The following photographs are of the first annual Henry Miller Wild West Weekend which was held in Los Banos California on October 12, 13, and 14, 2007.

The Henry Miller Wild West Weekend is a celebration of the heritage of Los Banos and is one heck of a fun event. For three days the Merced County Spring Fairgrounds in Los Banos Calif. are turned into an old western town and the clock is rolled back about 100 years to the time when Miller and Lux were household names and when ladies dressed in their finest Victorian clothing shared the streets with polite cowboys.

Combined with the weekend festivities food and fun The Wild West Weekend also played host to the first California State Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw Competition. This sport drew quite a crowd of shooters who came to see who could quick-draw their .45 caliber single action revolvers six shooters and place a wax bullet on target the quickest. I am proud to say several Los Banos locals did very well in the shooting competition.

Vendors and information booths were decked out to look like old time shoppes and people were encouraged to come in period clothing but like the renaissance faire it certainly was not required. It would be hard NOT to have fun at such an event whether you were a vendor or someone visiting for just one day.

The entertainers that participated in the Henry Miller Wild West Weekend included: Terry Brown & Hilda Machado, Double Action, Joni Harms, Baloney Creek, Jim Cardwell, Sourdough Slim, Rowdy Kate , Ricardo Paz, High Card Johnny, and our favorites Dave Rainwater (aka 'Huckleberry The Hillbilly Fiddler' and Abraham Lincoln

The list of events that were available was extensive and over three days there were dozens of things to do including stage entertainment, strolling western minstrels, cowpie bingo (don't ask!), cowboy up contests, a ton of kids events, 'gambling', the fantastic buffalo soldier museum, Bethel Church's Pancake breakfast, gunslinger alley where anyone could try fast draw, raffles, a living history Civil War display, cannon fire, trick roping, and a simply fantastic 'social' with tri tip barbecued by the local Elks club. This list could go on and on and there was so much happening that it would be impossible to participate in it all.

Click on a picture to see a larger version.

Hanging out at the OurLosBanos.com booth was great! It was a pretty safe bet that you'd see all kinds of things if you just hung out long enough...

It seems like the whole town dressed up to come and play..

Entertainment from spontaneous to planned...

There was a bathing suit competition!

Lots of horses and horsemanship. Including a real life Sheriffs Posse

Civil War Reneactors and Vision Quest Buffalo Soldiers were there.

Civil War Reneactors allow your humble webmaster to fire their cannon!

Quick Draw Competition

Saloons and Gambling

A fine dinner and dance closed the festival

Fun and games for the kids.. and well.. the young at heart...

In 2007 Stagecoaches still get robbed and justice still gets served up in lead!

Take a look at other Henry Miller Wild West Weekend and Centennial information.

The History of Los Banos hinges around Henry Miller. Check out our short History of Los Banos page for more information about Henry Miller. We also have a page about the Milliken Museum of Los Banos History where you can see Henry Miller artifacts and other interesting items. The Milliken Museum Society may also be of interest to you.

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