COWBOY FESTIVAL GETS SET FOR FUN MUSIC, POETRY, FOOD ALL PART OF TRADITIONAL GET-TOGETHER.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Time to dust off the Stetson and get out the fancy shirts, because the cowboys are coming back to town.

The Santa Clarita Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival kicks off March 24 and keeps boots shuffling through March 28. While the center-point of the event is the Wild West atmosphere of Melody Motion Picture Ranch in Placerita Canyon, many events will be held elsewhere throughout the community.

Due to filming of the new HBO series ``Deadwood,'' the configuration at Melody Ranch will be a little bit different than in earlier festivals. All musical performances on the ranch will be included in the general admission in a 1,000-seat outdoor performance area and three smaller venues.

Artists performing around the stages at Melody Ranch include Joni Harms, David Wilkie and Cowboy Celtic, The Burson Family, Katy Moffat, Ken and Phee Graydon, Larry Maurice, Wylie and the Wild West, Dave Stamey, Prairie Flower and Cactus Bob, New West, David John and the Comstock Cowboys, Sourdough Slim and the Saddle Pals and poets Doris Daley and Paul Zarsyski.

The festival also provides a backdrop for the Walk of Western Stars, which recognizes several Western movie stars every year for their contributions to the film heritage of the area.

At 3 p.m. March 26, four bronze saddles will be dedicated on San Fernando Road in downtown Newhall, unveiled by the stars themselves: actors Keith Carradine and Melissa Gilbert, stuntman Loren Janes and singer Buck Page of Riders of the Purple Sage. That evening, a gala tribute dinner will be held at the Hyatt Valencia, featuring a performance by Riders of the Purple Sage and presentations from the honorees' fellow entertainers.

Off-site events include the Cowboy Couture fashion show March 24 at the Canyon Theatre Guild; movie location tours conducted by author/historian Dave Holland March 25 and 26.

Events on March 26 include a spaghetti Western family dinner train at the Fillmore and Western Railway in Fillmore; a one-man show about Wyatt Earp performed by a member of the Earp family at the William S. Hart mansion; ``Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' at the Canyon Theatre Guild and a cowboy casino set up at the American Legion Hall in Newhall.

Events at the William S. Hart museum include a March 27 presentation by Jeff Morey on ``The Real Gunfight at the OK Corral'' and a March 27 concert by Belinda Gail and Curly Musgrave.

Performances at the Hart Auditorium include R.W. Hampton with the Burson Family, Paul Zarsyski and Joni Harms on March 27 and Don Edwards, Doris Daley and Davie Wilkie and Cowboy Celtic on March 28.

The American Legion will host a swing dance March 27 featuring live music by The Lucky Stars. The Master's College will host Cowboy Church at 8 a.m. March 28. A trail ride benefiting Carousel Ranch will also take place the morning of March 28.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

General admission: $15 per person, whick includes Melody Ranch performances, a Western gear and art show, rope tricks, horseback riders and a blacksmithing demonstration. Cowboy grub, from trail-strong coffee to homemade peach cobbler and everything in between will be available for purchase in the chuck wagon area.

Parking: 13th and Arch Streets. Free shuttles will transport visitors to Melody Ranch.

Tickets or more information: Call [phone]. The festival schedule is also available at www.santa-clarita.com.

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IF YOU GO (see text)