Area artists represented at BHB Folk Festival

Artisans will participate at the Fourth Annual Big Horn Basin Folk Festival, Saturday and Sunday, August 4 and 5, in Hot Springs State Park. The festival showcases the handwork and creativity of Wyoming’s artists, craftsmen, musicians and storytellers.

The festival celebrates who we are and what we do and features folk arts and eats from the past and the present. Displaying and selling their wares will be Tim and Ann Bushnell, Lisa Mann and Laurie Mitchell, all of Cody; Cindy Toth, Travis Winger, Sherri Burrows, Debbie Stroppel, Michelle Lue, Jeanne Waltz, Cindi Dragon, Jim Daniels, Smoking Waters Art Guild members, Brenda Boren, Charlotte Thomas, Diana Brost, Dana Spann, Angela Siems, Rotary Club, and Rachel Turner, all of Thermopolis; Worland Wyoming Woodturners Sherry Stottler, Marie Parsons, Cheri Shelp, Jennifer Taylor, Diana Scranton and Leona Smith, all of Worland; and Megan Mangus of Lovell.

A unique feature this year is the Folk Master Craftsmen tent. Artisans will demonstrate how to make Native American hand drums and rug hooking. You will also learn the art of horsehair hitching, leatherwork and other crafts. Von Ringer of Clark returns this year with a custom leather demonstration. The Wild West Rug Hookers of Cody, Sherry Stottler of Worland doing soft pastel painting and the Wyoming Woodturners of Thermopolis, Worland and Ten Sleep will also demonstrate both days.

Russ and Ray Ferree will have mountain man items, Gayle Phipps will have textiles, Pete Weisbeck will have boat making, Joe Moon will have spray paint art, and Mike Chimenti and Howard Palmer will also demonstrate in the Craftsmen tent both days. All demonstrators are from Thermopolis.

Shorter demonstrations include Jennifer Taylor of Worland showing how to make goat milk soap, Stephanie Owens of Thermopolis will demonstrate polymer clay sculptures and lampwork beads, John Herrin of Thermopolis will teach how to throw a rope and V~The Gypsy Cowbelle of Thermopolis will demonstrate handmade musical instrument.

Back again this year is the Hear Me Now Storytelling Circle and live music each day at the Pavilion. Joining the Storytelling Circle will be V~The Gypsy Cowbelle, Ray Shaffer, Rick Hudson, Matt Brown, Carol Ann Barham, Jeb Schenck, Monica Butler and Louise Odde, all of Thermopolis, HR Micky White of Wind River Canyon, Terrill Mills of Ten Sleep, Michelle King of Basin and Catherine Ringler of Clark. A new feature in 2018, the Wyoming Authors Tent will feature local author John Davis of Worland. The Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center will be sharing ghost stories on Saturday evening.

Festival music and stage performances by area artists include V~ The Gypsy Cowbelle, The Songbirds and Hot Springs Dance Intensive of Thermopolis.

The kids being creative activity tent is sponsored by the Smoking Waters Art Guild. Thermopolis guild members Marcia Nelson, Deb Stewart, Cindy Clancy, and Sallie Wesaw will be joined by Andrea Linn, Kristen Stone and Kaitlynne Johansen. Make it and take it activities include rock painting, using the sun to color fabric, weaving a string like a Viking, and key chain making.

There will be food fundraisers on Saturday and Sunday, and additional food vendors set up on both days.

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. T-Shirts for both the Folk Festival and the Pageant are available to buy in advance.

Contact bighornbasinfolkfestival@gmail.com for more details or go to wyomingfolkfestival.com.