Cat Ranch Round Up coming this weekend

Get ready for a weekend of fun and entertainment at the Cat Ranch Round Up! This annual event, held both Saturday and Sunday in Marble Hill, is bigger and better than ever this year, and includes something for everyone, from fine arts to rendezvous and lots of good food.

The Cat Ranch Art Guild sponsors this event at the historic Cat Ranch, former home of the late Tom Runnels, renowned sculptor and artist. The grounds will be bustling with a wide variety of activities, beginning with 35 to 50 pre-1840 Rendezvous encampments by Cat Ranch VOO and Lucky Clover groups. There will be demonstrations of hawk and knife throwing, a shooting match, atlatl competition, cannons, local hunters and trappers who will show their prized furs, blacksmithing, a pumpkin carving contest, Forestry Education information, a candy cannon and much more.

Other demonstrations will include woodworking, quilt making, weaving and spinning. Guild members will also be displaying and selling their art works, and there will be art demonstrations of painting, drawing and jewelry making. There will be a community art show with judging in the shop area.

A Plein Air Art Competition, open to everyone, will begin at 1 p.m., with a shotgun start. Contestants must have their canvases stamped between noon and 1 p.m., at Tom Runnels' cabin. They can set up anywhere on the grounds to do their painting. Work should be completed by 4 p.m., with a shotgun finish. Independent judging will be at 4:15 p.m., with the winners announced at 5 p.m. A $20 entry fee will be charged, with 100 percent of the money awarded for prizes.

There will also be book signings by local authors, and Tom's Studio will be open for tours, as well as the cabin and grave site.

On Saturday, Cabin Fever, will provide music from 1-3 p.m., and Doug Rees will perform from 3-5 p.m. On Sunday, the Gipsons will bring their musical performance from 2-4 p.m. Visitors should bring their own lawn chairs. There will also be on Sunday a non-denominational church service at 9 a.m.

Lots of good food for the weekend will be served by the Lions's Club. The Lucky Clover rendezous will also have their camp kitchen open. A community food drive will be held during the two days, with the donated food contributed to the area food pantries.

There is no charge to enter or park at the Cat Ranch Round Up, which will begin at 9 a.m, on Saturday, and end at 5 p.m. Sunday hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Cat Ranch is located off of Hwy. 34 in Marble Hill, with signs from the highway directing visitors to the ranch. Everyone is encouraged to come out and enjoy a weekend of good clean fun. Anyone seeking more information can contact Jeanie Eddleman at 573-576-3828.