This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Those who enjoy western heritage celebrations might want to be in Cedar City Thursday through Sunday for the annual Cedar Livestock and Heritage Festival.

The event celebrates Iron County's long history with the livestock industry, especially sheep grazing in the area.

The highlight of the annual event comes Saturday act 10 a.m. with the annual Sheep Parade. The event includes the herding of 1,000 sheep down Cedar City's Main Street and includes historic sheep wagons, antique tractors and vintage cars. Parade goers are asked to leave their dogs at home.

Most of the events are free, though the opening event, Johnny Rodriguez in concert Thursday night at the Cedar City Heritage Center Theater, is $25.

On Friday and Saturday, there is the Livestock Festival at the Cross Hollows Events Center that includes western vendors, agricultural displays, an antique tractor show, cowboy poetry and music.

There is also a quilt show Friday and Saturday as well as rodeos both days.

Friday features a sheepdog demonstration and a draft horse demo and teamster contest.

Saturday sees a vintage car display, a kid's pedal tractor pull, a dutch oven cooking contest with public tasting, an antique tractor and draft horse pull, sheep lead contest and a cowboy dirt dance featuring Most Wanted.

The event ends Sunday at 10 a.m. with a non-denominational church service feature spiritual poetry and songs at the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum.

For details, log on to http://www.cedarlivestockfest.com.