Western Heritage is at the center of Burnet Cultural Arts Festival

“I think it’s important that we take time to celebrate our heritage,” said Ina Cooper of the Burnet Cultural Arts Association. “Last year’s fall festival was about the literary arts. This year it’s Western Heritage.”

The BCAF runs from Thursday-Saturday at several locations including an opening night gala at Longhorn Cavern State Park Friday.

This year’s event includes a Western Heritage juried art competition, a children’s art exhibit and competition, opening gala, a cowboy breakfast, music and Western-style vendors.

The concept for the festival started with the creation of the cultural arts foundation, Cooper said.

“My personal goal was to form a group that could hold a festival in the fall to celebrate cultural arts,” Cooper said. “By calling it a cultural arts festival, it really allows us to do quite a few things.”

Officials said cultural arts can include almost any of the accepted art forms, but also refers to how those arts have affected society and how society interacts with them.

For Cooper, exposure to the cultural arts play an important part in a person’s or society’s view of themselves and the world around them.

“I think they expand your horizons,” she said. 

While the Western Heritage juried art show drew entries from around Texas, it also brought several from outside the Lone Star State.

“We had some people enter from New Mexico and even Utah,” Cooper said. “So, this gives you a chance to see how other people in other states think about or view our Western heritage.”

The public can get a look at the Western Heritage art entries and even purchase them Thursday at the Vintage House at the corner of Jackson and Boundary streets. The viewing is from 5-7 p.m.

“The gala at Longhorn Cavern State Park is going to be a great event,” Cooper said. “We had it there last year and it was wonderful.”

With the cavern serving as the backdrop to Friday’s event, participants can enjoy an evening of “Western ambiance” and “Cowboy Chow.”

“The dinner will include chili, corn fritters and drinks,” Cooper said. “We’ll also have some entertainment. The Burnet Gunfighters are going to be there. We’re really excited about this.”

Burnet Gunfighters Inc. is a group of Highland Lakes residents who hold Old West-style re-enactments. 

The gala is 7-11 p.m. at the park, located six miles west of U.S. 281 on Park Road 4 between Burnet and Marble Falls.

Tickets are $30 per person. Make reservations by calling (512) 756-1800 or purchase tickets at the gate, Cooper said.

“During the gala, we’ll also announce the winners of the art show,” she said.

The festival continues Saturday on Jackson Street between Vanderveer and Boundary streets from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

“We’ll start things off with a good, hearty cowboy breakfast,” Cooper said.

Following the breakfast, visitors can enjoy viewing the artwork, listening to Western music and checking out the vendors. Cooper said one of the goals is to see the festival grow until the association can donate funds to other local organizations.

“Being this is our second year for the festival, we’re just trying to get our feet on the ground,” she said.

For more information, go to bcafburnet.org.

daniel@thepicayune.com