WY WOMEN & FAMILY: Big Horn Basin Folk Festival Family Entertainment August 4&5, Thermopolis

 

KIDS ACTIVITIES AND GHOST STORIES AT THE BIG HORN BASIN FOLK FESTIVAL, THERMOPOLIS AUGUST 4&5

For more information:  bighornbasinfolkfestival@gmail.com

The Fourth Annual Big Horn Basin Folk Festival is coming up soon. The festival is part of the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days week-end, Saturday and Sunday, August 4 and 5, 2018, in Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis, Wyoming. The festival program includes a robust line-up of activities for the whole family, along with Wyoming’s own artists, craftsmen, musicians, storytellers, artisan and guild members’ demonstrations.

“There will be a variety of art and music activities for kids and the whole family to choose from on both days”, according to Festival Committee head Toddi Darlington. “You can pick up a schedule at the festival and find exact times and locations”. Activities on Saturday include Sun Fabric art and owl rock painting in the Kids Being Creative Activity Tent plus the Color Thermopolis Mural,  roping, and a singalong with V, the Gypsy Cowbelle with handmade instruments on The Green. The Buffalo Steel Drum band will be playing too. Ghost Stories at The Pavilion start around 7:30pm, after the Pageant.

On Sunday, there will be additional activities in the Kids Being Creative Activity Tent, including Sallie Wesaw and Friends with hands-on iris basket making — plus there will be demonstrations and storytelling on both days around the festival that will be for the whole family to enjoy. Food will be available both days.

Miss V, Gypsy Cowbelle photo courtesy Big Horn Basin Folk Festival committee

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 pm 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 at Thermopolis Print Zone/Discover Thermopolis, 521 Broadway.

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. Additional support is from Hot Springs County Education Endowment, Las Fuentes, Thrivent Financial and Pinnacle Bank.

Contact  bighornbasinfolkfestival@gmail.com  for more details.

Roping is one of the fun family activities available at the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival August 4&5 in Thermopolis. Photo courtesy BHBFF committee

Chabad Wyoming Passover Event in Jackson, April 10-18, 2017

 

click the image for ticket purchase to experience An Evening with Garrison Keillor

Join Chabad Wyoming for a Passover Seder you will remember for a lifetime!

 

Relive the exodus, discover the eternal meaning of the Haggadah, and enjoy a community Seder complete with hand baked Shmurah Matzah, an international selection of Kosher wines, and an elegant dinner spiced with unique traditional customs.

Experience the liberation and freedom of Passover. Discover the Seders relevance today.

First Seder:  Monday, Aprl 10 at 6:30 pm … Wort Hotel, 50 N. Glenwood, Jackson

Couvert:  $36 per person

Sponsor:  $360 (includes family of up to five)

No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.

RSVP here

Check out the Dayton Art Loop Studio Tour

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Check out the Dayton Art Loop Studio Tour — Saturday, November 19, from 10-4 in beautiful Dayton, WY.

An annual showcase of the many artists and artisans in beautiful & quaint Dayton, Wyoming!

  • Raffle for a basket of items donated by participants (proceeds benefit our local art scholarship), as well as a door price drawn from people who visit each stop on the map.
  • New to this year’s tour will be David & Donna McDougall’s new gallery — Painted Skull Studio — located at the historical Hans Kleiber residence in Dayton.
  • Noted local artist Alice Fuller is also back in the tour.  She’ll be showing in her studio just outside Dayton.  Don’t miss this stop!
  • Gallery on Main will host a variety of local artists as well as sweet treats, lunch and beverages, and Tongue River Valley Community Center will host lunch and a bazaar, as well as Iris Sorensen’s award-winning Lakota dolls and dance sticks. Iris’ husband Kevin will show his woodwork there as well. Barb Sellar will have new items at Dog Paw Pottery.
  • The Art Loop is a perfect place to pick up unique gifts by local artists!
  • Sonja Caywood will be celebrating her brand new studio addition, at 317 2nd Ave W!  “More than 4 people will fit inside my studio now,” Sonja adds. “So bring a friend!”  

Watch for signs and pick up a map to enter in the door prize drawing.

#wykidsaregood & events coming up!

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SHARE YOUR #WYKIDSAREGOOD MOMENTS WITH US!

As we prepare to launch our new Wy Woman & Family Magazine website & first online magazine, we want to hear from you! We’re looking for stories of Wyoming kids (of any age!) doing good things for others!

Helping someone in need … volunteering to help others … giving comfort to a person in need … being nice to someone … big or small, we want to hear it all!

