In 1948, in the heart of Texas Hill Country, the quaint town of Bandera was cultivating a new identity. A group of creatives and a now iconic fictional character, Cowboy Zeke, led Bandera’s “stompede from the union” with a longhorn cattle drive down Main Street and an enormous pair of blue jeans flown as a flag to signify the newly formed “Free State of Bandera”.
Bandera, home to numerous dude ranches, farms, and a part of the Great Western Trail, didn’t have an official day that celebrated the Cowboy. The Stompede’s creators humorously declared Bandera’s secession, demanding President Truman establish a Cowboy Day.
The Stompede festival initially enthralled tourists with its lively cowboy parade of gun-blazing riders, rodeos, contests, theatrical events and of course, to see the Lee® Jeans flag flying opposite the courthouse. Events also featured shooting displays, armadillo races, and contests like the Cowbelle pageant, beard contest, archery, horseshoe pitching, and stock weight guessing. Kids joined in with the ‘Best Dressed Little Top Hands’ and young fiddlers contests, making the Stompede a lively celebration of Western culture.
By 1954, the Stompede attracted 10,000-20,000 visitors to a town with a population to this day under 900. Locals recall seeing festival goers handcuffed to the giant oak tree in front of the courthouse as the jail was overflowing. By 1956, misbehavior under the guise of the “Free State” and the massive unruly crowds led to local discontent. R.B. Miller was elected as sheriff, promising to end the event amidst community division; “the wets” versus the “the dries”.
The Stompede, once a national news topic, ended in 1961, but the Free State of Bandera lives on today. Visitors can experience honkey tonks and historic churches like St. Statinslaus built in 1876, the longhorn cattle drive down Main Street on Labor Day Weekend, a packed calendar of festive events and rodeos throughout the year. We welcome you to visit us at our Texas Historic landmark retail store, Hyo Silver Downtown at 315 11th Street, and stay a few days to experience the Free State of Bandera in the Cowboy Capital of the World.
Shop the Free State of Bandera Tee