Big Horn Basin Folk Festival features music, storytelling, and demonstrators

THERMOPOLIS — The Fourth Annual Big Horn Basin Folk Festival is part of the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days weekend this Saturday and Sunday in Hot Springs State Park.

Folk Festival events and activities start at 10 a.m. on Saturday and at 9 a.m. on Sunday. This year’s program has a line-up of activities for the whole family, along with Wyoming’s own artists, craftsmen, musicians, storytellers, artisan and guild members demonstrations.

“We are particularly excited to present the Buffalo Steel Drum group this year,” said Festival Committee head Toddi Darlington. “In addition to playing during the day on both days, the Drummers will kick off the Festival on Saturday at 10 a.m. and on Sunday at 9 a.m. If you’ve never seen this group, you are in for a real treat.” She added “. . . this year’s programs of music, storytelling, and demonstrators is particularly impressive and enabled the Festival to be awarded a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, an unusual feat for such a small community.”

Music and Storytelling will take place at the Pavilion on both days. Pick up a program at the Information Tent. Musicians include V - The Gypsy Cowbelle, (Thermopolis); Mike Hurwitz & The Aimless Drifters (Alta); The Fireants (Buffalo); and The Songbirds, music, (Thermopolis) along with the Buffalo Steel Drum group. Storytellers include Ray Shaffer (Thermopolis); Rick Hudson (Thermopolis); Matt Brown (Thermopolis); Carol Ann Barham (Thermopolis); Terril Mills (Ten Sleep); Michelle King (Basin); Willie LeClair (Riverton); Catherine Ringler (Clark); Val Burgess (Sheridan); Jeb Schenck (Thermopolis); Louise Odde (Thermopolis); and HR Micky White (Wind River Canyon).

Folkmasters include Leane Linnell, horsehair hitching (Riverton); Darrell & Koleton Lonebear, rawhide drum making (Fort Washakie); Von Ringler, Ringler Custom Leather (Powell); Wild West Rug Hookers, rug hooking and weaving (Cody); Worland Wyoming Woodturners, woodturning (Thermopolis/Worland/Ten Sleep); Russ Ferree & Ray Ferree, mountain man items (Thermopolis); Gayle Phipps, textile demonstrations (Thermopolis); and Mike Chimenti and Howard Palmer, basic fly tying (Thermopolis). Demonstrators include Jennifer Taylor, goat soap making (Worland); Hope Washakie Abeyta, Program about reservation life and traditions, (Riverton); Stephanie Owens, polymer clay sculptures (Thermopolis); David Osmundsen, Arrowhead Forge School of Blacksmithing (Buffalo); Pete Weisbeck, antique wooden boat reproduction (Thermopolis); Sherry Stottler, soft pastels painting demonstration (Worland); Joe Moon, spray paint art demonstration (Thermopolis); John Herrin, Roping hands on activity (Thermopolis); V - The Gypsy Cowbelle, singalong with handmade instruments; Darrell & Koleton Lonebear, drumming demonstration (Fort Washakie); and Mike Hurwitz, music demonstration, (Alta).

The festival is part of the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days weekend. The Pageant tells how the hot springs were transferred to the state by the Native Americans on the Wind River Reservation. It will be performed starting at 6 p.m. in the area around the Big Spring, Saturday and Sunday evening and is free and open to the public.

The Big Horn Basin Folk Festival is open to the public without charge. It is sponsored by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation, Kiwanis International and Hot Springs State Park with support from National Endowment of the Arts, Wyoming Arts Council, IMtour, Wyoming Independent Music Initiative and Hot Springs Travel & Tourism.