael Curcio as Wyatt Earp, Don Thompson as Snowshoe Thompson, Dick Clark as Kit Carson, Chris Bayer as Major Ormsby and Lucky Bill, and Dianna Borges as Sarah Winnemucca. 

Day passes allow admission to storytelling, melodramas, discussions on writing cowboy poetry and on Nevada wild horses by Lacy J. Dalton of the Let 'em Run Foundation.

Demonstrations include Dutch oven cooking, leather tooling, saddlery, silversmithing, cowboy gear and blacksmithing. The Nature Conservancy's River Ranch will conduct a tour on the compatibility of ranching and habitat conservation.

Schedules are available and make ticket purchases at genoacowboyfestival.com or by calling 781-0150, 782-8207 or 782-8696.

Accommodation information at Carson Valley Inn, the official host hotel for the Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival.