RENO – The fourth annual Reno Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering will be held on Aug. 21 and 22 to celebrate the tradition of cowboys and their influence on western culture. This year’s event features two entirely different shows with toe-tappin' western music and vivid cowboy poetry peppered with stand-up cowboy humor.

The gathering takes place under the stars at Hawkins Amphitheater at the Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road, off Lakeside Drive, in Reno. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

This year’s entertainers include Baxter Black and Don Edwards, along with Texas Tom Weatherby and Dennis Golden. Once again, John Tyson will be master of ceremonies.

The event is a fundraiser for Soroptimist International of Reno's women’s scholarship program.

Concert goers can enjoy a chuck wagon barbecue and beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) at the event.

Advance tickets are available. Meals can also be pre-purchased at www.renocowboypoetry.org or at 354-6093.

Many of us have heard the term “cowboy poetry.” Not all of us know exactly what it is. It’s a tradition that harkens back several generations when cowboys would entertain each other with music and poetry around range campfires, and that lively tradition continues today. Banish the vision of a 19th-century recital of prim English verse. Get ready for dry wit, sweet sentiment, and a lot of patriotism – often accompanied by toe-tappin’ music and a rhythmic beat.

Soroptimist International of Reno belongs to a worldwide organization of women in management and professions who work through service projects to advance human rights and the status of women throughout the world. Soroptimist International of Reno is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, and donations to it may be tax-deductible.