Costumes & Accessories (14) / Party Supplies (20)

Cowboy Party

Table of contents

Introduction

Alright boys and girls, get yer boots on 'cause it's time for one ace-high hoedown! If you're a fan of life on the prairies and on the fields, tending to herds of cattle, then this party is one you'll love! Below you'll find a couple of tips to help you organize an authentic cowboy event for yourself and your friends. But first, a little history about the cowboy...

 

If you know your cowboy stuff, then you'll know that the cowboys of old were more interested in tending to their cattle and building a life for themselves. They were hard-workin' folk of splendid character and determination. However there were those that strayed from the path and became gunslingers, rustlers and sometimes even outright outlaws - most of which have become romanticized in modern media.

 

For those who can speak a little Spanish, you'll know that the word "cowboy" and "vaquero" are one and the same. It was in fact the Spanish that brought the skills of cow herding to America early on in the 16th century. This was naturally very useful as early ranchers had huge herds of cattle that needed looking after. But don't be fooled by thinking that all cowboys are exclusively male.

 

When the men went off to war or couldn't attend the herds of cattle for whatever reason, women often had to take over the duties of the men as help was expensive in those days. As such, cowgirls deserve as much mention as their male counterparts.

 

Today we all know cowboys through the clothes they wear. There is the wide-brimmed hat, which hid their faces from the harsh effects of the sun; there are the chaps, to protect their legs from cacti and bushes; they wear high-heeled boots to ensure that their feet keep in the stirrups.

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Cowboy Party Invitations

There is one essential ingredient needed to make any party work... guests. And just in case you are stuck for some ideas, you'll find some listed below. Should you need any of the items or materials mentioned, just ask your parents to help you get them from the appropriate retail store in your area or from the internet. Oh, and remember to include the following details to ensure that your guests have all the information they need:

  • Party Name: Be sure to give your party a fantastic name, like “Johnny's Six-Shooter Hoedown”

  • Salutation: If you know how to speak like a cowboy, then address your guests in a creative way. Think of “Howdy Jake” or “Dear Trigger-finger Sally”

  • Date & Time

  • Venue/Location

  • Dress Code

  • Contact Details

  • Additional information…

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Wanted Poster

For this invitation you will need a computer loaded with the appropriate software and a laser jet printer. If you don't have a printer, just ask one of your friends to help out or drop by your local printing store along with your design.

 

Now, what you'll want to do is get a full-facial picture of each friend that you want to invite. You'll need to gray-scale it and perhaps play with the contrast to ensure that it looks as authentic as possible. In addition, remember to put in the appropriate wording. Here's an example:

 

WANTED 


Jimmy “Wild Horse” Lincoln


Invited to attend Johnny's Six-Shooter Hoedown . Details are as follows:

Date & Time: Thursday, Dember 4th 2008

Location: Jonny's Barn

Dress Code: Cowboy only

Contact: Johnny at 555-5551

P.S. Bring yer own sleepin' bag.

 


When you're done with the design. Get it printed out on either white or pale paper. Now, once you have it printed out, get a large plate or even a tray capable of fitting the entire sheet of paper. Prepare some black coffee or black tea in a mug (make it a bit stronger than normal) and pour it onto the plate or into the tray. Now lay the printed sheet of paper in the coffee or tea and wait a couple of minutes. Carefully take it out and put in in a place where it can dry.

 

When you're done with all of them, saddle up horse and get ready to deliver them.

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Sheriff's Badge

This is a very Easy invitation to make and will simply require you to get your hands on as many sheriff's badges as there are guests you want to invite as well as an equal number of cards that you can either make yourself or buy in a store. Remember to include all the necessary details in the card to ensure that your friends have all the info they need.


Once that's all done and you've got the badges, simply affix the badges to the cards and get ready to deliver! 

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Cowboy Hat

Another easy invitation to make and one that will only require a number of cowboy hats equal to the number of people you want to invite. If you're having trouble finding them in your area, just ask your parents for some help to find them on the internet.


