EVANSTON — The time-honored Cowboy Days traditions will be returning to Evanston over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 through Sept. 3. This year’s 82nd Cowboy Days will feature perennial favorites as well as some new events to offer a little something for everyone and fun for the whole family. 

As in previous years, Cowboy Days’ royalty will be visiting local schools during the day on Friday, Aug. 31. 

The weekend fun officially begins at 4 p.m. on Friday, when the fairgrounds will open with entertainment and vendors. Dustin Matthews with the Cowboy Days’ board said they’re very excited at the number of vendors this year.

“Everybody keeps saying they want it like it used to be when all the vendors were coming, but this year we have over 50 signed up already,” Matthews said on Wednesday, Aug. 22.

A chili cook-off will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, followed by a free concert featuring the Wayne Hoskins Band at 7:30. Matthews said there will also be kids’ games and activities throughout the evening and the entire weekend. 

Matthews said he is very excited about a new event this year, the special needs rodeo that will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday. He said multiple community organizations, such as Special Olympics and Mountain Regional Services, Inc., among others, have been invited to bring special needs clients to the fairgrounds Saturday morning to participate in activities like horse, pony and wagon rides. Matthews said there will be several stations to allow people not only to learn about rodeo events but participate in activities with the help of assistive devices for those with disabilities. 

The special needs rodeo will be free for all participants and their family members. Matthews said, “When we started tossing around the idea, we had one sponsor — Sawyer Disaster Cleanup in Lyman — step up and make it free.” The event will include free lunch and prizes for participants as well.

Saturday afternoon will feature the ever-popular fish catch at 1 p.m. at the fairgrounds, and the PRCA rodeo will begin at 6 p.m. There will be a dance on the blacktop following the rodeo, and Matthews said the plan is for the City of Evanston fireworks display that was postponed from July 4th to take place on Saturday night. Uinta County Fire Warden Eric Quinney confirmed that the fireworks show should begin around 9:30 p.m. While a special permit will be issued for the city’s fireworks display, Quinney said personal fireworks are still banned throughout the county.

Sunday morning starts with a golf tournament at 8 a.m., Cowboy Church at 11 a.m. and the veterans’ ceremony at noon. The Sunday rodeo will also begin at 6 p.m. 

Monday morning will include the annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by the downtown parade at 10 a.m. Matthews said there were about 100 parade entries to that point. The Power Wheels demolition derby will follow the parade at noon at the fairgrounds, followed by the afternoon rodeo at 2 p.m. 

Matthews said, “The big thing on Monday is that for the first time any of us can remember, the Wells Fargo stagecoach and horses will be here for the parade.” He said the local Wells Fargo branch was instrumental in getting the stagecoach to Evanston. 

Matthews said there are still Mutton Bustin’ spots available for kids, and a generous sponsor had provided some nice belt buckles for the top boy and girl each day. He said there were also some bull riding spots open for kids ages 9-13. The junior group of ages 9-11 will compete on Saturday, the senior group of ages 12-13 on Sunday, and the top three from each day will then compete on Monday. 

Additional information, event registration and tickets are available online at www.evanstoncowboydays.com.