Watching the park come to life

It being my first year living in Thermopolis, I’ve been greeted with plenty of firsts, and this past weekend I saw my first Gift of the Waters pageant and Big Horn Basin Folk Festival.

Beginning in the early hours of Saturday morning, it was interesting to watch a unique community spring up among the grass, one that harkened back to the old bazaar days, with booths selling crafts, food and other merchandise — the cinnamon rolls were particularly tasty — while still others gave live demonstrations of woodworking, storytelling, roping, music creation, blacksmithing and leather works.

I’m a big fan of the idea of Renaissance Fairs, and try to get to them as often as possible. While Hot Springs State Park is certainly no place to swing a broadsword or speak with an Old English accent — unless there’s a LARP guild I should know about — the overall atmosphere of the festival combined the Renaissance with the West in such a way that’s got me wanting to see it develop into a week-long event.

As for the pageant, I feel fortunate to see it this year. Though the production as a whole is quite beautiful, this year’s was also special with the tribute and prayer for Starr Weed Senior beforehand. Though there are some language barriers, those presenting the pageant certainly give a sense of one people through their language, gestures and, of course, the amazing and often intense songs and dances.

So, as a person who’s still getting used to all of the first experiences here in Thermopolis, I’ve now got something new to look forward to every year with the Folk Festival, and I feel that much more enlightened having experienced the Gift of the Waters, and privileged to be able to share in those waters.