Over 80 cowboys, cowgirls and Indians came together for a hoe-down at Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa on Friday 1st March for a Wild West themed event. The event raised an impressive £2,360 in aid of Keswick School’s new food technology department with fabulous music and entertainment, delicious Wild West themed menu and a charity raffle and auction taking place throughout the night.
The Derwent Suite had been beautifully decorated by the hotel’s in-house floral designer Trish Irving, with cowboy hats, wheat table centres, bales of hay, wagon wheel props, 36” dancing cowboy boot balloons and other western themed props to use in front of the magic selfie mirror. The evening began with a yeehaw as a performance from local line dancers’ group, the Keswick Crazy Kickers, welcomed guests and offered the chance for guests to learn a few moves.
Canapes and a delicious 4 course themed dinner were carefully put together by Executive Group Chef, Mark Harris, featuring mini Wild West hamburgers, Buffalo chicken balls, Ma’s homemade warm cornbread, with a set menu of Southern fried chicken tacos to start, followed by Lonestar sweet potato soup as intermediate, Billy the Kid’s campfire BBQ beef brisket for main, finished with Prospector’s pecan pie for dessert. With a full vegan menu also available.
Mark commented: “I spent a great deal of time researching the Wild West, we’ve invested a lot of time and energy into this event so it was really important that the menu lived up to everyone’s expectations, the feedback received suggested that everyone seemed to approve.”
Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed entertainment from The Country Chix tribute band and DJ ‘Dancing in the Dark’ who provided toe tappin’, ye harrin’ sweet & sassy Country music to dance to.
With £20 from each ticket sale donated to Keswick School, the evening was also sponsored by Jennings Brewery and the raffle and auction prizes were generously donated from The Falls Spa, Friars of Keswick, Silloth Golf Club, Bath House, Pringle & Fairweather, Kong Adventure, Evergreens, Bedrock Gin, Ullswater Steamers and more.
