Sights and sounds of the old west

Hundreds of people enjoyed the musical and poetry acts of 18 cowboys, cowgirls and ranchers at the 27th annual Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering Jan. 21-24 at the American Mountaineering Center in downtown Golden.

The four-day gathering featured a kickoff branding event on Jan. 21 at Clear Creek History Park in Golden where people could brand a piece of wood with a brand provided by a local ranching family. People could also register to participate in this year’s classes –; cinch-making and cowboy harmonica.

The event wrapped up with Sunday Songs and a matinee show on Jan. 24.

To learn more about the annual gathering, or to find a list of the 2016 performers, visit www.coloradocowboygathering.com. The Colorado Cowboy Poetry Gathering can also be found on Facebook.