People from all over Wyoming, and as far as the East Coast, traveled to Beartrap Meadow on Casper Mountain for the annual Beartrap Summer Festival, a weekend of outdoor food, shopping and music.

The smell of burgers and the sounds of bluegrass drifted across the meadow Saturday afternoon. Dogs barked as children ran around and couples walked hand in hand through the grass, stopping periodically to look at local craft booths.

The weather was perfect, with literally not a cloud in the sky. A light breeze kept patrons cool.

Don Riley, from "down below" in Casper and visitor Steve Surman sat cross-legged on the grass, waiting for the next bluegrass act to take the stage. Though they were newcomers to the event, the men said they were enjoying the festivities.

"We've lived here about two or three years, and this is the first time we've been able to come up," Riley said. "We're mostly here for the food and music. We have friends visiting and we just decided to come check it out."

"Well, the women decided," Surman joked. "We're along for the ride."

Riley said he was sure to return for another festival, but would "probably make more of a weekend of it next year."

Another first-timer, Karen Lewallen, said her family has gone to the Beartrap Festival for years. She was glad to finally be there as well.

"We're enjoying everything," Lewallen said. "It's relaxing and the people seem really nice and great, and it's good that the kids can enjoy it, too."

In a tent that keeps partially collapsing thanks to the wind, Trevor Johnson and his mother were surrounded by decorative signs bearing inspirational or funny slogans, including small placards with "Cowboy Up" and a row of shadowed riders.

Johnson usually works out of his home, as both he and his wife have other jobs and attend school, but he spent Saturday at the festival, selling his crafts. For his business, Johnson Vinyl Home Decorating, he makes personalized signs out of glass blocks, wood and tiles.

"This is our first little festival," Johnson said, "but it's fun being out here. People are walking around, you're outdoors, so that's a perk, when you think of places to work."

Members of the Roundup Club, one of the oldest riding clubs in the Rocky Mountain states, directed people to parking spots and helped them to the buses that waited to haul passengers, strollers and other equipment up and down a hill to the main event.

"We have our horses trained and the equipment to take care of that kind of stuff," said Sue Wise, a long-time member of the nonprofit Roundup Club, as she took a break for lunch. "We enjoy coming up here. It's really nice. We meet a lot of really wonderful people."

Wise said she saw quite a few out-of-state licences, including one woman from Delaware and another from Maryland.

"Everybody seems to be getting along well and hopefully everybody has a good time," she said.

And with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band headlining the festival (their performance is last, at 5 p.m. today), Wise said she thinks the meadow will be "Packed. Look for it to be really packed."

Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0589 or megan.lee@trib.com