Thousand Sheep Head Down Main Street For Cedar City’s Heritage Festival Saturday

Cedar City’s annual celebration of its agricultural heritage gets underway Friday, with most of the Cedar Livestock & Heritage Festival still scheduled to take place despite weather-related cancellations affecting several events.

According to the festival’s updated schedule, Friday’s Antique Tractor Pull and Draft Horse Teamster Demonstration have been cancelled. Saturday’s Dennis Stowell Memorial Ranch Rodeo and the Antique Tractor and Draft Horse Pulls have also been cancelled because of inclement weather.

However, there is still plenty on the schedule, including the festival’s signature attraction: the Sheep Parade.

Courtesy Cedar City Livestock Festival

The parade is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at 10 a.m. on Main Street, following a route from 200 South to 400 North. Approximately 1,000 sheep are expected to make their way through downtown, accompanied by horses, wagons, antique tractors, bagpipe bands, youth groups, stock dogs and historic and modern sheep camps.

The annual procession offers a memorable glimpse into the ranching traditions that helped shape Iron County. The seasonal movement of sheep from Cedar Mountain’s high-elevation pastures to winter range in the valley remains an important part of the region’s agricultural history.

Enjoy The Parade, But Please Leave Your Dogs Home

Spectators are asked to leave their dogs at home, stay along the sides of the street and avoid getting in front of the flock.

Courtesy Cedar City Livestock Festival

After the parade, visitors can head to the Cross Hollows Events Center for the sheep camp display and other festival activities. Saturday’s schedule still includes sheep-shearing demonstrations, cowboy poetry and music, the Utah Make It With Wool fashion parade, a vintage auto display, children’s activities, a pedal tractor pull and the Dutch oven cook-off tasting. The Cedar Chest Quilters Quilt Show and an art and photography display are also scheduled.

Friday’s remaining activities include the livestock festival, western vendors and agricultural displays, cowboy poetry and music, a stock dog demonstration, the Junior Ranch Rodeo and Stick Horse Rodeo, and the arrival of a wagon train.

The festival concludes Sunday with Cowboy Church at 10 a.m. inside the Diamond Z Arena.

Courtesy Cedar City Livestock Festival

Most events are free and take place at the Cross Hollows Events Center, although some activities have separate costs or locations.

Read More: The Glorious Beauty Of Cedar Mountain

Because the schedule is being updated as conditions change, visitors should check the official website at cedarlivestockfest.com before heading out.

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While weather has taken a few items off this year’s program, the sheep are still expected to have their moment in the spotlight Saturday morning. For Cedar City, it wouldn’t quite be the Livestock and Heritage Festival without them.