Festival Western de Saint-Tite facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Festival Western de Saint-Tite Saint-Tite Western Festival
Genre	Music festival, Country music, Rodeo, Parade
Begins	1967
Location(s)	Saint-Tite, Quebec Canada
Coordinates	46°43′47″N 72°33′44″W / 46.7297°N 72.5623°W / 46.7297; -72.5623
Website	Festival Western

The Festival Western de Saint-Tite is a super exciting yearly event that happens every September in a town called Saint-Tite, Quebec, Canada. It's like a big party celebrating the Wild West!

This festival is famous for its amazing rodeos. In fact, since 1999, it has been voted the "Best Outdoor Rodeo in North America"! Every year, about 600,000 people come to visit. That's a lot of cowboys and cowgirls!

The festival started way back in 1967. It began as a rodeo to help promote the local leather industry. Now, it's not just about rodeos; it also has lots of other fun cultural events. For two whole weeks, the town of Saint-Tite gets ready for all the visitors, and it's a really special time.

History of the Saint-Tite Western Festival

In 1967, a company in Saint-Tite that worked with leather decided to hold a rodeo. They wanted to promote their business. This first rodeo took place on a local sports field. About 6,000 people came to watch! It was such a big hit that people quickly formed groups to make sure the festival happened again in the next years.

The people of Saint-Tite helped a lot by volunteering their time and effort. This made the event possible. Soon, they worked to bring in professional rodeos and horse riding competitions. In 1968, a parade with animal traction (animals pulling wagons or floats) became part of the festival. Over the years, many more activities were added, all with a fun Western theme.

Growing the Festival Grounds

In 1972, large wooden stands were built for rodeo fans to sit and watch. As the years went by, the town of Saint-Tite, the festival organizers, local businesses, and citizens all worked together. They slowly changed the look of the town. Their goal was to make Saint-Tite look like a real Wild West village.

Jean Charest, who used to be the premier of Quebec, and his wife, Michèle Dionne, visiting the festival on September 7, 2008.

You can see this amazing change in many ways:

• A fountain near the church has a sculpture of a cowboy riding a wild horse.
• A special four-sided clock, designed in a Western style, stands at the main intersection.
• Even the street signs were changed to look like they belong in the Wild West.
• Many shops have permanent Western decorations outside their buildings. Some even changed their whole storefront!
• People who live in Saint-Tite can join a yearly contest to decorate their homes. Some put up fences and lights, while others create moving decorations or cover their whole yard with Western items.

In 1999, the old wooden stands were taken down. New, strong steel stands were built in their place. These new stands can hold 7,243 people!

The Festival's Mission

The Saint-Tite Western Festival is run by a non-profit organization. This means they don't try to make money for themselves. Their main goal is to put on professional rodeos and create a fun country-western atmosphere.

The festival wants to bring lots of good things to the town of Saint-Tite. It helps the local economy and brings many tourists to the area. This helps the whole Mékinac region and Mauricie area. The festival aims to be known all around the world!

The Western Festival of Saint-Tite is a must-see country-western event. It's also a top place for professional rodeos in Eastern North America. It has become a very important part of its region and community. The festival's success comes from the hard work of many passionate people.

The organization hopes to be the best at putting on rodeos and country-western events in Eastern North America. In 2008, the festival welcomed 585,581 visitors. About 100,000 of those visitors came just to see the horse-drawn parade!

Awards and Recognitions

• 2019: The festival received the Autorisé à vous divertir (Authorized to Entertain You) prize from SOCAN.

See also