Temecula's 'Western Days' Turns Old Town Into The Wild West

The following is a news release from the city of Temecula: 

Join us at the Temecula Valley Museum to celebrate Old Town Temecula’s Annual Western Days! In addition to Wild West fun throughout Old Town, the Temecula Valley Museum will host various western themed activities for families

On Saturday, May 17th, from 11:30am – 2:30pm “Judy Taylor and her All Girl Band – The Wild Oats” will perform in the gazebo in front of the museum in Sam Hick’s Monument Park. Judy Taylor and The Wild Oats are a fun and versatile group with great showmanship and engage the audience to participate on stage or learn to yodel the cowgirl way! The music is upbeat and foot stomping with beautiful harmonies and instrumentals. Judy Taylor is also an accomplished Wild West performer of fancy trick roping, gun spinning and bull whip artistry.

Also on Saturday, the museum will feature continuous spinning and weaving demonstrations by Gem Ann Garner from 11am-2pm; and at 1pm we will have a special living history performance “Notable Women of Temecula”, performed by Lynn Cude, Pam Grender and Bonnie Martland. The ladies will portray women important to Temecula’s past, including Helen Hunt Jackson, author of the Book “Ramona” which detailed the plight of the Native American; Ramona Wolf, wife of Temecula leader Louis Wolf and the woman who is thought to be the inspiration for the book “Ramona” and Mary Jane Welty, pioneer and owner of the Welty Hotel, one of the few remaining historic buildings in Temecula. 

 On Sunday, May 18th, from 1pm-3pm, the gazebo will feature “Los Californios” playing and singing the music of California from the days when our state was part of Spain and then Mexico. These sweet, melodic pieces include waltzes and polkas used for dancing, and songs about love and rancho life, often with comic lyrics. Although the music includes elements of Spanish music, it also includes influences from European and American folk music — as trading ships often visited the coast of Alta California, from the indigenous peoples of California, and from the diverse heritages of the early Mexican settlers. 

Western Days guests are also invited to enter the Temecula Valley Museum free to view exhibits on Temecula History, including “Temecula History: A Third Grade Perspective”; which is an exhibit created by Temecula third grade students. For more information on Western Days, visit www.temeculaevents.org or call (951) 694-6480