Guest bartenders, community support to fuel effort bringing longhorns back to Sutter Street
A unique night of spriti, friendly competition and community spirit is set to take over Historic Folsom later this month, all in support of bringing back one of the city’s most beloved traditions.
On Monday, April 20, the Folsom Hotel will host a special “Bartender Takeover” fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m., where local personalities will step behind the bar for a cause that runs deep in Folsom’s roots—the return of the historic cattle drive.
The event is part of a growing community effort led by the Folsom Historic District Association and the Folsom Chamber to revive the long-running tradition, which has not taken place since 2015. Organizers are working to bring the cattle drive back as the grand finale of the Historic Folsom Hometown Parade on July 1, kicking off the 65th annual Folsom Pro Rodeo week.
The Bartender Takeover offers a fun and interactive way for the public to be part of that effort.
Guests attending the event will be served by a lineup of guest bartenders including Katie Chacon, Brian Wallace, Amber Felts and Evangeline Scott. Throughout the evening, each bartender will compete to collect the most tips, adding an extra layer of energy and engagement to the fundraiser.
Every dollar raised will go directly toward funding the return of the cattle drive, with organizers emphasizing that 100 percent of the tips collected during the event will support the effort to bring longhorn cattle back down Historic Sutter Street.
In addition to supporting a historic cause, the competition itself carries a unique reward. The bartender who collects the most tips during the evening will earn the opportunity to serve as a judge in the Historic Folsom Hometown Parade, adding a direct connection between the fundraiser and the July celebration it supports.
Set inside the iconic Folsom Hotel, the event offers a chance for the community to gather, socialize and contribute to a meaningful local effort. Organizers say the evening is designed to be both entertaining and impactful, giving residents a hands-on role in helping restore a signature part of Folsom’s identity.
The cattle drive itself has long been one of the most recognizable and anticipated traditions tied to Folsom’s western heritage. Historically held along Historic Sutter Street, the event features longhorn cattle driven by mounted cowboys through the heart of the district, accompanied by wagons, rodeo figures and local participants in a spectacle that blends history with celebration.
For decades, the cattle drive served as the official kickoff to Folsom Pro Rodeo week, setting the tone for one of the region’s most prominent and longest-running rodeo traditions. Its absence over the past several years has left a noticeable gap in the city’s Fourth of July festivities, something organizers are now determined to restore.
Plans for its return in 2026 include positioning the cattle drive as the grand finale to a newly reimagined evening version of the Historic Folsom Hometown Parade. The parade is scheduled for July 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.—a shift from its traditional morning format—allowing for a cooler, more accessible and visually dynamic experience for attendees. If funding goals are met, the cattle drive will follow immediately after, transforming the close of the parade into a dramatic western showcase under the evening sky.
The return effort also coincides with several major milestones, including the nation’s 250th anniversary, Folsom’s 80th birthday, and the 65th anniversary of the Folsom Pro Rodeo, adding additional significance to the push to revive the tradition this year.
Organizers have set a critical funding deadline of April 30 to make the event possible. Without reaching that goal, the cattle drive will not return in 2026.
Those interested in getting involved in the fundraising effort or learning more about the campaign to bring back the cattle drive can visit www.historicfolsom.org for additional information.
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