Big Horn Basin Folk Festival includes variety of music this year

THERMOPOLIS — The Big Horn Basin Folk Festival, taking place in Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis Aug. 5-6 will feature another great line-up of local and regional musicians.

The music will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5 and from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6, based at the pavilion in the state park.

“Each year, the line-up for the Festival gets better and better,” Toddi Darlington, one of the organizers of the event said.

This year’s performers include old favorites and new faces — Connie Dover, Sunshine Basin, traditional Celtic; Darrell Lonebear, Northern Arapaho, Wind River Reservation, hand-drumming; Dave Munsick and the Little Big Band, Sheridan, country cowboy; Heaven Bound, Basin, Sunday morning gospel; Jared Rogerson, Pinedale, country/Americana/Western/folk; Miss V, “Gypsy Cowbelle,” Thermopolis, traditional and original country cowgirl, banjo and guitar; Mount Sinai Synagogue Dancers, Cheyenne, Jewish/Israeli dance; Rattlesnake Ridge, Worland, country/rock/blues; Round the Bend, Laramie, traditional American & European folk; banjo, guitar, accordion, pipes; and Whiskey Slaps, Laramie, traditional styles with contemporary picking and harmonies, guitar, mandolin, stand-up bass.

The Big Horn Basin Folk Festival is sponsored by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation and Hot Springs State Park with support from Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming State Legislature and Hot Springs Travel & Tourism. Additional support is from Hot Springs County Education Endowment, Thermopolis Community Fund and Pinnacle Bank.

The two-day event also features the Kiwanis Trading Post with other arts and crafts for sale as well as a Food Court. The Festival is held the same weekend as the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days. The Pageant tells how the hot springs were given to the state by the Native Americans on the Wind River Reservation.

Following the Gift of the Waters Pageant Parade, Shoshone Dancers will perform at the Flagpole in downtown at 11 a.m. The Pageant will be performed from 6-7 p.m. in the area around the Big Spring, Saturday and Sunday evening.

For more information and schedules: http://www.wyomingfolkfestival.com.

For more information on the Kiwanis Craft Fair and Trading Post and Food Court, interested vendors should contact Linda Herrin, [email protected].