charity Texas Holdem’ Tournament will be hosted by the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum at 7 p.m. Aug. 19. All entry fees are charitable donations and tax deductible.
The museum is asking for a $20 donation per hand. However, participants can donate more if they like. The tournament is being held to raise funds for events this year and next.
The new Arkansas City book comes out Aug. 25th. The museum will have a day-long book signing and party Aug. 30th. Books may be purchased at the museum for $19.95 plus tax. It will be autographed by the author – Heather Ferguson, the museum director.
She suggests a tour of the museum during the day-long signing. Admission prices are $4.50 for adults, $3.50 for seniors, $2 for children 6-12 while children under six are free.
The museum will host its annual Pioneer Festival and Western Heritage Days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 14th. Two living history re-enactment troops will portray western-era citizens.
One group is called Riders of the Cimarron and they will have gunfights in front of their false-fronted Main Street. The second group is called Aces and Six Guns and will portray daily activity on Main Street in front of their false fronted Main Street.
The museum will have several people conducting demonstrations during the day. Several blacksmiths, a rope maker, a soap maker, a woman washing clothes and a leather artist will be present. The Southern Plains Fiber Guild will demonstrate knitting, tatting and other fiber art.
Cowboy Church will be conducted at 11 a.m. by Donnie Huffman. At 1 p.m. James Jordan will give a first person account of buckskin Joe, everyone’s favorite Ark City character. At 2 p.m., Clarina Nichols will appear to discuss abolition, women’s suffrage and prohibition. At 3 p.m., Stephen A. Douglas will arrive to tell everyone about the Kansas-Nebraska Act and westward expansion.
Bill Sheldon will also give rides in his stagecoach and a boomer camp will be set up to show life for the boomers before the run. A Civil War camp, kids games, sack races, a mock land rush and a hay scramble are also planned. A mechanical bull will be available for people to ride.
Festival tickets will include a park burger meal and admission to the museum. Adults are $5 and children $3. For more information, call the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum.
