"Saddle Up, Let's Ride" Parade Kicks Off Chisholm Trail 150

"Saddle Up, Let's Ride" Parade Kicks Off Chisholm Trail 150

The "Saddle Up, Let's Ride" Parade is the kick-off event for the Trails, Rails and Tales celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail.

 

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, featuring historic buggies, stagecoaches, mounted shooters, a Native American Spirit Dancer and much more.

The best place to view the parade will be along Cedar Street. At the intersection of NW 2^nd and Cedar, bleachers will be set up on the east side of the intersection for a viewing area where demonstrations and musical performances will take place.

The historic parade lineup includes the Ft. Riley Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard, Abilene Municipal Band, a Native American dance demonstration, Kansas Cowboy Mounted Shooters, McPherson Silver Buckle Drill Team and an appearance from "Joseph McCoy," originator of the Abilene Cattle Trail. For the parade finale, cowboys will drive a herd of about 30 longhorn cattle along the parade route and into Old Abilene Town.

The parade route begins at the fairgrounds, taking NW 7^th Street east to Cedar Street. It continues south along Cedar Street to SW 6^th and across to Old Abilene Town. After the parade, festivities will continue at Old Abilene Town with reenactors, cowboy poets and story tellers, Western musicians and fireworks.

Parking will be prohibited along the parade route from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

 For more information, or if you are interested in joining this historic parade, call 785-263-2231 or email events@abilenecityhall.com.