No prizes, no gimmicks, no giveaways — just a chance to applaud Wyoming kids for being amazing.

We’re going to blog & share these stories as they come in, so don’t wait! Each story will include the child’s first name and town where they live. Pictures are welcome, but not required. Please include a statement on your willingness to publish your child’s first name, Wyoming home town and photo (if included/desired) on our blog.

Email to editor@wyolifestyle.com – no deadlines, we’ll keep them going as they come in!

Search the hashtag #wykidsaregood to find our stories that we share …

#wykidsaregood 


Upcoming Wyoming Events!

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Downtown Sheridan Wraps Up Summer!

3rd Thursday Sheridan Logo July 2016

From the Downtown Sheridan Association…

The days are getting shorter, and I for one look forward to a little slower pace…but, honestly there is still so much going on and so many reasons to visit downtown, I never do seem to get much time to unwind!

This week, our final 3rd Thursday will feature the Craft Brothers and the Sheridan High School varsity teams pep rally. Be sure to stop by the main stage for the first ever “flash mob” to be held on Main Street at 7pm!

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The following Thursday at the weekly farmers’ market on Grinnell Plaza, CATO Ranch and the Cottonwood Shop are sponsoring the first “Sheridan Amateur Chopped” contest! A lively crew of local foodies will be cooking up some delicious meals comprised mostly of locally raised meats and produce. The last Thursday of September, the 29th, the Sheridan Farmers’ Market sponsored by Landon’s Greenhouse, will close out the downtown market season here on Grinnell Plaza. However, Saturday, October 8, the DSA will again cosponsor the Sheridan Local Food Expo/Fall Harvest Market. This year’s event will take place October 5th through October 8th, kicking off with a premier screening of the PBS/Farm to Fork Episode of, “Compost” at the Sheridan Public Library on Wednesday the 5th at 5:30pm.

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Friday, October 7th is the Farm to Plate Gala Dinner at the Barn in Big Horn. A four course seasonally inspired dinner prepared by Chef Antonia Armenta Miller, of CATO Ranch, will be paired with wines from Jackson Hole Winery. The tickets are $75 each. This fee helps raise funds to benefit the Local Foods Expo group with a portion of the proceeds also benefiting the local youth programs that promote our commitment to support, promote and educate the community on the importance of buying and eating locally. For more information, please contact Bonnie Gregory at 307-752-5712.

The weekend will wrap up on Saturday with the Farmers’ Market Fall Festival at the Whitney Academic Center on the Sheridan College Campus. Sponsored by Wyoming Roofing, this market combines the Sheridan & Landon’s Farmers Markets from 9am till 11am with live music by Crooked Mountain and featuring other seasonal events. The morning market will be followed by a discussion panel entitled, “Eating, Growing & Selling” at noon. For more information, please contact Donald Legerski at 307-683-7849 or email sheridanlocalfoods@gmail.com.

 

Finally, the Historic District Promotions Committee continues to focus on year-round shop local campaigns that help to increase awareness of what our downtown has to offer as well as create incentives and enthusiasm for local shoppers during the off-holiday season. The October Hunting for Bucks shop local campaign incorporates the ever popular hunting season as well as rewarding locals for shopping downtown by offering “chamber bucks” as a weekly prize for shoppers throughout the month of October. The City of Sheridan has generously agreed to sponsor the campaign again this year. Last year, the first Hunting For Bucks campaign was a huge success with $800 in chamber bucks distributed to 21 lucky shoppers.

For more information, please call 307-672-8881 or email

 

3rd Thursday Sheridan for July is Coming! JULY 21

WY Public Radio third blockresized 2016 festival ad

3rd Thursday Sheridan Logo July 2016

Downtown Sheridan Association’s

Third Thursday Street Festival !

JULY 21 ON SHERIDAN’S MAIN STREET

from 5pm to 9pm

featuring on the Main stage

GARY SMALL & ONE EARTH

at the Bank of the West stage

Doug Andrews

3rd Thursday Sheridan sponsors 2016

Thanks you to these sponsors! Funded in part by Sheridan Travel & Tourism and the City of Sheridan.

 

Big Horn Basin Folk Festival – Catch it this August 6-7 in Thermopolis!

WY Public Radio third blockresized 2016 festival ad

click on the image above for a full list of Big Horn Basin Folk Festival Events & Details!

