Western Chuckwagon Party Ideas

Start by creating your a "Go West" Invitations.

To give your invitations a "Go West" appeal, glue brown wrapping paper onto card stock. Cut out a wagon like that sketched on this page. From plain cardstock, cut out a wheel. glue to wagon. Punch a hole, run yarn through the hole, tie it in place. On the wagon, write party details.

Oh say, Davy Crockett
and say, Daniel Boone
There's a chuck wagon party
for Tim Conner's Birthday
A comin' up soon.
DATE:
at Dry Gulch Ranch
ADDRESS:
RSVP:

Setting the Mood:

For seats, use empty nail kegs (from a hardware supply store) top each with a brown cushion; or use straw bales.

Draw brands on colored paper and tack them up on trees, on a fence, etc.

The Chuck Wagon

The Chuck Wagon will be the table for your food and beverages.

We created this buckboard out of two 8' banquet tables, placing them side-by-side. We then added wagon wheels on each corner and the seat from an old buggy. A Chuck Wagon could be made using the same general design, but instead of the wagon seat, construct a canopy at the end of the wagon by securing 3 heavy wires or hoops, about 1 foot apart, over tables and covering the wires with burlap. Another alternative would be to lay long planks or plywood across two sawhorses for the table and cut out 4 wheels from cardboard; attach them to sawhorses. Use large corks for hubs. Finish by adding the canopy as previously described.

On planks arrange, for help-yourself service, a pile of tin pie plates, tin salt and pepper shakers, inexpensive forks, knives and spoons.

Hang tin cups along the sides of the planks.

For napkins use 22" RED BANDANAS.

Fill a ketchup bottles with field flowers. Black lanterns provide light.

More Western Decorations

Old West Favors

Provide each cowboy and cowgirl with a 22" RED BANDANAS, CHILD SIZED COWBOY HAT and a SHERIFF BADGE

Western Games

Steer-Ropin' Contest

Props: On a piece of plywood or scrap lumber, paint head of a long-horned steer. Into horns pound several spikes. Get ready a rope lasso.

Partytime: Each contestant has 3 tries to rope the steer.

The Chase

Props: This is an obstacle race. Before the party, print the 8 signs below; set them up around yard as indicated in parentheses. Each Sign represents a certain spot in yard, and tells players what to do:

Phantom Corral............"Start Here" (at the starting line)
Hangman's Tree..........."Run Around Tree" (a tree or pole in ground).
Water Hole ................."Take a Drink" (pail of water, cups)
Ambush Tunnel ..........."Crawl Through" (3 overturned chairs)
Shady Canyon ............"Take Nap" (any shady spot)
Sheer Cliff .................."Turn Somersault" (sand pile)
Snake Lake ................"Jump Across" (small tub of water)
Desperado Hideaway...."Get in and Roll" (barrel open at ends)

Party time: Divide guests into 2 teams- Good Guys and Bad Guys. At a signal, first player on each team races through obstacle course and back to starting line, where he touches next player, who then does the same, etc.

Ranch-Life Quiz

Props: Prepare a list of questions about cowboys and ranch life, a different question for each guest. Here are some
samples:

Q: What is a chuck wagon?
A: The wagon from which cowboys have their meals when out on the range/

Q: What is a ten-gallon hat?
A: A wide-brimmed cowboy hat.

Q: How do cattlemen identify their cattle?
A: By the brands.

Q: What was the name of Roy Rogers' horse?
A: Trigger

Q: What used to be the penalty for stealing a horse?
A: Hanging

Q: Name 3 states where you'll find many cowboys.
A: Texas, Arizona, Nevada

More Western Games

Chow

Cook "chow" outdoors --over an open fire or on the grill. Or cook indoors and serve outdoors.

Doggies in Toasted Buns (he-man hot dogs or hamburgers)
Little Tex Sauce (heated ketchup)
Buckaroo Beans (recipe below)
Carrot Sticks
Wagon Wheel Ice Cream (directions below)
Horseshoe Cake (recipe below)
Cocoa, Cowpuncher Style

Buckaroo Beans

1. Cook 1 pkg. frozen corn. Cook 2 pkg. frozen, or 1 lb. fresh, green beans; or heat 2 cans green beans. Also heat 1 - 1 lb. can baked beans with 1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire, 1/8 teaspoon monosodium glutamate.

2. Toss baked beans with drained cooked corn and green beans.

Makes 6 servings

Wagon Wheel Ice Cream

Use 1 round 1/2 gal. carton of coffee or vanilla ice cream. Lay paper stencil of wagon wheel, cut to fit top of ice-cream carton on ice cream. Sift cocoa over stencil, carefully lift off stencil. Serve ice cream right from carton with scoop or spoon.

Horseshoe Cake

Bake cakes a day or so ahead; store, covered. Or bake cakes a week ahead; freezer-wrap; freeze.

Ingredients:

2 pkg. of favorite cake mix
2 pkg. or cans of favorite frosting
2- 9 inch round cake pans
1- 10" x 6" x 2" oblong cake pan or purchase a horseshoe shaped pan from a craft store.
cowboy & Indian figures
birthday candles

1. Prepare and bake 1 pkg. favorite cake mix as label directs, making 2 - 9-inch round layers. Cool as directed.

2. Start heating oven to 350 degrees F. Grease well a 10" x 6" x 2" pan. Prepare second package of cake mix as label directs; turn into pan. Bake about 35 minutes, or until cake tester, inserted in center, comes out clean. Cool as directed.

3. The evening before the party, from center of 1 - 9" round layer, cut, remove and reserve 3-inch circle. Then cut layer in half and place one half on top of the other with frosting, as filling. (Save second layer for a later dessert).

4. Place a 14-inch x 12-inch cake board or foil-covered cardboard so short end faces you. On it set filled layer, rounded side at end of board away from you. Set oblong cake on board, long side against cut sides of layers. Glue with frosting.

5. Starting at ends of inner arc of layer, with knife, cut down through oblong cake to form horseshoe shape. Remove center piece of cake from oblong for a later dessert.

6. Now, where inner arc of layer joins oblong cake, whittle off some cake to widen arc. Also, whittle cake into horseshoe shape 2" up from both ends.

7. Cut reserved 3" circle of cake in half vertically. Set on half on top of other, with frosting between; halve vertically. With frosting, glue straight cut side of each half to outside of each end of horseshoe forming straight line to bottom.

8. Use frosting, to frost cake, keeping horseshoe shape. Refrigerate.

9. Day of party, set cowboy & Indian figures, and candles on and around cake.

Western Party Ideas

Western Decorations & Ideas

Western Favors & Party Items

Western Bandanna, Paisley Bandanna, Cowboy Bandanna

Western Hat, Cowboy Hat

Western Party Tableware

Western Flower Ideas

Western Party Games & Activities

Western Party Food & Cake Ideas

Western Wedding Ideas

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