Starting Thursday at the Sheridan Opera House, live music kicks off for this year’s Wild West Fest in Telluride with a full day of free public activities happening on Friday.

Friday activities — dubbed the Wild West Roundup — will begin at 11 a.m. and include live music on main street and at Elks Park and Oak Street Park, plus stagecoach rides, Native American dance performances, blacksmith and sheep shearing demonstrations. Activities will run through 3 p.m.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Sheridan Arts Foundation’s Wild West Fest. Wild West Fest organizers said they are bringing in special live music for this year’s performances to celebrate the occasion. Thursday’s concert begins at 8 p.m. with Big Head Todd and the Monsters live at the Sheridan Opera House. Music by Max and Brittney Flinn kicks off Friday’s Wild West Roundup. Hoop dancing by the Native American performing arts group Yellow Bird, directed by San Carlos Apache Tribe member Ken Duncan, starts at noon. Later on Friday, at 8 p.m., Six One Five Collective takes the stage at the opera house.

Wild West Fest aims to bring youth from Boys and Girls Clubs of America to Telluride each year for enriching and empowering experiences.

Maggie Stevens, public relations and marketing director at the Sheridan Arts Foundation, said it’s a partnership that began in 1992 and this year there are 34 kids and eight counselors in Telluride. Groups are visiting from as far away as Alabama and Texas. Youth from Nucla and Naturita, Colo., are also in town for the festival through the True North Youth Program.

“We always want to bring kids who might not have visited the mountains before and also take care of kids in our own region so it is always a balance of that,” Stevens said.

Sheridan Arts Foundation Executive Director Ronnie Palamar said it’s awesome to see all the kids coming together in Telluride, meeting new people, interacting with locals and making new friends.

If she could summarize this year’s fest in one word, she said, “Wow!”

Palamar said youth are excited about the popularity of the event.

“Just to see all the kids from the different clubs and the diversity is amazing,” Palamar said. “Everybody just seems so happy.”

Stevens said the event is a camp specifically for youth ages 12 to 18 from Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

“This is one of our favorite events of the year,” Stevens said. “Everyone is focused on bringing kids to Telluride, giving them a camp experience and helping them learn new skills and try new things in a supportive and noncompetitive environment.”

Youth are enjoying their time in Telluride experiencing horseback riding, music at the opera house, fly fishing, swimming and a pool party and hiking in the mountains with the outdoor adventure group.

“We are so lucky to live in such a special place that we feel we have a lot to share with them,” Stevens said. “It’s a really special camp where we show this multi-faceted side of Telluride. We focus on the arts, the ranches and the beautiful outdoors.”

Stevens said in addition to supporting Wild West Fest by attending the concerts, the foundation is always appreciative of donations to support youth. This year, the foundation is expanding its support for youth and their families by providing stipends for travel.

“We are really proud of the fact that we bring these kids to Telluride and it doesn’t cost them anything,” Stevens said. “This year we provided travel stipends. Every year we cover their lodging, activities and food, which is about $45,000 to $50,000 a year, and this year we are supplementing travel expenses as well. We are excited.”