WILD WEST LIVES ON AT WESTERN HERITAGE DAYS JUNE 6-7

June 1, 2009 (El Cajon)—The Wild West comes alive at the 7th annual Olaf Wieghorst Museum Western Heritage Days in El Cajon. Free to the public, the event highlights our nation’s heritage West of the Mississippi from the 1700s through the early 1900s. From reenactments of the Old West to a Saturday night street dance under a full moon, this event is one of East County’s most colorful festivals. Watch for gunslingers, shoot-outs, saloon girls, mountain men, Buffalo Soldiers and Native American dancers—as well as a blacksmith shop, stagecoach and much more.

The event takes place on Rea Street, one half block north of Magnolia and Main Street in downtown El Cajon. On Saturday, June 6th from 10 a.m. to 6 : 30 p.m. and from Sunday, June 7th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s program features three stages. On the Cantina Stage and Canyon Stage, listen to authentic western music. The Sage Stage in the cactus garden will feature cowboy poets, story tellers, authentic re-enactors and other historical presentations.

A Children’s Pavilion offers opportunities for youngsters to create crafts, play old-fashioned games and learn hands-on skills needed by frontier families. Clowns, face-painting, a petting zoo and pony rides are among additional highlights for kids.

The entire family can savor down-home cooking including home-made chile and roasted barbecue beef, while adults can enjoy cold beer at Olaf’s Cantina. Shoppers can choose from a wide variety of western collectibles, arts and crafts, sculptures, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and custom hats. Model-T Ford antique cars and historical steam engines will also be on display.

The event is sponsored by the Olaf Wieghorst Museum Foundation. The museum honors famed El Cajon resident Olaf Wieghorst, whose paintings commemorated the cowboys, Native American Indians and settlers who helped shape the American West.

For more information, visit http://www.wieghorstmuseum.org/events.