Charlotte Frontier Days is a nearly week-long bonanza filled with yehaws, bucking bulls and dancing ladies. For the 40th year running, the town of Charlotte is inundated with 60 to 80 thousand folks seeking to live it up, frontier style."It's neat to see how many people come to our community, supporting our local businesses and restaurants," said Cindy Gaedert-Wing, Frontier Days publicist.
The five-day event offers a slew of activities for all ages from kids contests like bubble gum eating to a hula hoop contest and even a children's fleas market with an appearance Cubby the Clown. The massive Arts & Crafts show is a large attraction, featuring vendors from as far away as Florida.
"We have a really cool rodeo, and there are [music] shows Friday night, Saturday, and a Sunday matinee," said Gaedert-Wing, whose favorite attraction is the rodeo.
On top of days filled morning to night with activities, each evening a different band is featured, including Centerville, winners of the Michigan State Finals of the Colgate Country Showdown, along with DJs who add to the sound mix.
The rodeo is one of the biggest attractions, with seven main events. See bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, tie-down roping, team roping, and the always gruesome, bull riding.
A saloon provides refreshment for the adults and "new this year, we have ladies night on Thursday night at the saloon, with no cover for the ladies and we have all male bartenders," Gaedert-Wing said.
Additionally, the saloon features various entertainments. Thursday and Saturday offers the "Dancing Deputies," a troupe of fancy stepping ladies, clad in snazzy matching outfits from the Campbell Dance Studio, who call themselves the "step-sisters." On Friday night, patrons can get rodeo-style kicks on the mechanical bull.
The Cowboy Golf Outing provides relaxing fun for bandy legged slowpokes. Drive in-movies at dusk offer a relaxing respite from the days' activities, a living history encampment gives a taste of bygone days, and pony rides behind the sheep barn add variety, along with the always popular parade featuring marching bands, motorcycles and more.
"After the parade, the whole road is filled with kids' games and everything is free. There are over 21 games," said Gaedert-Wing.
Check out hot automobiles at the Car show, cheer on the hearty lunged kids at Frontier Idol, test your endurance at the Chili Cook Off, get winded during the 5k Race, and take home a hottie at the Stud Auction. But, no small town event is complete without a pageant. Egg on your favorite gal for Frontier Days Queen.
More than down home fun, Frontier Days supports various causes.
"All the money we make we give back, to the community in different events," said Gaedert-Wing. "We just got done finishing our pledge to hospice, and fund smaller projects to beautify our community."
Tickets are available online.
