Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum plans inaugural Sand & Saddles festival

The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum will host its first Sand & Saddles Music Fest & Trail Ride Sept. 17-20 near Cleburne, Texas, with live music, trail rides, camping and historic demonstrations. Proceeds are expected to support museum preservation and an educational expansion as organizers aim to raise up to $200,000.

Why it matters: - The inaugural Sand & Saddles Music Fest & Trail Ride is designed to bring visitors to the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum while funding preservation work, new programming and future improvements. - Organizers said the event will help support a new entrance sign, an educational wing, museum restoration and family-oriented history events. - The festival also ties into Childhood Cancer Awareness Month through a partnership with Dusty’s Lines of Love Foundation, with donation opportunities for fishing gear and cash.

What happened: - The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum will host the four-day festival Sept. 17-20 near Cleburne, Texas. - The event will feature Texas country music, trail rides, living history demonstrations, camping, food, vendors and activities for all ages. - The museum is located on the site of the original 1854 settlement of Wardville and sits on more than 10 acres of Chisholm Trail history. - Festival proceeds will help preserve and expand the historic museum.

The details: - The museum includes the oldest log courthouse in Texas, a stagecoach station, blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, sheriff’s office and jail, Native American exhibits, cattle-drive displays, historic artifacts and guided tours. - The entertainment lineup includes Brandon Rhyder, Tyce Delk, Noah Bowman, Austin English, Ethan Martin, Peyton Howie, Hudson Skaggs, Kyler Dawson, Union Revival, Greg Haws, Rachael Holt, Jackson Pape, Jay Arguminez, Brent Hayworth, Tyler Buckner, Raffey & The Revolution, Steve Schick, Hayden Dean Leifeste and John Clayton Read. - Brandon Rhyder will headline Friday night, and Tyce Delk will headline Saturday evening. - Thursday will include chuck wagon cooking, campfire stories and acoustic music. - Friday gates open at 9 a.m., with museum attractions open all day and live music starting at 1 p.m. - Saturday includes a chuck wagon breakfast from 7-8:30 a.m., a trail ride from 9 a.m. to noon and live music from 1-10 p.m. - Sunday features a chuck wagon breakfast, Cowboy Church at 9 a.m. and live music from noon-4 p.m. - More than 75 vendors will sell Western apparel, leather goods, handcrafted items, jewelry, custom metalwork, Native American fry bread tacos and other merchandise. - Visitors will also be able to take museum tours, meet artists, enjoy food vendors, face painting, a petting zoo, trail rides, water activities, sand volleyball, cornhole, horseshoes and cannon firings every hour by Terry’s Texas Rangers. - The Holiday Inn Express & Suites is the host hotel, and shuttle parking will be available through Hill College. - Pets are welcome on a leash. - Primitive camping is free. - Admission is $30 per day or $50 for a weekend pass. - Children 12 and under will be admitted for $10. - More information is available at sandandsaddlestx.com. - The museum described itself as a living history museum near Cleburne in Johnson County, Texas, focused on preserving the Chisholm Trail and the Texas frontier through authentic buildings, artifacts, demonstrations and educational programs.

Between the lines: - The festival blends entertainment with heritage tourism, a formula that can draw broader crowds than a museum event alone. - The donation partnership with Dusty’s Lines of Love Foundation adds a charitable angle that may widen community participation beyond ticket buyers. - The fundraising goal of $175,000-$200,000 suggests the museum is looking for a meaningful capital boost, not just event revenue.

What's next: - Organizers will use festival proceeds to support repairs, restoration, educational programming, monthly concerts, special speakers and future events for families and homeschool groups. - Attendees can expect the museum to continue positioning the event as a recurring fundraiser tied to preservation and public education. - The festival's success may shape future expansion plans for the museum's site and programming. - More information is available online.