DODGE CITY, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dodge City, Kansas is booting up for its 54th annual Dodge City Days, a 10-day tribute to the city’s Wild West heritage, July 25 through August 3. This year, the celebration will include a record setting recreation of the historic longhorn cattle drives of the 1800’s. Boot Hill Casino will present Wild West Heritage Foundation’s Longhorn Cattle Drive on the famous Wyatt Earp Boulevard on Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 9 AM and will celebrate the opening of The Wild West Heritage Foundation’s Live Buffalo and Longhorn Exhibit.
In addition to its record setting pursuit, the drive celebrates the 59th anniversary of the first episode of the Western drama Gunsmoke, which was set in Dodge City and debuted in 1955. Thus, 59 longhorn cows and bulls will be on hand for the drive.
Joining as celebrity Marshals will be Buck Taylor, star of CBS’s Gunsmoke; Johnny Crawford, star of The Rifleman; star and co-creator, John Lehr, and co-creator Nancy Hower of the Hulu Original Quick Draw, among others.
Dodge City Days will include the grand opening of the Dodge City Buffalo and Longhorn Exhibit which will be open year-round and provide home to the most unique buffalo to graze the Kansas prairie. In addition, The Wild West Walk of Fame will be unveiled at 10 AM on August 3. It will highlight and honor celebrities and local icons that work to preserve Dodge City’s western heritage. The 2014 inductee list will include featured guests like Buck Taylor, and Marshal Allen Baily, Dodge City Honorary Marshal.
Other Dodge City Days events include concerts, western art exhibits, the PRCA Roundup Rodeo, and more, designed to encourage people to “Get the Heck into Dodge.” For all events, visit http://www.dodgecitydays.com.
About Wild West Heritage Foundation
The Wild West Heritage Foundation is a local organization that was founded in January 2014. The foundation is committed to the preservation of the Wild West history and heritage in and around Dodge City as it relates to livestock. For more information about The Wild West Heritage Foundation, visit www.wildwesthertitagefoundation.org.
