Sedona Heritage Museum Hosts Authentic Chuck Wagon Dinner & Western Film Night

The Sedona Heritage Museum (SHM) will host its third annual Chuck Wagon Dinner and Movie fundraiser on Saturday, April 12. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., with dinner served at 5 p.m. A special screening of John Wayne’s 1947 film “Angel and the Badman,” filmed locally, will follow at 5:30 p.m. The historic Telegraph Office featured prominently in this classic movie.

In “Angel and the Badman,” Wayne portrays Quirt Evans, a gunfighter in need of refuge from his past. He finds shelter with a Quaker family, ultimately leading to a transformative character arc influenced by the family’s daughter. Wayne’s quest for vengeance against Laredo Stevens, the man responsible for his foster father’s death, underscores the film’s dramatic tension.

Executive Director Nate Meyers predicts a sold-out event, noting that only 60 tickets remain. Before the film, he will discuss the local historical context of the production, highlighting its importance to Sedona’s cinematic history.

“Sedona has been a filming location since 1923, but ‘Angel and the Badman’ debuted in 1946,” Meyers explained. “While it wasn’t the first movie featuring a major star, it marked John Wayne’s initial visit to Sedona and was significant as both a starring and producing role for him.” This film represents a pivotal moment that solidified Sedona’s status as a Western filmmaking hotspot.

According to Joe McNeill’s book ‘Arizona’s Little Hollywood,’ Wayne chose to produce “Angel and the Badman” due to its unique narrative of love and redemption amidst the outlaw lifestyle, aligning with his established persona. The script, penned by James Edward Grant, offered rich dialogue for supporting characters, a style that resonated with Wayne’s acting philosophy of reacting rather than acting.

The catered meal will be prepared by award-winning chuck wagon cook Bill Cowan and his team, using cast iron over open flames. The menu will be shared on the SHM website before the event.

In addition, fans of Western cinema can further support SHM during the National Day of the Cowboy, which includes a film screening on July 26 at the Sedona International Film Festival.

Tickets for the Chuck Wagon Dinner and Movie fundraiser are priced at $35 and can be purchased via the “Upcoming Events” link on sedonamuseum.org. For more details, interested parties may call (928) 282-7038.