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Wild West Day to offer full day of family fun

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The Albany Chamber of Commerce sponsored Wild West Day is expected to start with a bang at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 27, according to Chamber director Lisa Barton.

“Folks need to try and be there right at the start,” said Barton. “The bank robbery will only happen once!”

Wild West Day will begin at 12:00 noon and continue all day until 10:30 p.m.

Main Street will be shut down to regular traffic from 11:45 until 1:15 p.m. so that the downtown area can return to the days of the Wild West, full of cowboys, wild women, and outlaws, set to the background music of Louann George playing the Fandangle calliope.

An attempt to rob the bank is planned for 12:30 p.m., and everyone is invited to come and witness the expected shootout. But the fun won’t end when the gun smoke clears, as many other activities are planned throughout the day.

Bank Park Area

Kids activities get underway at 1:00 p.m. at the Bank Park with stick horse races, a petting zoo, a horse carousel, and wagon rides, and a children’s roping pen will open at 2:00 p.m. 

Other action in the Bank Park area will include blacksmith demonstrations by Mike Whitmore and vendors offering homemade and/or Texas themed goods.

Domino games will be played in Vintage Vanilla from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Train rides and wagon rides will load up at the Depot starting at 1:30 p.m.

Pie Baking Contest

Pie bakers can enter up to four pies, one in each of four categories – cream, fruit, nut, and chess. Gift certificates will be given to each of the class winners, and a gift basket of items furnished by Kindred at Home will be awarded to the overall champion.

“It is free to enter, and we are hoping that a lot of good bakers will enter the Pie Contest,” said Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones.

To submit a pie, take it to the old T.E. Jackson Warehouse, now home to the Blue Duck Winery, anytime between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. The pies will be judged by the Kindred at Home domino ladies, and the winners will later be announced in front of everyone in the downtown area at 5:30 p.m. 

“For a $3 donation, people can come to the winery from 3:00 until 5:30 p.m. and try a slice of pie,” Jones added. 

Singing Contest

A singing contest is open to all ages of non-professional and amateur singers, and the winners will receive cash and prizes. 

The entry fee is $10, and singers must provide their own music on a device that can plug into a sound system. 

To enter please call 325-428-7346 ahead of time.

The contest will take place from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

That’s Not All

Other activities will include a two-part melodrama at the Aztec and the Courthouse, food trucks just north of the Courthouse, ice cream at the Texaco station, a magician at the Aztec meeting room, fiddlers performing in the Whitney Theatre, and activities at the Old Jail Art Center.

Vendor Reservations

To reserve a vendor space for Wild West Day, call Barton at 325-762-3388. Vendor spaces are free to nonprofits and Chamber members, and are $25 for others.

For more information about Wild West Day, contact Jones at the Chamber office during business hours Tuesday through Friday by calling 325-762-2525.