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Being the mother of boys, I am all two familiar with the wild, wild west… I practically live there. So imagine my surprise when a friend of mine told me he ran the Old West Festival here in Cincinnati.

The festival, just a few weeks away, replicates an entire old west town (how cool is that!!) and is hosted just 15 minutes outside of 1-275, east of Cincinnati.

Since I haven’t had a chance to attend yet, here’s a bit about the Old West Festival, courtesy of the organizers:

The old west and a good ole’ fashioned gun fight go hand-in-hand. So, back by popular demand, four times daily starting at High Noon, the Big Irons Rangers return with their gun fight re-enactments. When the smoke settles and calm returns to the historic town, the Rangers will demonstrate trick shooting. Oh, don’t forget to come dressed in your best western garb as there will be a costume contest daily at 1:00 sharp.

The town will also be abuzz with period music on several stages. You’ll enjoy the sounds of the 1800’s with Changing Tymes and Gunpowder Creek, as well as Raison d’Etre, a trio mixing traditional folk songs with acapella swing tunes and Shaker hymns. Bob Ford and the Ragamuffins will get patrons stomping their feet daily.

Professor Faris’ Magic show will amaze, bewilder and astonish you. While enjoying a beer, sarsaparilla or root beer at the Long Branch Saloon, folks will no doubt get a “kick” out of Madam Gigi’s Outrageous French Cancan Dancers. Patrons will can also sit back and enjoy a good old fashioned melodrama – The Villain’s Deception.

After whetting your whistle, venture out into the prairie, where you can find talented artisans and period settlers selling their wares. Or, head into town to the pool and dance hall, western clothing store, vintage photo emporium and old-fashioned candy store.

The Old West Festival’s a grand time for the youngin’s, too. At 10:15 a.m. each day, the kiddies can get sworn in as town deputies. They will also enjoy old-timey puppet shows, storytelling and sing-a-longs. The youngsters can also participate in games, pan for gold, take a ride on the train, ride horses or ponies and cross the frontier in a covered wagon.

The Old West Festival runs Saturdays and Sundays, September 11 to October 10, 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  Cost is $10 general admission; $6 for children ages 6 to 12; and children under 5 are free. Parking is FREE.  The Festival is located at 1449 Greenbush Cobb Rd between Mt. Orab and Williamsburg, Ohio just off St. Rt. 32.

To give you a better feel for the Old West Festival, check out this video I found on YouTube. It gives a great overview of the event. You’ll see that they reall go all out to make it feel like you are back in western days.

* * * * * GIVEAWAY TIME * * * * *

One lucky Mommy Bits reader will win four passes to the Old West Festival!

There are several ways to enter, you can do one or all of them for additional chances:

1. Check out the complete entertainment lineup HERE, and leave a comment sharing what Old West Festival activity you are most looking forward to.
2. Follow the Mommy Bits blog on Facebook’s Networked blogs (left side bar, click follow this blog) and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
3. Visit my other site, Family Friendly Cincinnati, and enter the Old West Festival giveaway posted there. Leave a comment here saying you did so.
4. Tweet  about this giveaway (include @mommybits) and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
5. Follow Old West Festival on Twitter: @OldWestFestival

Contest is open until  10pm Saturday, September 4th. Winner will be selected using a random number generator. Contest open to greater Cincinnati residents only. Winners will have 48 hours to respond.

DISCLAIMER: The organizer of the Old West Festival is a friend of mine. He gave me four tickets to giveaway on my blog ’cause he rocks!