This Saturday, revel in Aggieville’s live entertainment, vendors and a fashion show till the cows come home. At 6:30 p.m. April 6, cattle will roam the streets of Aggieville during the annual “Grand Drive in the ‘Ville.”

The competition will start Friday at the Riley County Fairgrounds where competitors will compete to have their best cattle showcased in Aggieville during the Grand Drive. The show is divided into three classes: showmanship, market beef and breeding heifers. The top six cattle in each category go on to the finals in Aggieville and compete to win the grand champion title of their division and win part of over $7,500 awarded throughout the night.

“The idea of the Aggieville Showdown occurred to me in 2021 when I was a senior at Kansas State University,” Christian Calliham, director and founder of the Aggieville Showdown and Grand Drive, said. “Me and a couple of my College of Ag friends who all showed livestock were brainstorming at one of the local bars in Aggieville on how to bridge the gap between consumers and producers. That’s when the idea of having a cattle show in Aggieville came to life.”

After three successful years, Calliham created Grand Drive LLC to spread this unique event to other cities and build relationships between producers and consumers. 

“The uniqueness of Grand Drive and the Aggieville business district is what has exhibitors and the public coming from all over the United States; from New Mexico to Illinois to South Dakota,” Calliham said.

Jake Jacobson, country singer from Reno, Nevada, will perform during the official afterparty hosted by Yard Bar.

Jacobson’s performance, along with Vanderbilt’s fashion show, multiple vendors and more will keep the crowd busy while the competition’s results are decided in the show ring. Boot Hill Distillery will have a distillery and beer garden featuring canned cocktails, spirits and a special Aggieville Showdown cocktail for anyone looking to take the bull by the horns this weekend.

“Even if you don’t know anything about agriculture, come on down and mingle with some of our producers and hang out; we truly have something for everyone,” Calliham said.

Readers looking for more information or to view the itinerary for the Aggieville Showdown can visit www.aggievilleshowdown.com.