Costumes & Accessories (17) / Party Supplies (27)

Cowboy Party

Table of contents

Introduction

Many of us think of cowboys as the gunslingers of old who used to fight each other as well as the Indians of those times. The truth, however, is that both cowboys and cowgirls didn't quite have the time to focus on fighting as they had to tend to their stock. They were however armed in order to protect their cattle against predatory animals as well as rustlers from all walks of life.

The term "cowboy" is a direct translation of the Spanish "vaquero". As such it can be deduced that the profession originated in Spain and was brought to America by the Conquistadors and other Spanish settlers, along with the horses (as there were no horses in America at the time) and the cattle. This all took place in the 16th century and would plant the seeds for a very significant part of American history.

Cowgirls, on the other hand, are unfortunately not very well documented through history. In fact, the term "cowgirl" only became a noted term during the 19th century. Though this didn't mean that women didn't help out. In many instances the wives and daughters of those men who went off to war had to run the ranches themselves as they didn't have enough money to hire a lot of farm hands. It was because of this that the United States granted women the right to vote in the year 1869.

So, that being said and done, we’re sure the actual reason you’re on this page is to party! And what better way to do it than in fine cowboy and cowgirl style? On this page you’ll find exactly what you need to organize an ace-high party hog-killin’ time (a real good time) for you and your friends.

Cowboy Party Invitations

Your party starts the moment you send out your invitations. It is therefore crucial to ensure that they are in good shape to impress the guests and encourage them to attend (if they need encouragement, that is). Below you’ll find a couple of ideas to do yourself or to buy in your local cowboy merchandise retailer as well as on the internet.

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Cowboy Design

The most popular and inexpensive cowboy party invitation is that one you make yourself. For this you’ll only need a computer with the appropriate software (image editing or card design) and of course a printer. For those who don’t have printers, pop down to your local printing firm and make use of their quality service.

 

First off you’ll want to get your hands on the appropriate fonts and the appropriate images. Both of these are available freely on the internet, but do make sure you have the needed permission to use them.

 

Once you have the font as well as the images, it’s time to start designing. Remember that cowboys (and cowgirls) were hard working folk that tended to their cattle and only used their guns to drive away predators and rustlers. Appropriate and accurate images would therefore include the cowboy with a throwing rope or one of those old classics where the cowboy rides into the sunset. Additionally, you could also use rodeo images as this was one of their favorite activities.

 

When you’ve done positioning the images, it’s time to use the font and enter the appropriate text. And just in case you don’t know any cowboy slang, here’s a sample invitation text:

 

  • Salutation: “Dear Mr. & Mrs. Jones”

  • Party Name: “You’re hereby invited to an ace-high hog-killin’ time at Jim & Jills’”

  • Date & Time: “Friday 28th of November at sunset”

  • Venue: “Jim’s place, down in Oak Avenue, no. 26”

  • Dress Code: Strictly cowboy or cowgirl.

  • Contact: Here you will include all the necessary contact information.

  • Additional Info: If you have any special instructions, place them last.

 

Here is a bit of cowboy vocabulary to help you make your invitation as authentic as possible:

 

Ace-high: Splendid, good.

A hog-killin’ time: A very good time

Bang-up: Excellent.

Bender: Party, drinking spree.

Best bib and tucker: Your finest clothes.

Boss: Someone who’s the best.

Fandango: A big party.

Fine as cream gravy: Very good, first class.

Oh-be-joyful: Alcohol (Liquor, wine and beer)

 

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Cowboy Hat

Sending out a cowboy hat as an invitation will be sure to get you noticed. As cowboy hats are plentiful both online and offline, you’ll have no problem finding some to suit your needs.

 

Now, as soon as you’ve acquired the hats, decide where you’d like to put the invitation. Some people prefer making a small, but elegant, card and attaching it to the inside of the hat’s bowl. Others prefer taking a strap of leather on which the invitation has been printed/burned and fastening it around the bowl of the hat. Either way, your guests will be impressed as you are giving them something they can use.

 

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Canvas Gold Bags

Well as you may know, not all cowboys were straight as arrows. In fact, some were down right dirty, what with robbin’ banks and trains.

 

As such, this party invitation will require a couple of cowboy/western canvas bags that were used to keep money and gold in. Again, these are available both online and in offline retailers of cowboy gear and memorabilia.

