Lonesome Dove Fest is an annual celebration of hunting, fishing and the great outdoors that aligns with the opening of dove hunting season here in Karnes County in the Texas South Zone. The event is the primary fundraiser for the Karnes City Rotary Club which provides youth scholarships and supports many worthwhile community efforts with the funds raised at the annual event.

Lonesome Dove Fest will again host the Black Gold Shootout, which is planned for Thursday, September 14. Registration is 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and “Flight time” is set for 9:30 a.m. Prizes will we awarded to the top shooting teams.

Lonesome Dove Fest Youth Day is set for Friday, September 15, and will happen at the Karnes County Youth Show Barn Grounds on U.S. Highway 181 between Karnes City and Kenedy near Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital.

While it is not open to the public, students from across the area schools are invited to attend Youth Day where there will be a wide variety of fun, informative and educational exhibits on display. For more information, call Jeanette Winn at 830-534-3287 or email [email protected] 

The Lonesome Dove Fest Parade is returning this year and is set to start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 16. Past parades have featured multitudes of parade floats, marching bands, classic cars and trucks, horseback riders, etc. The parade will pass through downtown Karnes City along Calvert Avenue.

Following the parade, the community is invited to join us in the Karnes City Park for our Family Fun Day. We will have slides, bounce houses, face painting and more.

Date: September 14 - 16, 2023

Location: Various locations in Karnes City

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