“Hear Me Now” — Wyoming Storytellers Take Spotlight

By Ellen Sue Blakely

Images provided by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation

For a full schedule of presenters during “Hear Me Now” Storytelling Circle, August 6-7, see www.wyomingfolkfestival.com. Other weekend events include the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days, Kiwanis Craft Fair and the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival, with music performances all day, demonstrators, workshops, food vendors, juried art show & sale and kid-friendly activities.

When we were kids and all the cousins gathered for the annual Fourth of July ice cream and watermelon feast, our great aunt Kate kept all of us in line by expounding on a “haint” she called “Rawhide and bloody bones.” For years, we assumed Aunt Kate had made up this scary haunt of a creature.

It turns out that Kate had borrowed and adapted “Rawhide” from an Irish tale — probably one she had heard as a child from her grandparents who had come from the Emerald Isle. Aunt Kate is long gone; but, to this day, her scary rendition still brings chills and laughter to the now-aging cousins.

That’s the power of story. If you have ever sat around a campfire and told (or listened to) ghost stories or tall tales, you know its spell. Those who study stories as an art form say telling stories is the oldest art form; and from it grew poetry — rhyming was a way of remembering a longer story.

Although there has not been an organized effort at preserving Wyoming’s stories in recent years, our people have always been inveterate storytellers. Mountain men told plenty of whoppers when they gathered at the fur-trading rendezvous. Music and storytelling were common in the Native American tipis, cowboy bunkhouses, farmhand shacks and homestead cabins. It still is. Given half a chance, today’s outfitters, hunters and fishermen will regale listeners with tales about the “ones that got away.”

This year, Wyoming is taking a step to share our long-standing storytelling tradition at “Hear Me Now,” the state’s first organized Storytelling Circle. (The concept of a “storytelling circle” harks back to those days of campfires and tipis.) The event is part of the Big Horn Basin Festival, August 6-7, 2016, in Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis. “Hear Me Now” is sponsored by Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation with a ThinkWyoming grant from the Wyoming Humanities Council. Additional support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund and Wyoming Arts Council.

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“Hear Me Now” will be moderated by Spencer Bohren, nationally known musician and storyteller. Although Bohren now lives in New Orleans, Wyomingites still claim him as their own since he grew up in Casper, and his family still lives and plays music there. Bohren maintains strong ties with the state, presenting educational programs in the schools and public performances in Wyoming communities throughout the year.

Professional storytellers telling tales throughout the day are Michelle King, Basin; Catherine Ringler, Powell; Marilyn Braaten, Thermopolis, and Jennisen Lucas, Cody. The group recently formed the Big Horn Basin Storytelling Guild to promote the art of storytelling.

Echo Klaproth, Shoshoni, former Wyoming poet laureate, and Dick Hall, Thermopolis, cowboy poet, will bring poetry into the tent. Mike Hurwitz, who will be performing at the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival during the weekend, will drop by with his own brand of Western stories. Karl Milner, who specializes in mountain man skills, will add a story or two from the mountain man era. Annie Hatch, Wyoming Arts Council folk arts specialist, will give a bit of historical perspective on the art of Wyoming storytelling. Miss V, sometimes called “The Gypsy Cowbelle,” will talk about her adventures homesteading in Wyoming.

As a special feature, Spencer Bohren will perform his nationally acclaimed “Down the Dirt Road Blues,” 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Sunday, August 7, in the Storytelling Tent. Bohren uses historic music instruments as he tells how one song moved from its African roots to blues to rock and roll.

“Hear Me Now” is free and of interest to all ages. Visitors can “come sit a spell” and — if you are so inclined — you can even add your own tales — true or otherwise — during the open microphone opportunities.

After all, if you don’t tell your favorite story, who will?

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Ellen Sue Blakey of Thermopolis is a textile artist, rug braider, author, musician and occasional storyteller. You can hear and see her story about rug braiding and Depression-era women on youtube. If you attend the Storytelling Circle, look her up, say the magic words “Uncle Charlie”; she may just tell you the story of Charlie, the sheriff’s hat, a blackberry pie, and how he came to Wyoming.

 

July Excitement in Pinedale & Laramie!

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It’s a big time of year across Wyoming – JULY!! Green River Rendezvous in Pinedale, Wyo Rodeo in Sheridan, Laramie Jubilee Days, Cheyenne Frontier Days, county rodeos, OH MY! So much fun! Excited to help promote it all … Check out the images for both the Meet Me on the Green Pageant & Parade (part of Green River Rendezvous in Pinedale), and Laramie Jubilee Days’ schedule of events …

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ONEHOPE Wine Rock Springs Event – Help Rock Springs & Green River Food Banks!

