Gun Cowboy Oversized

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Table of contents

• Introduction
  
• Wyatt Earp
• Black Bart
• Pat Garret
• Western Party Invitations
• Wanted Poster
• Sheriff’s Badge
• The Trademark Hat
• Western Party Dress Code
• Western Party Decorations
• Western Party Guest Arrival & Announcement
• Western Party Favors
• Western Party Activities
• Dance!
• Western style paintball
• Western Quiz
• Target Practice
• Food & Drink

Introduction

Looking for some advice on organizing that western-themed party? Well, look no further as we have all the information you need! Below you'll find tips on invitations as well as advice on what to wear and foods to prepare for your western party guests. But before we begin, let's have a look at a couple of those characters that made the western genre (book & film) what it is today. Without their legends, the whole era might have just passed us by.

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Wyatt Earp

Born in 1848, Wyatt Earp was one of the most famous lawmen of the old west, even though he only spent 6 years as a lawman. Historical accounts have it that he stood more than 6 feet tall and was always impeccably dressed - never leaving house without his coat and tie.

His most famous exploit was the O.K. Corral shootout in Tombstone in 1881 where, along with his brothers, they defeated the Clantons and the McLaury brothers. This event is perhaps one of the most famous in Wild West history.

Black Bart

Although there isn't really a lot of personal information available about Black Bart, or rather Charles Bolles who was born in 1829, he does cut a seemingly romantic figure in the Old West history.

It is said that Black Bart robbed 28 stagecoaches, taking only their strongboxes while dressed in his trademark linen duster and wearing a flour sack for a mask. Throughout all his robberies, he never harmed any of the passengers and sometimes even entertained them with a verse of poetry.

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Pat Garret

Born in 1850, Patrick Floyd Garrett was a Buffalo hunter, a Cowboy and a hog rancher. Yet he his fame comes from his role as lawman at which time he is responsible for killing Billy The Kid. The story holds that Garret arrested Billy at a place called Stinking Springs and put him in jail. But Billy escaped after killing a couple of men and fled.

Garret tracked Billy to a place called old Fort Sumner and proceeded to wait in Billy's room, in the dark. As Billy entered the room, two shots were fired, killing him instantly.

Western Party Invitations

The invitation is one of the most important parts of the party as it is that thing which either persuades your guests to come or to stay as home. Therefore the ideas below have been designed to ensure that you have the best possible chance of success. Be sure to include the following information in your invitations:

• Party Name: Give your party a descriptive, themed title. A classic western title will read something like “ Wild Bill’s Gunslinger Blowout”
• Salutation: Keep this short and sweet. An example here would be “Dear Angus & Kate”
• Date & Time
• Venue/Location
• Dress Code
• Contact Details
• Additional information…
  

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Wanted Poster

We’ve all seen those wanted posters in the cinemas and on TV. Where once they were used to ask the public’s assistance in rounding up dangerous criminals, they can now be used to invite your guests to your party.

For this invitation you’ll need a computer, an inkjet printer and some paper. To start off with, you’ll want to design the layout of the poster which will simply require some text in the appropriate font as well as an image of the friend you wish to invite. Here’s what the structure of your invitation should look like with the text changed accordingly:

Wanted

"The Andersons"

Tom Anderson, Kate Anderson

Invitation to attend Wild Bill's Western Blowout

Date: 7^th of July 1867

Time: Noon

Venue: The Royal Hotel Saloon

Dress Code: Western Attire

Info: Bring a Smile

When you’re done with the final design, print your invitation in grayscale on normal white paper. If you don’t have a printer at home, just drop by your local printing firm with your design.

Now, remember that old wanted posters were usually quite yellow. To age your invitations, prepare a little bit of black coffee or black tea and pour it in a tray. Once done, just soak each invitation in the coffee/tea for a while and then let it dry out in the sun. Remember that wet paper is quite soft, so be careful when handling it. 

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Sheriff’s Badge

For the Sheriff’s badge invitation, you’ll simply need to complete two steps:

1. Buy a blank sheriff’s badge for each of your guests. These can be bought from any western merchandise retail store or on the internet.

2. Once you have your sheriff’s badges, simply go down to your local engraver’s firm and have the details of your party engraved on the badge along with the name of the intended recipient.

