Round Up Newsletter: ”Yee Haw!” Western Weekend is Almost Here…

Western Weekend is this coming weekend. The Barn Dance, sponsored by West Marin Commons, will take place on Saturday evening at the Dance Palace Community Center, when they’ll coronate both the Grand Marshal and Junior Grand Marshal. Congratulations to this year’s Grand Marshal, Dewey Livingston, and Junior Grand Marshal Eva Taylor! Eva is also the Diary Princess and District 2 Dairy Ambassador of the California Milk Advisory Board. What’s more, The Haggards will perform at the Western Saloon at 8 PM on Saturday.

On Sunday at the strike of noon (when the rooster cries and the cow moos), the Western Weekend parade will get rolling on Main Street in Point Reyes Station. KWMR will broadcast live from the Grandstand, so you can tune in on FM or at kwmr.org to hear the parade live from anywhere. If you are otherwise indisposed, KWMR will be posting the archive on the KWMR Youtube page once it is edited.

Here are some hot tips for getting the most out of our Western Weekend experience:

1) Plan to carpool or ride your bike, and if you are close enough walk into town. There are designated parking lots and traffic control will be in effect. Arrive early to get a good spot.

2) The weather forecast is looking like a sunny day. Bring a hat and put on some sunscreen, and bring a refillable water bottle so you can stay hydrated – thank you North Marin Water. 

3) There will be some delicious food sold on site that will support worthy causes, including the Rotary Chili Booth, The Farm Bureau world famous bbq chicken, and Tomales High School serving up burgers, both veggie and meat, to raise funds for the Senior Class of 2027. And Omar and his stellar crew will be there with the Point Reyes Mexican Grill truck if you are hankering for something a bit spicier. You can support Papermill Creek Children’s Corner preschool by grabbing some oysters. Straus Family Creamery has a new mobile soft serve ice cream machine.  The 4-H Club will have some baked goods for sale as well. Do I feel a combo coming on? Yummy! Local restaurants will also be open and serving up delicious food, and the Palace Market, KWMR’s Signal Sponsor, has everything you need. 

4) Visit the Nonprofit Corral and learn more about these organizations: Agricultural Institute of Marin, Point Reyes National Seashore Association, Good Luck Fund, Fire Safe Marin/Ember Stomp, Drake Navigator’s Guild, Zero Waste Marin, Gallery Route One, Evirolutions, Sonoma Marin Mosquito Vector Control, and the Jack Mason Museum/Dewey Livingston Books.

There is a coordinated movement afoot to really get Western Weekend to be Zero Waste. Thanks to Zero Waste Marin, Cleaner California Coast and Race to Zero Waste for their efforts. 

There are so many fun things to do and see while you are in Point Reyes Station. A big thank you to Chris Giacomini and his family and crew at Toby’s Feed Barn for hosting the bulk of these activities. Be sure to pop into the Gallery Route One Artists in the Schools art show in Toby’s Gallery.

A huge thank you to the Lions Club for their key role in organizing and coordinating this event for all these years. The Premier Sponsors that also make this event possible are Brickmaide Breads, Heidrun Meadery, Marin Agricultural Land Trust, Point Reyes Good Luck Fund, and Straus Family Creamery. Wrangler Sponsor are West Marin Fund, City Sewer Pumping, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co, Inverness Garden Club of West Marin, Point Reyes Books/Wayfinder Bookshop, Agricultural Institute of Marin, and Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau. Buckaroo Sponsor is Environmental Action Committee of West Marin.

There are a few more partners who play a part in Western Weekend including Building Supply Hardware, Cabaline Country Emporium, West Marin Community Services, Marin Medical Reserve Corps, Point Reyes Disaster Council, Recology Sonoma Marin. Media sponsors are the Point Reyes Light and KWMR. Huge props also to the County of Marin, Marin County Parks, Marin County Fire and the Sheriff’s Office of Marin County.

Western Weekend is a family friendly and zero waste event! 

Whew, there is a lot going on this weekend. Pace yourself and we’ll see you at the parade on Sunday!

Amanda Eichstaedt
KWMR Station Manager,  Executive Director & Development 

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