Labor Day Weekend
With a heavy heart, I must admit that summer is ending. Kids are back in school, days are shorter and busy fall schedules seem to be taking over the lazy days of summer. There is still one last hoorah for summer – Labor Day weekend! There are several opportunities to get out and enjoy the weekend in Cody/Yellowstone Country.
The town of Cody has a great Labor Day festival each year in the City Park, the Labor-Less Music Fest. This year the festival has been expanded to a two day event. Cody’s City Park becomes the ”happening place to be” Friday evening at 6:00 PM when One Ton Pig takes the stage in the bandshell. Based in Jackson, this honky tonk and bluegrass band will make you want to get on your feet and dance! One Ton Pig is best known for packing Jackson Hole’s famous Silver Dollar Bar every Tuesday night. They describe their music as “fun, dance-worthy, down-and-dirty, outlaw-country, bluegrass and Americana.” The band has played the Labor-Less Music Fest all three years and loves coming to Cody. Saturday is chock full of fun. There will be “Zumba in the Park” as well as “Art in the Park.” The Art League will have a trunk show and kids art demos. Pack a picnic lunch or stop by one of the food vendors. And of course, there will be music. Saturday’s line-up includes The Fireants, Screen Door Porch and 10 Foot Tall and 80 Proof. Grab a lawn chair and chill out at the Park!
For some, Labor Day weekend means camping! Cody/Yellowstone Country has great camping opportunities. Yellowstone National Park has twelve campgrounds with over 2000 sites. Reservations can be made at five of those campgrounds. The rest are on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is something very special about camping in Yellowstone! The Shoshone National Forest has more than 20 campgrounds. A few of these campgrounds have electrical hookups and some even have horse corrals. I am partial to the more remote campgrounds that really get you into some spectacular country. Whatever your preference, Cody/Yellowstone Country won’t disappoint!
Meeteetse is known for its Labor Day celebration. This year is extra special as it the 100thAnnual Labor Day Celebration. The weekend is kicked off on Saturday with the Meeteetse Absaroka Challenge Run, a “Trail Runners Magazine” trophy run. Each day is jammed packed with activities! Everything you would expect from a Wyoming town festival is part of the celebration – rodeos, parades, kiddie carnivals, food and live music. There will also be an Indian Pow Wow and old fashioned box social. A weekend in Meeteetse would not be complete without chocolate! The Meeteetse Chocolatier will have special chocolates and music on Saturday and Sunday evenings. The weekend wraps up with a rubber Duck Race down the Greybull River. Meeteetse really knows how to celebrate!
“Cody is Rodeo“ with the longest running nightly rodeo in the country. This year, Labor Day also signals the end of the Cody Nite Rodeo. The rodeo finals will be on Friday, August 31st. The summer’s top cowboys and cowgirls compete for the bragging rights and prize money. This is always a great night to see the rodeo!
If you are having a hard time deciding what to do, don’t worry. You can do a little bit of everything! If you can’t fit it all into the weekend then you will just have to plan another visit to Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, you will have a great time!
Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ summer in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country
