Wyoming Arts Council

Fort Laramie National Historic Site will again host its annual “Christmas on the Frontier” program on Sunday, December 14. The open house will be held from 1-5 p.m. Visitors will be entertained in the mess room of the historic 1874 Cavalry Barracks by some of the area’s favorite musical groups.

Beginning at 1 p.m., the Wyo-Ring hand bell choir will perform their special variety of Christmas music. At 2:30 p.m., the Sugar Valley Singers barbershop chorus will entertain visitors followed at 3:30 p.m. by the Torrington Old Time Fiddlers.

Intermissions will be filled with selections of cowboy poetry, demonstrations of Victorian Christmas candy- making and traditions and, perhaps, an appearance by John “Portugee” Phillips to regale visitors with tales from his famous 236 mile ride from Fort Phil Kearny to Fort Laramie during the Christmas of 1866.

Refreshments will be provided in the Visitor Center throughout the event. Here visitors will be also be able to mail their Christmas Cards via “Pony Express”

The annual meeting of the Fort Laramie Historical Association will follow the open house at 5:00 p.m., and will be held in the Visitor Center auditorium

During this special event and during the entire month of December, the Fort Laramie Historical Association bookstore will hold its annual Christmas sale. Nearly every item in the bookstore and gift shop will be discounted 10% off the regular sale price. Members of the Historical Association will be given an additional 15% discount. This is a great opportunity to purchase those perfect Christmas gifts for friends and family.

All of these special Christmas events are free to the public. For further information, please feel free to contact the park at 307-837-2221