RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—March 1, 2021— Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino will conduct the 2021 All American CowboyFest September 30th -October 3rd. The All American CowboyFest is a four-day festival celebrating country and western music, cowboy culture and features a live rodeo performance on the racetrack.

The family-oriented CowboyFest replaces the 30-year-old Fall event formerly known as the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium. This year, the All American CowboyFest will take place on the same weekend as AspenFest, the iconic Ruidoso Fall festival.

“We want the history and culture of the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium to endure while we create new event elements and plans to celebrate the American Cowboy,” said Johnny Trotter, co-owner of Ruidoso Downs and President of the All American Ruidoso Downs Foundation, which owns the event. “We will continue to host the World Championship Chuckwagon Cook-off and offer western swing music. This year we’re adding a rough stock rodeo and offering new country music acts. In addition, we are having it the same weekend as AspenFest to give visitors to Ruidoso a wide variety of activities to choose from. We think it will be a great weekend in our mountain village.”

Music will continue to be the main component of the festival as Red Dirt pioneer Kevin Fowler kicks-off the event on Thursday night, and Texas country music star Aaron Watson is scheduled to take the stage on Friday night. Cowboy Symposium stalwart Dave Alexander will perform the traditional western swing music and host an evening of dancing on Saturday night. Live music will be performed on stages around the property throughout the festival schedule.

For the first time in Ruidoso Downs' modern history, a rodeo will be held on the racetrack surface Saturday afternoon from 2-4 pm. The rough stock-only rodeo will feature ranch bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, and bull riding. $7,500 in added money will augment contestants' entry fees. Twelve cowboys will compete in each event with the top four contestants returning to the championship round to close out the performance.

“We’re partnering with Circle P Productions to put on a rough stock, pro rodeo. We’ve had rodeos and ropings on the property before, but a rodeo on the racetrack is new and unique,” said Jeff True, President and General Manager of Ruidoso Downs.

Another new element added to the CowboyFest includes the Miss Rodeo New Mexico pageant bringing together female competitors vying for college scholarships and a chance to represent New Mexico in the national Miss Rodeo USA competition in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The All American CowboyFest will continue to host the nation’s best, authentic chuckwagon cooking competition, mounted shooting demonstrations, horse training seminars, more than 100 western-style vendors, a children's barnyard petting zoo, a live pro rodeo, and three days of country music and western swing. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale the first week of June.

The Billy the Kid Casino will be open the entire weekend with slot machines (for 21 and older) and simulcast betting on horse racing. Billy's Sports Bar is a sit-down restaurant with local fare and a view of live racing simulcast from around the country.

The All American CowboyFest is owned by the All American Ruidoso Downs Foundation (a 501c corporation) which owns and manages the Ruidoso Race Horse Hall of Fame located on the 2nd floor of the famed track facility and is open to the public each live racing day.

Learn more about the weekend’s activities at AllAmericanCowboyFest.com.