Take note that some people prefer to have the word “INVITATION” engraved on the front in large capital letters with the intended recipient’s name underneath. The rest of the details then go on the back. Should you find this more appropriate, ask the engraver to do it this way instead. 

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The Trademark Hat

Every cowboy, rustler and outlaw needs a hat – everyone knows that! And therefore this invitation will require you to purchase a hat for each of your intended guests. These can be bought from your local western merchandise retailer or on the internet. Once you have the hats, simply create an elegant little paper or leather invitation with all the details for the party and attach it to the inside of the hat.

Western Party Dress Code

On your invitation you’ll want to let your guests know that the dress code for this particular party is “Western”. Now just in case some are unsure about what this really means, here’s a list of traditional western clothes:

• Hat
• Bandanna
• Shirt
• Vest
• Jeans
• Leather Chaps (for them rustlers)
• Boots with spurs
• Gun belts with gun holsters

These merely represent the basic elements and may be substituted with different materials and colors. 

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Western Party Decorations

To ensure that your western party is as authentic as possible, ensure that the following items are all strategically placed around the venue. Most of these items can either be bought or rented from your local western merchandise store.

• Straw bales
• Steer skull
• Lanterns (remember, electricity wasn’t available in those days)
• Wagon Wheel
• “Wanted” Posters (on the walls)
• Saddles
• Cacti
• Authentic Covered Wagon
  

And for those who want to go that extra mile, get a sign made with the name of your saloon or tavern. Think along the lines of “Wild Bill’s” or “The Royal Saloon” in an appropriate font. 

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Western Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

The announcement of your guests depends largely on the type of party you are organizing. For those attempting the more civilized and upscale festivities, a formal announcement along the lines of “Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Mr. And Mrs. O’Connell”. However if your party will consist mostly of a some outlawed folk, then you might want to try something like “Hey y’all! This here’s the O’connells – Jim and Mary. Please welcome them and show them a real good time!” 

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Western Party Favors

Stuck on an idea for western party favors? Well fear not as we have some of the best ideas in town. For those who haven’t made use of our cowboy hat or sheriff’s badge invitations, why not use them as party favors? For the cowboy hat no invitation will be necessary as these are intended for those individuals who’ve come to your party. As for the sheriff’s badge, all you need engraved on it will be the name of your party, the name of the guest as well as the date.

Additional western party favors include the following, each engraved with the name of the party, the guest’s name and the date:

• The Souvenir Bullet – be sure to have the gunpowder inside removed by a professional capable of doing so to avoid any nasty accidents.
• Cowboy spurs
  

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Western Party Activities

Dance!

Them old western folk loved to dance, whether in barns, in saloons or taverns or under the stars. Supply your guests with the appropriate music to ensure that their legs carry them deep into the night.

And just to spice things up a bit, figure out a couple of moves for a line dance which everyone will be able to enjoy.

Western style paintball

Fortunately gunfights are now illegal, which means that had any of those old heroes lived today, they’d be spending the rest of their lives behind bars. But still, one tends to wonder what it would be like to partake in a gunfight.

Luckily we have modern technology that will make this possible, available to both men and women. Make a day out of it and go to a paintball arena where you’ll be able to see who has the quickest draw! 

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Western Quiz

After a fun-filled day of paintball, what way to soothe the aches than to sit down in a comfortable chair and enjoy a game of western quiz with your friends? Quiz sets are available both on the internet or from your local toy stores and western merchandise retailers.

Target Practice

Keeping in with the paintball, but with the slight difference of staying at home. Buy a paintball gun or two and line up a couple of cans. Have a competition between yourself and your guests to see who can hit the most cans. Just take care to place a protective sheet of plastic or any thick durable material behind it as to prevent stray shots from causing accidents. In addition, it is recommended that you check whether there are any regulations in your state against owning or using a paintball gun in a residential or public area.

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Food & Drink

At some stage during the day or the evening your guests will require some sustenance to keep them going, especially after target practice, a gun fight, a game of trivia and dancing. As such it is important to plan your food menu before the event. Here are a couple of traditional western cuisines and ingredients:

• Barbecue – beef and chicken
• Grilled Steaks
• Baked Beans
• Corn on the cob
• Chicken Pie
• Fried Apples
• Watermelon 

As for drink, make sure you stock up good as the old western folk had excellently lined stomachs and could drink a lot. Typical beverages include ales, whiskey, wine, and hard liquor.

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