 

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Mix, Mingle & Make An Impact!

Bring Your Favorite Wine Glass & Come Support Rock Springs & Green River Food Banks

 via ONEHOPE Wine – April Kelley

image by One Hope Wine
image by One Hope Wine

Date:  Saturday, March 5

Time:  2-4 PM

Location:  Hampton Inn – Rock Springs (1901 Dewar Drive)

This event is for ages 21 & over. Proceeds from this event will go to help the Rock Springs & Green River Food Banks. Seating is limited so please RSVP by Monday, February 29, 2016 at onehopesimplebliss@gmail.com or call 202.805.3611.

*At this time, only debit/credit cards will be accepted for orders placed.*

Washakie Museum of Worland – Annie Get Your Gun & Mammoth Quick Draw Coming Up!

Washakie Museum Fall 2015 WLM

2015 Mammoth Quick Draw & Annie Get Your Gun October 24-25 — in Worland

by Jenn Simmons, Washakie Museum

images by David Huber Photography

 

The life-size bronze Columbian Mammoth stands guard outside the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, enticing passers-by with its magnitude. Casper sculptor Chris Navarro created the mammoth that makes such a powerful first impression for travelers, but what is inside the museum keeps visitors there for hours.

Mammoth At Night

The Washakie Museum and Cultural Center in Worland, Wyoming, serves the Big Horn Basin as a history museum and an art and cultural center, as well as the local Visitor Center. The present 25,000 square foot facility opened in 2010 and houses two permanent exhibits: the Ancient Basin and the Last West, as well as a constantly changing temporary gallery. Dinosaurs, mammoths, rifles and a sheep wagon are only a fraction of the exhibits, many of which are interactive. The museum also holds lectures, book signings, community theater, formal dinners, live musical performances, children’s programs and art shows. Washakie Museum is a registered non-profit entity, operating on donations, membership fees, patron support, grants and fundraising efforts.

 

One of the most important fundraising events occurs in November:  the annual Mammoth Quick Draw. Hosted in partnership with the Worland Rotary Club, the Quick Draw is now in its fourth year. Both groups utilize the funds to improve facilities and opportunities in Wyoming and beyond. The Worland Rotary Club is heavily involved in funding both local and international projects including a cabin at the H Diamond 4H Camp, fitness equipment to improve Riverside Park, playground equipment for the Children’s Resource Center, and partnering with the Evanston Rotary to fund a latrine project in Guatemala. The Rotary Club in Worland also hosts and greatly assists in funding International Exchange Students. The Washakie Museum benefits from the work the artists create in the Quick Draw, and in return supports Wyoming artists through holding shows, sales and art education workshops. Mark McKenna, Robert Martinez, Ray Bower Jr., Linda Sopko, Gayle Barnett, Belinda Daugherty, Sam Angelo, Jim Davis, and Linda Jolley are some of the Quick Draw artists who return to the museum to exhibit their work and lead artist workshops for the community. The Quick Draw is an important fundraiser for both groups, but above all, it is an entertaining evening with music, food, and incredible art.

 

The 2015 Mammoth Quick Draw will be held November 20 from 5:30-10:00 PM at the Washakie Museum with tickets for $40. Executive Director Cheryl Reichelt says, “I hate to call it a party, but really, it is a fun event for everyone.” The evening begins at 5:30 PM with a gourmet meal by Chef Katy Hayes and live music by the Wyoming Fiddlers’ Association. Guests can eat and are encouraged to mingle with the artists who are set up throughout the building. Sam Angelo, a skilled wood turner out of Worland, humorously claims, “The Quick Draw turns an otherwise solitary and introspective behavior into a vaudeville act.” Angelo certainly plays to that aspect of the evening, setting up a camera and screen for his fans to better see the detail work he does. The audience of over 400 enjoys interacting with the artists—whether or not the artists are ready. Attendees also have the chance to examine and purchase additional works on display by each artist, and the “wall art” becomes part of the excitement.

Auction audience 2014

The Artists’ Quick Draw begins at 6:30 PM and lasts exactly one hour.  Artists have the option of either a Quick Draw or a Quick Finish. In a traditional Quick Draw, the artist creates and finishes an entire piece during the hour, while in a Quick Finish the artist finishes a piece previously started.  Watching the professional at work is an unusual opportunity for art lovers, and intoxicating part of the evening. Christine Dubbs, painter from Bozeman, Montana remarks, “It is a unique experience that allows artists to share part of the creative process with the public. I would like to think it offers an interesting perspective that the typical art viewer never gets to explore.” Guests are encouraged to observe that process, and many fan favorites are developed during this time.

