Font ResizeAYER -- On Saturday, Sept. 15, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Ayer Town Hall will be the site of a one-of-a-kind birthday party for Rex Trailer. The event is free and open to the public. The first 200 people to arrive will receive Pepsi, cupcakes and a souvenir birthday card that can be autographed by Rex courtesy of "That's Entertainment" of Worcester and Fitchburg.
The Ayer Cultural Council kicks off its season with the birthday event in conjunction with "Safe Day" (a children's awareness of fire safety sponsored by North Middlesex Savings Bank.) Local author Barry E. Schwarzel will also be on hand to sign copies of his new book "Ayer."
The stage in the grand hall will replicate the "Boomtown" set. Rex will tell stories, take questions and sing with the accompaniment of Boston musicians Dave Shaheen and Jon Finn. Clips of Rex's "Boomtown Gold" DVD will be shown on monitors and will be available for sale.
Guest can line up in the "Posse" to wish Rex happy birthday.
Rex Trailer was the star of the popular children's show "Boomtown," which ran on WBZ TV from 1956 until 1974. Born in 1928, Rex grew up on his grandfather's ranch in Texas and learned his cowboy skills from the farmhands. For his 14th birthday, Rex's grandfather gave him flying lessons and Rex became a lifetime aviator.
At 16, Rex joined the rodeo as a performer and met character actor Gabby Hayes at Madison Square Garden in New York. Hayes took Rex under his wing and steered him into a new
Rex becomes more popular as his fan base ages and continues to make personal appearances. This fall, Rex enters into his 36th year teaching at Emerson College. He still has a production company in Waltham and there is legislation on Beacon Hill to name him "The Official Cowboy of the Commonwealth." As Rex likes to say, "Stay tuned, I'm not done yet."
