Old-Fashioned Western Fun: Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show

When I’m in a tourist area, I tend to stay away from souvenir shops, buffets and most things that cater strictly to tourists. But once in a while a little lighthearted entertainment geared to tourists is a fun way to spend an evening. That was the case with the Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show near Rapid City in South Dakota’s Black Hills.

Fort Hays Chuckwagon theater They advise you to get there around 5 p.m. to allow plenty of time to pick up tickets and then hang around the Old West town and see craftsmen ply their trade.

Fort Hays Old West townI should have gone to see the craftsmen first. Instead, I landed in jail for a photo op and visited the Dances with Wolves set. The building from the movie set was moved here from its original site about 16 miles away. This was the headquarters building where Lt. Dunbar, played by Kevin Costner, received his orders to move on to Fort Sedgewick.

Stockade at the Fort Hays Wild West townDances with Wolves movie setBy the time I got to the craftsmen, they were closing up shop for the day, since most of them do double-duty as entertainers in the show.

Knife maker at Fort Hays Old West townMaking ropeAt 6:30 p.m. the dinner bell rang. After being shown to our seats at long picnic-style tables, we formed a single-file line to the kitchen area for our food. The meal was a choice of baked chicken or roast beef in barbecue sauce, a baked potato, baked beans, applesauce, biscuit, spice cake and choice of lemonade or coffee.

Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper and Music ShowChuckwagon dinnerThe show rounded out the evening with a mix of music, including rock-and-roll, country, gospel and more, interspersed with comedy routines that were corny but funny nonetheless.

cowboy music showCowboy Show, Rapid CityMusic and comody at cowboy show

connode-o-phone
This musical instrument was called a commode-o-phone.

The Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show has been around for 22 years entertaining about 45,000 tourists each year. It’s a fun way to relax after an active day in the Black Hills. The theater is located at 2255 Fort Hayes Drive, five miles south of Rapid City on Highway 16 west. Check the web site for further details or to make reservations.

Disclosure: My visit to Rapid City was hosted by the South Dakota Department of Tourism, and my ticket to the Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show was complimentary. However, all opinions in this article are my own.

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19 thoughts on “Old-Fashioned Western Fun: Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show

  • August 4, 2015 at 9:38 pm
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    Yeehaww!! I had to do it 😛 Looks like a fun show!!

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    • August 5, 2015 at 3:19 am
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      Ha ha. Yeah, knee slappin’ fun.

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  • August 5, 2015 at 6:43 am
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    Wow this place looks amazing …. id love to visit here

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    • August 6, 2015 at 7:12 am
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      It was a lot of fun, something different.

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  • August 5, 2015 at 3:28 pm
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    Oh wow, this is so cool! This looks like a great afternoon for kids and adults. 🙂

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  • August 5, 2015 at 3:59 pm
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    Cool 😀 Had an experience like this one 🙂 As you describe, normally I don’t go to places that seem too touristy. But in Luzern we went to the stadtkeller. Reminds me of this! And we had the best fun ever 😀 As long as people love what they’re doing and know how to make other people enjoy it too 🙂

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    • August 10, 2015 at 9:32 pm
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      The stadtkeller sounds like a lot of fun, too. Going to a folksy regional place like that kind of sets the stage for me, puts me in a festive mood.

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  • August 6, 2015 at 6:42 am
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    Really loving the authentic buildings! I’ve never been anywhere like this but it seems like quite the midwestern experience!

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    • August 10, 2015 at 9:33 pm
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      I’m not sure how authentic the buildings were, but they were good copies, anyway.

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  • August 6, 2015 at 8:47 am
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    Hahaha sounds like fun, and there’s no harm in having a little bit of touristy fun once in a while!

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  • August 7, 2015 at 1:44 am
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    Something different for me 🙂 Sounds like a lot of fun

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  • August 7, 2015 at 7:59 am
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    This looks like really fun & touristy (which can be fun)! x
    Simone | The Aussie Flashpacker

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  • August 7, 2015 at 8:20 am
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    Tourist vs Traveller – Gah! If you are getting out, having fun, experiencing new things, and living life the way you want, then there is no place for labels. 🙂 Looks like a grand ole time! Cheers!

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  • August 7, 2015 at 6:00 pm
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    This is cool! I hear you with the staying away from tourist spots but sometimes it’s nice to just let go and have a bit of light hearted fun. As a brit I would totally be all over this place!!

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    • August 10, 2015 at 9:43 pm
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      I was with a group of people from all over the world, and I think they all enjoyed the evening.

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  • August 7, 2015 at 9:34 pm
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    What a fun town!! Looks like a great excursion:)

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  • August 9, 2015 at 4:38 pm
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    looks like good fun!

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  • August 10, 2015 at 4:15 am
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    Sounds like a fun evening! I agree that sometimes you just have to succumb to the fun, unique ‘touristy’ stuff!

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    • August 10, 2015 at 9:39 pm
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      That’s true. The touristy stuff can be fun.

      Reply

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