Frontier Days in Charlotte, Michigan

Charlotte's Frontier Days features a full rodeo.

Frontier Days began as a small festival in 1971 with an outdoor rodeo, parade, queens contest and arts and crafts show. The festival has become a major, multi-day event in Charlotte, Michigan. Throughout the years, the Festival has paid for improvements to the city of Charlotte including the planting of trees and the installation of a gazebo in a local park. They also donate money to Charlotte non-profit organizations including major support to the Charlotte library.

Special Events

The Grand Parade features area marching bands and organizations.

Major events at Charlotte's Frontier Days include the grand parade; the Queens' Pageant, a 5K race; a chili cook-off; stud auction; Frontier Idol and a car show. The parade features not only the Frontier Day Queen, but it also invites other local festival queens including the Vermontville Maple Syrup Queen, the St. Johns' Mint Festival Queen and the reigning Ms. Michigan. There is also a fundraiser Prince and Princess election of children ages 5 to 8. People can vote by putting money into the canisters representing each of the children. The stud auction is a fundraiser that auctions off local bachelors and date packages that go with them. Proceeds from both events go to support the Festival. Frontier Idol is open to performers through 12th grade.

Saloon Entertainment

In 1973, the Eaton County Fairgrounds armory was converted to a saloon for Frontier Days. Traditional entertainment held there each year includes the Dancing Deputies, the Queens Pageant, a mechanical bull, nightly dance music and a Best Dressed Western Wear competition. Thursday night opens the Festival with a Las Vegas night at the Saloon. Food and drink is also available in the saloon.

Rodeo

Bull riding draws large crowds at Frontier Days.

Every year the Frontier Days Festival sponsors a rodeo. In the early days, local firefighters ran the rodeo. For the past several decades, however, it has been managed by a Michigan-based professional rodeo company. This company brings livestock into the Eaton County Fairgrounds and hosts a traditional full-scale rodeo. The three-day rodeo typically includes bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, tie-down roping, team roping and bull riding. The rodeo also has kids' events including cow pie bingo.

Other Activities

In addition to the main events, the festival includes several other activities including an arts and crafts fair, children's events, a frontier market, bingo, dulcimer performers, old-time photos, woodworking expo, an air tour, a petting zoo, a cowboy golf outing, pony rides, pancake breakfasts, living history encampment, theater production, carriage and wagon rides, a penny scramble, hula hoop contest, bubble gum contest, pizza eating contest and dance shows. There are also individual events sponsored by businesses in downtown Charlotte throughout the Festival.

References

• Charlotte Frontier Days 2010