Westside Pioneer Home Page

Sheep-shearing event June 2 kicks off season at Rock Ledge Ranch

May 21, 2018
       Opening day for the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site's 41st annual summer season will be Saturday, June 2. In keeping with tradition, the event - nicknamed Homespun Fun Day - will be from 10 a.m. to 5
Hanging out to dry at the Rock Ledge Ranch opening day in June 2016 were colorful wares created by the Pikes Peak Weavers Guild. The group will be back for this year's ranch opener June 2.
Westside Pioneer file photo
p.m., featuring displays of sheep shearing and sheepdog herding.
       In addition, the Pikes Peak Weavers Guild will demonstrate time-honored carding, spinning, dying, and weaving techniques.
       According to the Rock Ledge website, “In the 1880s, El Paso County boasted the largest population of sheep in the state at 120,000 critters This produced about 560,000 pounds of fleece!”
       The Rock Ledge summer season will continue through Aug. 18 - Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The city-owned facility is off Gateway Road at 30th Street.
       Ranch admission allows access to the American Indian Area, Galloway Homestead, blacksmith shop and Carriage House, along with guided tours through the historic Rock Ledge and Orchard houses.
       Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for ages 55-plus, $4 for ages 6-17 and free for younger children.
       Special events are also scheduled during the summer season. These are as follows:
  • Family Fourth, Sunday, July 4. Patriotic music and speeches/activities featuring historical reenactors commemorating American independence (normal admission price).
  • Fiddles, Vittles & Vino, Sunday, July 29. Live, outdoor bluegrass/Americana music and samples from ranch-supporting restaurants and beverage producers/distributors ($50 before July 21 and $60 after that; the price for ages 12 and under is $15 and later $20).
  • Shakespeare at the Ranch, Tuesdays through Saturdays, July 26-Aug. 26. Presentation of either “Macbeth” or “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” by Theatreworks actors in a large tent. Call for costs and other details at 255-3232, or go to theaterworkscs.org.
           Special ranch events scheduled later in the year are the Labor Day Vintage Baseball Game (Sept. 3), Holly Berry Folk Art Festival (Sept. 14-16), Garden of the Gods Powwow (Sept. 22), Harvest Festival (Oct. 6 - free), Everything But the Oink (Nov. 10), Holiday Teas and Tours (Dec. 5, 7, 8 and 12, by reservation) and Holiday Evening (Dec. 15).
           For more information, call 578-6777 or go to rockledgeranch.com.

    Westside Pioneer article
    (Outdoors: Rock Ledge Ranch)

    Would you like to respond to this article? The Westside Pioneer welcomes letters at editor@westsidepioneer.com. (Click here for letter-writing criteria.)