By Darla Shelden
City Sentinel Reporter

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. — The 30th anniversary of the re-creation of Pawnee Bill’s Original Wild West Show will be held Friday and Saturday, June 8 and 9, at the Pawnee Bill Ranch, 1141 Pawnee Bill Road, half mile west of Pawnee on US Highway 64. Preshow entertainment will begin at 7 p.m. and the Wild West Show will start at 7:30 p.m.

The 2018 show will commemorate the events’ 30th anniversary with reenactments from the original Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Shows along with new attractions and activities.

Each historical production will carefully combine preserved stage and script details to ensure that the Wild West Show is the most historically accurate production to date.

Kevin Webb, will perform as Pawnee Bill for the 10th year. He is a long-time Wild West Show cast member and a Pawnee Bill Ranch employee, as well as a whip artist, trick roper, and chariot racer.

Katrina Fenton will portray May Lillie, performing her shooting act on horseback. Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill will also make appearances at this year’s show.

Other performers include trick rider and long-time show performer Windy Ratchford Lattin and Kalvin Cook. Cook, known as “Kowboy Kal,” holds the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest wedding ring roping loop at 100 feet.

The Dancing Eagles, portrayed by the Mike Pahsetopah Family, will perform tributes to American Indian culture.  The Cossacks will return this year to display their daredevil feats of horsemanship and military maneuvers.

Producers have invited past performers, show directors, and behind-the-scenes cast members to attend and join in celebrating the show’s 30th year.

The museum and mansion will be open to the public on show days from 11 a.m.–7 p.m.   On Saturday, June 9, there will be historically accurate performances including blacksmithing, gunfighters, sharp shooters, a medicine man show, and musicians. All of these acts are free and held continuously on the ranch grounds from 2–7 p.m.

The cast will be available for a meet and greet with the audience on the museum grounds starting at 4 p.m. A barbecue dinner sponsored by the Friends of the Pawnee Bill Ranch Association will be served in the big barn at 5 p.m.

Show ticket prices purchased in advance are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors over age 65, $10 for children ages 4-10, and kids 3 and under are free. A group rate of $12 per ticket is available for groups of 20 or more people.

On the day of the show ticket prices are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for children ages 4-10 and kids 3 and under are free.

For information about special price packages for reserved seating, call 918-762-2513 or visit pawneebillwildwest.com.

To purchase tickets by phone, call 918-762-2513. Online tickets are not available.   The Pawnee Bill Ranch is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state.

For more information about the OHS, visit okhistory.org.