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WILD WEST FEST

Sponsor a Child

SPONSOR A CHILD

The Sheridan Arts Foundation invites you to be a part of one of the most meaningful and exciting festivals of the Telluride community, the annual Wild West Fest. We will celebrate our 30th Wild West Fest  on June 4-10, 2023 with 40 youth from all over the country traveling to Telluride for a celebration of the past and future at no cost to them or their families. Since the inception of the program, the Sheridan Arts Foundation has brought over 1,350 kids to Telluride for a week of fun, connection, celebration and mentorship. We hope to continue the program for another 30 years and beyond.

Please click on the button above to support the 2023 program by becoming a child sponsor. 

Since 1991, the Sheridan Arts Foundation has raised more than $40,000 each year to bring 40-50 underserved youth from Boys & Girls Clubs from around the country, Nucla and Naturita to Telluride for a week of nurturing, child-centered mentorship programs and fascinating cultural experiences as a part of the Chip Allen Mentorship Program (C.A.M.P). Children travel from cities across the United States, including Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Farmington N.M., Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Colorado Springs as well as local participants. The Sheridan Arts Foundation covers all costs of the program for each child which comes out to $1,500 per child. Child sponsors donate $1,500 or more to cover the cost of the week for a child. With their tax-deductible donation, child sponsors will receive:

  • an invite to every activity during the week, including our BBQ at the legendary Schmid Ranch which includes seeing their baby animals, going on tractor rides and sampling locally grown food.
  • receive a thank-you note from their sponsored child
  • two Wild West Fest t-shirts
  • a tax letter to the extent allowed by law

We also are dependent on corporate sponsorships. If your business is not able to make a monetary donation, we are always looking for local restaurants to donate a meal, activities that help us expose kids to the western culture of Telluride and lodging companies that can donate a condo for the week.

The 29th annual Wild West Fest took place June 6-11, 2022 after a two-year hiatus. We welcomed kids from Wichita Falls, TX, Denver, CO, and Nucla and Naturita, CO to our beautiful valley as well as local kids from Norwood and Telluride for an unforgettable week.  

Play Video
Watch this video to learn more about the program

SHARE OUR COMMUNITY

Here in Telluride, we enjoy many privileges, and Wild West Fest is a chance to share our community with kids who can really benefit from what it has to offer. This is our chance to open our town and our hearts to kids in need. The goal of the Sheridan Arts Foundation every year is to provide an esteem-building experience for each child that allows them to challenge themselves in a supportive and non-competitive environment.

For many of these kids, this trip to Telluride marks their first time out of their home cities, their first time on an airplane, their first real vacation or first summer camp experience. Kids who come to the Wild West Fest learn about themselves, the world and the possibilities that exist.

During their week in Telluride, these kids work with nurturing mentors in the fields of fly fishing, performance, cooking, outdoor adventure, music and ranch life as well as take part in exciting outdoor adventures and meaningful cultural experiences.

2023 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

SUNDAY, JUNE 4

Youth and counselors arrive from various Boys and Girls Clubs across the country inluding Wichita Falls, TX, Denver, CO, plus local groups from Nucla/Naturita, CO, Telluride, and Norwood and move into their condos for the week

MONDAY, JUNE 5

9 A.M. Elks Park Orientation

10 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. WWF CAMP

4:30 – 7:30 P.M. Wild West Fest Kick-Off Celebration and BBQ at the Down Valley Park for participants, supporters and sponsors with games, food and paddle boarding, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

TUESDAY, JUNE 6

9:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. WWF CAMP

4:30 – 7:30 P.M. Schmid Ranch Western BBQ & Pig Roast for participants, supporters and sponsors (catered by Oak)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7

9:30 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. WWF CAMP

3:30-4:30 P.M. WWF Showcase & Shindig at the Sheridan Opera House- youth perform and share their new skills OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

5 P.M. dinner at Rustico Ristorante

6-8 P.M. Pool party in Telluride Town Park (catered by Brown Dog Pizza)

THURSDAY, JUNE 8

9 A.M. – 3 P.M. Circle K Ranch for WWF youth; featuring hikes, games and horseback rides

6-8 P.M. Pool party in Telluride Town Park (catered by Brown Dog Pizza)

FRIDAY, JUNE 9

11 A.M. – 3 P.M. Wild West Fest Roundup- stagecoach rides, sheep-shearing demonstrations, nickel drop, Butch Cassidy reenactment, old-timey photos, Native American dance demonstration, Main Street, Elks Park, Oak St. Park, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

5 P.M. dinner at the Sheridan Opera House

8 P.M. concert at the Sheridan Opera House, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SATURDAY, JUNE 10

Groups depart for home

Donate to Wild West Fest

What Past Participants Say About Our Program:

MarcusAtlanta, age 15

Wild West Fest helped me to see a part of the world I never saw before. It also made me be able to meet new people and create new friendships that hopefully will last a lifetime. It opened my eyes to a new beginning

ValerieFarmington NM, age 14

Everyone in the whole town treated us like we were really important, and it felt good!

HeatherDenver, age 15

I loved everything about our trip to Telluride. I will remember most the kindness that everyone showed me.

BrandonAtlanta, age 13

It was fun meeting kids from small towns and big towns, everyone got along so well with each other. I liked the Opera House, it was fun to be able to perform on the stage.

AltaAtlanta, age 10

This place made me feel like a princess!

Support underserved youth from Boys & Girls clubs across the country.

Bring them to Telluride for a week of nurturing, child-centered mentorship programs and fascinating cultural experiences.