Columbia River Cowboy Gathering set April 8-10 in Kennewick

The Columbia River Cowboy Gathering and Music Festival draws big crowds each year.

And this year is set to be no exception.

The event, April 8-10 at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick, will feature headliners Deborah Allen and David Frizzell, plus a long list of other performers and activities.

“It’s exciting, it’s fun. There’s lots and lots of entertainment,” said Judy Massengale, co-founder.

The event opens at noon April 8, with performances during the day and evening through April 9.

It wraps up April 10 with Sunday Cowboy Church.

Deborah Allen will headline opening day. A songwriter who has penned hits for stars from Patty Loveless to Tanya Tucker, she’s also known for her own popular recordings, including Baby I Lied.

Frizzell will take the stage April 9. He’s known for hits including You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma, a duet with Shelly West, and I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home.

Others set to perform during the festival include up-and-comer James Carothers; Les and Nancy Brockus playing music of the 1940s and 50s; musicians and poets Van and Kathy Criddle; Allen and Jill Kirkham, winners of last year’s Cowboy Idol Contest; Floyd Beard, the Cowboy Idol poet winner; and The Panhandle Cowboys, the Open Mic People’s Choice winners from 2015.

The event is all indoors, with food and arts and crafts vendors.

Beth Trost will perform and give western dance lessons April 9. The popular Cowboy Idol Contest, in the vein of American Idol, will run throughout the event, with the winner announced the night of April 9.

The event is family friendly, with kids under 12 admitted for free during the day.

Adult tickets range from $5 for a daytime-only pass to $20 per day for reserved seating.

The event will close with Cowboy Church, which starts at 9 a.m. April 10 and features Frizzell and some other performers. Admission to that is free.

A breakfast buffet will be available starting at 7 a.m. that day, with proceeds going to Rascal Rodeo, Kennewick FFA and the Columbia River Young Marines.

All Star Motors, Clover Island Inn, American Rock Products, Blue Dog RV and the Tri-City Herald are event sponsors.

For more information, including detail on ticket prices, go to www.columbiarivercowboygathering.com.

Tickets are available at 509-851-4287 or Kennewick Ranch & Home.

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 10:59 PM with the headline "Columbia River Cowboy Gathering set April 8-10 in Kennewick."