The annual event celebrates the history of the small Utah town with cowboy poetry, musical performances, wagon rides, art, quilt and craft shows, a chili cook-off, Mountain Men demonstrations and more.

Mayfield, located in south Sanpete County about 130 miles from Salt Lake City, has a population of about 500 people.

The celebration is named in honor of Chief Arapeen, leader of the Native Americans who inhabited the region before the area was settled. Arapeen was related to Chief Walker, who headed the Utes, SanPitch, Ammon and Black Hawk tribes.

Both Arapeen and Walker joined the Mormon Church, and Arapeen succeeded Walker as chief after Walker’s death in 1855. He is best known for the “Vision of Arapeen” in 1857, which is reported to have included a visit from Walker’s spirit, telling him not to fight with the settlers and to cultivate peace with them.

The festivities begin Friday with dinner in the Mayfield City Park at 5:30 p.m., followed by cowboy poetry and musical performances at 7 p.m.

Saturday there will be a 10 a.m. poker shoot, followed by a chili cook-off at 11 a.m. and historical monologues by Paul Turner and Bill Christiansen. During the day, there will also be chain saw and Mountain Men demonstrations, ironworks, leather and butter-making demonstrations and other events in the city park. At the City Hall, there will be art, bird, and quilt shows.

For more information about the event, call Mayfield City at (435) 528-5060. For more information regarding the chili cook off, phone Teri Robertson at (435) 528-3663.