There's no need to go west if you're seeking cowboys.

In celebration of the Augusta Futurity's 25th anniversary, the show is holding the inaugural Western Culture & Food Festival. The event runs today through Sunday in front of the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.

The festival features cowboy gunfighters, American Indian cultural performances, food and music in front of an Old West-style backdrop. Admission is $4 a day.

On Saturday, the futurity features the Wrangler Family Fun Fair, which runs fromnoon to 5 p.m., in front of the Augusta-Richmond County Center. Entertainment includes: roping demonstrations, Western puppets, music, dancing, Pearlie Mae the Clown and the Western Culture & Food Festival. Cost is $10 per family and includes admission to Saturday's night cutting competition.

"The futurity was looking for a way to attract younger kids," Wrangler Family Fun Fair committee chair Denise Parrish said. "This is a chance to come out and see real cowboys. They get to do a lot of on-hands learning."

The outdoor futurity events continue Sunday with the Augusta Horse & Carriage Parade at 2 p.m. in downtown Augusta. The parade, part of the cutting show since 1992, features more than 400 riders and 75 horse-drawn vehicles. The parade is the largest annual gathering of mounted riders and horse-drawn vehicles in the Southeast.

Last year, the Budweiser Clydesdales were the main attraction. This year, the Heinz Hitch and "A Touch of Ear" highlight the parade.

The Heinz Hitch is an 8-up, black Percheron hitch put to a 150-year-old Studebaker wagon. "A Touch of Ear" shows off eight blonde, sorrel mules put to a Doug Hansen reproduction wagon. Hansen is regarded for his handcrafted replicas of classic wagons and stagecoaches.