If you’re hosting a western-themed event, you’ll want to be sure to offer cowboy favorites like biscuits, baked beans, a pot roast, and maybe some corn on the cob. Set your table by draping muslin over wire hoops to form a wagon cover, adding place settings with bandanas tied with burlap ribbons. Cowboy hats in various colors can be added to the backs of chairs for added pop.
Your guests can come dressed up as cowboys and cowgirls, and you might even rent a mechanical bull so they can take turns riding.
The one thing you definitely don’t want to skip is the live entertainment. While mingling and chatting can be fun for a while, it’s easy to run out of things to talk about, making people uncomfortable. Before you know it, one by one, they start heading out the door. Live entertainment can set the mood and keep energy levels up while providing something your guests will be talking about for many years to come.
The only question is, what type of live entertainment should you hire?
Country Artists
The most obvious answer is a country artist, but there are many different types to consider. You could hire a band, a singer, or perhaps consider one of the great country duos. While Brooks & Dunn split years ago, there are plenty of other talented pairs that are sure to be a hit at your event. With country music so popular, you’re sure to have a wide range of options to suit your event and your budget.
Bluegrass Band
Bluegrass is great for a western-themed event too. Rooted in more rustic realms, it was one of the earliest threads of Americana, and while it may have faded away for a while, it’s been making a big comeback thanks to artists who’ve moved its traditional sounds more toward the mainstream.
An Impersonator
While you may not be able to afford to hire Dolly Parton, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, or Faith hill, top tier talent that can run $1 million or more for the night, there’s a good chance that an impersonator of one of your favorite country stars is available at a more budget-friendly price. And, they do a lot more than just pull off the look, getting the makeup, hair, and outfits just right. The best will be able to belt out songs that might have everyone wondering, “Could that really be Dolly herself?”
Country Line Dance Instructor
Country line dancing is practically a must at a western-themed event, but odds are, not all your guests will know how to get up on their feet and do it. It takes a good instructor to not only teach but to do it in an entertaining way that ensures no one will feel left out. Before you know it, everyone will be out on the dance floor having a great time.
Cowboy Show
There are even cowboy entertainers that put an old-fashioned Wild West show to perfectly complement your event. Think cowboy tricks like rope twirling, fast draw, bullwhip cracking, and gun spinning, the old west tradition of a gunslinger who twirls a pistol around his trigger finger. It’s actually considered an art form, often depicted in classic westerns like “Shane.”