FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JULY 31st
For more information: Audra Dominquez, Festival Director
info@wyomingdiscoverydays.org, 904-874-2560
FAMILY FUN ABOUNDS THIS WEEKEND DURING WYOMING DISCOVERY DAYS IN HOT SPRINGS STATE PARK AUGST 5 & 6, HOT SPRINGS STATE PARK, THERMOPOLIS WYOMING
Celebrate Wyoming through stories, music, food, art, and demonstrations. Artists and artisans have gathered from all over Wyoming to share Wyoming’s Folk Life and unique cultural heritage.
This year’s event is focused on family fun and this year there is plenty to do. Begin your family’s day with a horse drawn wagon ride, provided by Mike Cushman and the Power River Percherons. When done, wander through the Prairie Camp and enjoy a hot cup of cowboy coffee and a gem or two and learn about prairie life and Dutch oven cooking.
As you continue along, watch out for racing horses. Pony express riders will re-enact the exchange of mail bags throughout both days. You will hear the story of how these young, sometime orphaned riders would carry the mail to and through Wyoming riding horseback, at top speed, while watching for dangers that hid behind the sagebrush. And what is even cooler, you can mail a postcard or envelope to yourself or your grandma or your best friend, watch it get loaded onto a horse with rider, and it will arrive at your postal destination with a carried by pony express stamp on the back!
Watch your step if you are whisker free, or you might break the whisker law and have to see a Deputy. Kids, want to be a deputy? Show up at 1pm each day and family members will be deputized as a Whisker Deputy Sheriff of Hot Springs County.
What does a New Horn, a Tumbleweed, the question Is It Deep Enough, and How the Coyote Got His Howl have to do with Wyoming? Find out at the Hear Me Now Storytelling Circle each day at noon during the Children’s Story Hour. Listeners of all ages will hear fun stories about Wyoming and children can take center stage to act out stories told by members of the Big Horn Basin Storytellers Guild.
Did you know food preparation is Folk Art? It is and you will find it at the Art Activity tent where you can make and take healthy snacks as you continue around the festival grounds. And if this makes you hungry, stroll to the Rocky Mountain Food Faire booths to select a variety of Wyoming Folk foods and drinks.
You won’t want to miss V, Gypsy Cowbelle, as she entertains with folk music at the Pavilion, and joins families at the Art Activity Tent to play handmade musical instruments that you can use to play and sing along. Back by popular demand is the TiPi painting at the activity tent. Tell your story through images, names, and handprints on Saturday.
Folk music and musicians will play both days. Back because we all love him is Jalan Crossland and a favorite of Folk Festival is the singing of Prairie Wildfire. Sunday morning arrive early enough to enjoy Cowboy Church. Have you ever been to a barn dance. Well, we don’t have the barn but we sure do have the dance going on Saturday evening after the Gift of The Waters Pageant. Dakota Country may be from South Dakota but they know how to play Wyoming dance music during this family friendly evening.
Enjoy kids’ crafts, lawn games, demonstrations, storytelling, and music throughout the two days. The event ends on Sunday with the 2nd Annual Dachshund Dog Race, at 4pm. In addition to awards for fastest running dogs, dogs will also be awarded for the Best Dressed Wiener Dog.
Wyoming Discovery Days Folk Festival is so much fun, you’ll quickly forget you are learning about Wyoming and who we are, what we do, and where we live.
The festival is open to the public without charge. Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, The Wilder Family, Thermopolis Wyoming’s Hot Springs, and Wyoming Humanities Council have provided special funding to help with the event. There is additional funding from local and state sponsors including the public and private sector.
A complete Wyoming Discovery Days Folk Festival schedule is available at
wyomingdiscoverydays.org or look for Festival Information at the tepee on the festival grounds.