A Cowboy Christmas will take you on a magical journey to a simpler, quieter time captured through music and poetry on Dec. 18 at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.
Featuring Rob Dinwoodie and his band Open Range from the O’Keefe Ranch stage show, this unique performance will let folks explore the cowboy way of celebrating the holidays, but with a local British Columbia twist.
Journey through the early 1900s from a cowboy’s perspective with songs, stories, verses and theatrics in a show rich in history.
“People can expect a thoroughly entertaining evening as they experience Christmas through the eyes of a cowboy in the early days of British Columbia,” Dinwoodie explained.
Members of Dinwoodie’s band Open Range — Dixon Zalit and Tim Boulter — are well known for their diverse musical instrumentation and harmonies. They will perform familiar Christmas classics, along with songs about the province’s own cowboy history.
“The performance includes drama, music, song, and cowboy poetry,” Dinwoodie said. “There will be both traditional as well as original Christmas music that flows with the drama.”
The group originally got their start with the Cowboy Dinner Show that runs out of the O’Keefe Ranch in Vernon. Now they’re bringing this very popular show out of the Okanagan region and sharing the cowboy lifestyle with the rest of the province.
They’ll be joined by a few friends, and Langley’s Dave Longworth — professional actor and cowboy poet — will take the stage depicting the cowboy George Edwards.
The narrative will be provided by author, historian, and western enthusiast Ken Mather as he creates the historical backdrop and shares stories about British Columbia’s fascinating history. Ben Beveridge, who was awarded the 2016 fiddle player of the year award at the British Columbia Country Music Association awards, will also be bringing his incredible talent and playing along with Open Range.
“The performance is based on a story, our story of British Columbia, using the oral tradition of storytelling through poetry and song,” Dinwoodie explained. “It’s a show that will make this holiday season a memory for life.”
A Cowboy Christmas is coming to the Chilliwack Cultural Centre on Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $35/adults, $32/seniors, and $30/youth, and are available at the Centre Box Office, online at www.chilliwackculturalcentre.ca, or by calling 604-391-SHOW(7469).