Think rodeo!

Are you a little bit country? Put on your boots, dust off your hat and get ready to go Boot Scootin’ Boogie! Since 1985, the International Gay Rodeo Association has been roping and riding all across the United States. IGRA, based out of Denver, Colorado, is made up of 20 local associations. Each of the associations hold unique events — including rodeos, dances, trail rides, and horse shows — for the country cowboy and cowgirl lover in all of us.

The main events that IGRA associations hold each year are charity rodeos. Each season, there are between ten to 12 of these held all around the US in cities such as Denver, Dallas / Forth Worth, Kansas City, Sante Fe, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix, and now in our own backyard, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. These rodeos are a unique family-friendly rodeo and community event that feature some traditional rodeo events as well as a few unique IGRA events only. In IGRA-sanctioned rodeos, men, women, members of the LGBTQ community and their straight allies will be competing equally in all rodeo events.

In our own back yard, the second annual Keystone State Charity Rodeo will take place in Harrisburg June 22nd to 24th, 2018. Make sure you save the date for a weekend full of exciting rodeo action, country dancing and cowboys and cowgirls from all over the US. The rodeo will include events for kids, vendors and your chance to come and support a central Pennsylvania based community charity. Leading up to the rodeo, there are many events where you can come out to and meet the cowboys and cowgirls. Some of these events include the KSGRA Opening Gaming Show October 8th, a Cowboy Calendar Event Signing November 25th, a drag brunch and holiday party December 2nd, the KSGRA Royalty Pageant and Show January 13th, regularly monthly trail rides, and many others.

The Keystone State Gay Rodeo Association is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote the country and western lifestyle and rodeo type events within the LGBTQ community and their allies. If you enjoy some of the following things membership in KSGRA may be for you:

• Social events

• Country music and dancing.

• Meeting new people and making new friends.

• Helping other community organizations by volunteering and raising much need funds.

• Trail riding, open horse shows and other horse related events.

To join KSGRA or for a full listing of upcoming events, check out the web site at KSGRA.org.

Adam Romanik is president of KSGRA.