Longmire Days to be held in early July in Buffalo

“To see a festival like this grow as quickly as it has is so crazy,” Buffalo Chamber of Commerce CEO Angela Fox said. “But, it really shows to how the books and the show speak to people. It gives a glimpse of the way we live out here in Wyoming. People connect to this series because it offers up a point of view we don’t see much anymore.”

Longmire Days will take place in Buffalo, Wyoming over three days, beginning July 7. The weekend will be packed with activities based around the “Longmire” franchise all over the city.

Some of the events, such as the discussions with series author Craig Johnson and cast meet-and-greets, will require a ticket to get into. Others, like the Saturday morning pancake breakfast and the street dance, are free and open to the public. 

The “Walt Longmire Mysteries” focus on the titular sheriff of the fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, which is loosely based off of Buffalo and by extent, Johnson County. 

Johnson’s first Longmire tale was “The Cold Dish,” which was published in 2004. There are 12 main entries in the mystery series, with the latest book, “The Western Star,” being slated for release in September. Johnson has also penned six short stories involving the sheriff. 

The TV series began airing in 2012 on A&E, with Robert Taylor performing as the titular character, but was canceled in 2014 despite strong viewership.

It was picked up by Netflix not long after the cancellation, which has aired the fourth and fifth seasons and will release the final season either later this year or early next year. Filming began for the final episodes back in March.

The festival will begin on Friday morning with a 5K run and 3K walk. That day’s events will include a “Become a Bestseller” discussion with Johnson, a documentary screening and an autograph session with some the show’s stars.

The rest of the weekend’s events will include an antique car show, Native American performances, a talent show and a concert featuring Memphis, Tennessee-based musician Jason D. Williams.

Cast members making an appearance this year include Taylor, Adam Bartley, Bailey Chase, A Martinez and John Bishop.

Besides the daily meet-and-greets, Fox noted it’s fairly easy to meet the cast during the weekend, since they make appearances at the Friday evening Cowboys vs. Indians softball game, the Saturday night street dance and other activities.

“It’s so great to see them come out every year for Longmire Days,” she said. “They don’t even charge us to come out for it. They just love to meet the fans and talk with them and see how much of an impact this series has had on so many people. We always have the best time with them around and we appreciate them so much.”

With the show wrapping up soon, there has been talk of whether or not Longmire Days will continue after this summer. Fox said it will still be held, but it may not be quite the same scale.

“It might be smaller once the show ends,” she said. “But, there’s talk of it being moved to another channel or streaming service. We’ve also heard rumblings of a possible movie, too. There’s no telling what will happen, but as long as people want to celebrate Walt Longmire, we’ll be here to help them do that.” 

Ellen Fike is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s features writer. She can be reached at 307-633-3135 or efike@wyomingnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @EllenLFike.

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