Rex Allen Days 2010 in Willcox, AZ

Western fun, Willcox style! Each year, Rex Allen Days honors Willcox’s hometown hero, Rex Allen, who became famous as a singer, cowboy movie star and narrator for Walt Disney Productions.

Rex Allen (Photo courtesy of the Rex Allen Museum, Willcox, Ariz.)

Special guest stars at this year’s Rex Allen Days will be music stars, Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers fame, and Johnny Western. The Cowboy Hall of Fame kicks it off. The 2nd Annual Western Legends Award will be presented this year. Other activities include a parade, rodeo, General Orlando B. Willcox International turtle race, cowboy dances and country music concerts. 

Details: Admission varies per event. Contact the Willcox Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture at 520-384-2272 or the Rex Allen Museum at 520-384-4583, www.RexAllenMuseum.org for more information.

Do you remember Rex Allen? Are you sure? If you’re of a certain age (say 40s or older), you might have heard of him even if you don’t recognize his name. He was the narrator of Disney for years in the 60s and he was the narrator of the 1973 animated film, Charlotte’s Web. So you probably have heard of him.

View a clip from a Walt Disney show, “Yellowstone Cubs“. Do you remember those wholesome Disney shows? I do! I looked forward to Sunday evenings in front of the TV with Mom and Dad and my sisters and brother. For me, it really was a “Wonderful World of Disney”!

Hey kids, let’s go to the… saloon?

Relax, folks this is a wholesome saloon. It is brand new to the movie set at Gammons Gulch, just north of Benson.

Gammons Gulch's new saloon set ©Gammons Gulch

Last year, a movie called “The Gundown” was filmed at Gammons Gulch, here in Cochise County, and the moviemakers wanted a saloon to film in. So, after raising money, the saloon was built. It’s now an 1,100-square-foot movie saloon!

They don’t serve alcohol, so it’s safe to bring the kids.

Just imagine: a gunslinger charges through the swinging doors, card games screech to a halt and chairs scrape the floor. A shoot out is bound to happen! But we’ll just have to wait to see if The Gundown includes one of those scenes or if a wise sheriff or marshal will talk them out of pulling that trigger.

George Scott, former mayor of Benson and a member of Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group, helped raise funds to build the saloon.

Take a tour of Gammons Gulch today to learn about the movie set and see what I call a place that is like the “Antiques Roadshow on Steroids”!