 

Got your canvas bags? Good. What you’ll want to do is have your invitation printed on their blank side (if the other side is already printed on). After that, simply go down to your bank and get a couple of dollars worth of pennies(for an authentic invitation) or get your hands on some chocolate gold coins(for a tasty invitation). Fill the bags with the coins and deliver them to your potential guests.

 

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Cowboy Party Dress Code

Luckily this won’t be too difficult to decide upon as cowboys had their own type of uniform. Here are the basic elements of a cowboy uniform that you’ll be able to purchase on the internet or in a cowboy merchandise retail store:

 

  • Hat

  • Bandanna

  • Shirt

  • Vest

  • Leather cowboy cuffs

  • Jeans

  • Fur/leather chaps

  • Boots

  • Spurs

 

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Cowboy Party Decorations

Planning your cowboy party decorations will obviously depend on the venue. Should you be having your cowboy party at a cowboy-themed bar with complete with a mechanized rodeo bull, you needn’t worry about the decorations. For everyone else, here are a couple of ideas that shouldn’t be too hard to find either on the internet or at the appropriate retailer:

 

  • Straw bales

  • Cowboy six shooters

  • Steer skull

  • Lanterns (remember, electricity wasn’t available in those days)

  • Wagon Wheel

  • “Wanted” Posters

 

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Cowboy Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

Although cowboys used slang, their language wasn’t more different than ours. All you’ll need is an outspoken voice and the appropriate accent. When you’ve got that pat, here’s an example of a guest announcement:

 

“Ladies & Gentlemen, boys and gals, it is my esteemed pleasure to welcome Mr. & Mrs. Kidd to this here lil’ fandango.”
 

Cowboy Party Favors

With cowboy party favors, why not go a little bit further than just the occupational cowboy? Remember that some cowboys also had other professions, such as sheriff. As such why not get your hands on a couple of sheriff’s badges from your local retailer and have your guests’ names engraved on them.

 

Additional party favors that are bound to go down well include spurs, which can be bought both online and the appropriate offline retailer. These are sure to give your guests something to remember you by.

 

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Cowboy Party Activities

What cowboy party would be complete without the corresponding cowboy activities? Here you’ll find a couple of activities that are bound to impress the guests and supply everyone with a good time.

Ropin’ That Bull

Ever tried your hand at roping a bull? It’s not that easy, even when it’s standing still. What you’ll need to do here is fix a pole – about five or six feet tall – into the ground. Make sure it is secure before you fasten a steer skull or anything else that resembles the horns of a bull to the top. In addition you’ll need a lariat for the roping.

 

When all’s done, you and your guests can take turns at ropin’ that bull!

 

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Horseshoe Toss

Well, this game isn’t a cowboy game per se as it was practiced in ancient Greece. But still, it is an activity that stood the test of time and was enjoyed by cowboys and cowgirls alike.

 

What you’ll need for this game is a stake driven firmly into the ground as well as a horseshoe. Now there are formal rules for this game, but since you’re going to be cowboys, it won’t make much sense bothering with modern rules. Make up your own as you go along to ensure that a good time is had by all.

Cowboy Poker

On those long, cold nights or even in the saloons after a hard day’s work, there’s nothing like stiff drink and a game of poker to cheer a man up. Cowboys used normal playing cards in those days, but for added effect for your cowboy-themed party, cowboy or wild west playing cards will do just the trick.

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Barn Dance

Aside from tending to their cattle and having the odd drink in a saloon, cowboys were famous for their barn dances. What makes this even more fun is the fact that they used to line dance according to choreographed steps. This is an activity that will be talked about for a long time to come, so be sure to include it among the events you have planned for the occasion.

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Food & Drink

Cowboys weren’t the most refined people in town and therefore didn’t have a wide variety of foods to choose from. As such your best bet for an authentic cowboy experience is to have yourself a barbecue over an open flame.

 

But still, we live in the 21st century with all our modern conveniences – so why not update the cowboy menu with a variety of foods. Here are a couple of ideas that you might find useful, both modern and authentic cowboy:

 

  • Beans

  • Salads

  • Barbecue

  • County Stew

  • Fried Chicken

  • Fried Catfish

 

And as for drinks, well you can imagine. These included beers, ales, hard liquors and wines.

 

Take care to ask your guests whether they have any allergies to ensure that you’ll have a menu everyone can eat from.

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