Briscoe’s National Day of the Cowboy is Coming Sat, July 26th!

Briscoe’s National Day of the Cowboy CELEBRATES Cowboys, Vaqueros and Paniolos

Briscoe’s National Day of the Cowboy draws near with free fun for the whole family with an island twist!

Saddle up for a full day of family fun and cowboy culture at the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s National Day of the Cowboy celebration on Saturday, July 26, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This free community event brings the spirit and traditions of the American cowboy, Mexican vaquero and the Hawaiian paniolo to life with hands-on activities, artist demonstrations, music, food and more, all in the heart of downtown San Antonio at the Briscoe’s River Walk campus, 210 W. Market Street. The free community event includes free admission to the museum and its exhibitions, as well as indoor and outdoor activities. Pre-register in advance to enjoy the free Western fun.

In celebration of the Briscoe’s acclaimed exhibition, Aloha Vaqueros, which explores the deep connection between Mexican vaqueros and Hawaiian paniolos, the museum is offering free admission all day, giving visitors the chance to explore the entire museum and the special exhibition that ties cowboy traditions across cultures and oceans. From the open ranges of Texas to the lush ranchlands of Hawaii, Aloha Vaqueros highlights how a gift of cattle sparked a unique cowboy legacy still thriving today.

Families can wrangle up fun in the Lil Buckaroo Corral, featuring stick pony barrel racing, horseshoe tosses, lassoing, bull riding and cowboy crafts like spur and hat-making, and making your own brand. Creative stations include silversmith etching and lei making presented by Nā Mamo cultural group, performing live at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All arts and crafts are free, and supplies are provided.

The museum’s National Day of the Cowboy Celebration also includes:

• Free event and museum admission and activities for the whole family, including the museum’s 14 galleries and the McNutt Sculpture Garden.
• Lassos and fun with local rodeo cowboys and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and watch a trick roper dazzle and delight with roping demonstrations – and don’t be surprised if he lassos a cowpoke or two!

• A display of escaramuza attire – what the talented women who participate in charreadas wear as they perform – and a local rider answering questions about what it’s like to be an escaramuza.

Throughout the day, Western heritage comes alive with live demonstrations from acclaimed artists and craftspeople, including:

• Wilson Capron – silversmith and engraver
• Leland Hensley – traditional rawhide braider
• Jason Scull – Western sculptor

• Mike Capron – Western painter

Step back in time and enjoy chuck wagon cobbler samples, then hear cowboy poetry with Don Mathis at 12:30 p.m. and cowboy ballads with Jesse White at 3:00 p.m. Don’t miss Antoinette Lakey’s engaging story times about trailblazing figure Mary Fields at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Food trucks will serve up cowboy-approved eats for purchase all day, including Cake-N-Que and Hokulani Shave Ice, making this a day full of flavor and fun.

One of the Briscoe’s most treasured annual events, National Day of the Cowboy highlights and preserves America’s cowboy culture and pioneer heritage. The day began in 2005 to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the American cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero in the United States. The state of Texas declared it a day of honor in 2015, and the Briscoe annually hosts a free community day marking the occasion, throwing open the doors of the museum to honor the cowboy, vaquero and yes, paniolo, in us all.

Celebrate the cowboy way – Briscoe style! – and honor the history, heritage, and artistry of the American West. Admission to the event and the Briscoe are free all day. For more information and for free registration, visit briscoemuseum.org.

Celebrating Cowboys, Vaqueros and Paniolos All Year Long

From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.