Once that's done, simply attach a card-based invitation to the hat and get ready to deliver them. For that added effect, why not combine this idea with any of the above to make a winning cowboy-themed invitation. 

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Cowboy Party Dress Code

As for cowboy dress code, well, we've mentioned it above. But just in case you've missed it, here it is again: cowboy hat, chaps and boots. These are often combined with jeans and a wester-style collared shirt.

Cowboy Party Decorations

As for your decorations, here are a couple of items you can purchase or make to help make your cowboy party as authentic as possible: 

  • 'Saloon' Sign – Make your own Saloon sign in the style of the old West.

  • Saddles – for those who have them or able rent them, place saddles at strategic places around the room.

  • Bales of straw – cows ate the straw as did the horses. This is a crucial ingredient to any cowboy party.

  • Wanted posters – every old West town had them. Make them yourself by using the instructions under the Wanted Poster invitation above, but just changing the wording.

  • Stick horses

  • Coils of lassos 

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Cowboy Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

As cowboys weren't exceedingly formal, a short and simple greeting will usually suffice. In addition, remember that they were always polite, so if two guests don't know each other, take the time to introduce them to one another.

Cowboy Party Favors

For that ultimate cowboy party favor, we've thought of a couple of ideas that you can use to ensure that your friends remember your party for days, weeks, months and years to come. 

  • Squirt Guns

  • Cowboy Hats

  • Lassos

  • Sheriff Badges

  • Stick Horses

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Cowboy Party Activities

Stuck for some games to play that will match the theme of your party? Below you'll find some activities that you and your friends will be able to enjoy all day long. Remember to ask your mom or your dad for help if you require any of the items mentioned. In addition, remember to keep safety first at all times.

 

The Sticky Cowboy

For this game you and your friends will have to decide on one person to be the sticky cowboy or cowgirl. Once the 'it' person has been nominated, all the remaining players have to scatter as fast as possible. When the 'it' person tags someone, they have to link arms and race to get more people to join their team. This should preferably be done in a confined space such as a fenced off garden to give everyone a fair chance.

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Outlaw Spyin'

Ever wanted to test your skills at being a sneaky outlaw? Or perhaps you'd rather want to be a sheriff – upholding the law so that law abiding citizens can fell safer.


With this game all the outlaws have to separate to one side and all the sheriff's to the other side. If the imbalance between the two groups are too great, then some of the one group has to go over to the other to ensure that both sides are more or less equal.


Now, this game is best played over an entire yard, with the territory of the one group being on the one side of the house and the territory of the other group being on the other side of the house.


Those who are the sheriff's have to select an object which they will use as treasure and hide in their territory. The outlaws have to then sneak around and get as much information as possible about the location of the treasure and what exactly it is. Once the outlaws are confident about their intelligence, they have to devise a careful plan to get their hands on the loot.


Remember: if you're an outlaw, you must not be seen! All players should be equipped with squirt guns to defend their territories and spray anyone that trespasses. Once you've been hit, you have to go over to the other side.

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Horseshoe Toss

To play this game, you'll only need a horseshoe and a stake about 10-15 inches long which has been driven into the ground.

 

To play this game, all players will have to stand at least 20 feet away and attempt to throw the horseshoe around the stake. The game is won by the first person to reach a score of 15.

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Food & Drink

As cowboys spent a lot of time away from home and didn't have too much at hand with which to prepare a good meal, they often just made a fire somewhere and had themselves a barbecue. But for the purposes of this party, you'll be able to server whatever you desire. Here are a couple of cowboy ideas:

 

Foods:

  • Chips & Dip

  • Chicken wings

  • Chilly dogs

  • Corn on the cob

  • Cheese nachos

  • Meatloaf

  • BBQ steaks

  • Mexicana Pizza

 

Drinks:

  • Root beer (served in a tin cup or a beer mug)

  • Ginger Beer

  • Soft Drinks

  • Sports Drinks

  • Water

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Reader ideas