 

At precisely 7:30 PM, the completed works go up for display in preparation for the final event of the evening–the live auction. The auction is conducted by Ed Keller, a local auctioneer who continues to donate his time every year for the event. Emcees for the evening are Mike Greear, Rotary member and state representative for Wyoming House District 27, and Martha Lawley, current Vice-President of the Washakie Museum’s Board of Directors, and are sure to entertain throughout the auction with their amusing banter with the crowd and artists. Any unsold art work remains on display through the end of the year, giving those who missed the event a chance to see and purchase the work by these skilled professionals.

Sam Angelo wood turner from Worland WY finishes a piece with a magnified video available for patrons to observe close work

The Mammoth Quick Draw event is growing to the benefit of the Rotary projects, the museum, and participating artists. The first auction sales were $18,000 with last year’s sales totaling $36,000. In addition, with the museum’s proceeds, nine artists have benefited by special exhibitions at the museum, gaining exposure and recognition for their talent. Gordon Neumann, Worland Rotary Member, states, “We get some of the best art and combine it with a very fun evening.”

 

The art is the real reason for the evening, and the art from the Mammoth Quick Draw is some of the finest in Northern Wyoming. Thirty artists are expected this year. The artists come from Wyoming, Montana and Northern Colorado. Most of the artists are returning favorites, often requested by patrons. Currently, Worland artists attending are Sam Angelo (woodturning), Tracy Myers (pyrography), Pam Greek (Raku), Jessica Salzman (beadwork), Cheri Shelp (textile weaving), Victoria Frisbee (printmaking), Brenda Suko (drawing), Kent Richins (oil painting), Darlene Hill (oil painting), and Victoria Bales (oil painting). Other returning artists include Steve Lillegard (Stanford, MT), Gail Patrick (mixed media, Manderson), Dustin Stephenson (pottery, Ten Sleep), Karyne Dunbar (mixed media, Shell), Belinda Daugherty (watercolor, Ten Sleep), Suzi Richards (acrylic, Basin), Gayle Barnett (watercolor, Meeteetse), Christine Dubbs (watercolor, Bozeman, MT), Robert Martinez (airbrush, Riverton), Linda Jolley (acrylic on slate, Greybull), Glenda Ramsey (watercolor, Thermopolis), and Mark McKenna (oil painting, Powell). Artists making their debut in the Quick Draw this year are Jim Hagstrom of Cody (painting), Tawni Shuler (mixed media) and CR Sadler (painting) both of Sheridan, and David Henderson of Basin (painting), Angela Siems of Thermopolis (painting and pastels), and Diana Dellos of Fort Collins (painting).

 

While the Mammoth Quick Draw is an important fundraising evening at the museum, it is only one of many historical and cultural events that take place this fall. Bill Sniffin arrived to sign books and lecture on Tuesday, September 15. Gayle Barnett, Meeteetse watercolor artist, opened her show the evening of October 2 with a Friday Night Wine Down and an artist workshop on October 3. Barnett’s show runs through October 31. “Seasons of Needlework,” a collaborative exhibit by Cross-Stitchers Anonymous and the Cottonwood Quilters, arrives for an opening on October 15, and the exhibit remains up through November 14. David Romvedt, a former Wyoming Poet Laureate, current instructor in the MFA writing program at UW, and accordion of music group The Fireants, celebrates his new novel on October 17 with a reading and performance of traditional Basque music.  Annie Get Your Gun is a community theater performance directed by museum performing arts staff on October 23-24 and will be performed at the Worland Middle School auditorium.

 

The 2015 Mammoth Quick Draw is November 20 and starts at 5:30 with tickets for $40. Tickets can be purchased on the Washakie Museum & Cultural Center website or Facebook page, at the museum, or through a local Rotary member. General Admission to the museum is $8 for adults, $7 seniors, $6 children 7-12, free to children 6 and under, and a family rate of $25. Washakie Museum is an AAA Listed Attraction with a discount on general admission for AAA members. Winter hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. The museum is located at 2200 Big Horn Avenue in Worland. Find out more about the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, including upcoming events, at www.washakiemuseum.org or on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/washakiemuseum.

 

NEWS FROM THE PARKS: Ride Menor’s Ferry at Grand Teton National Park

WY Beef Summer WLM 2015

FROM GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK:  Ride Menor’s Ferry & Experience Early Method of River Crossing on the Snake

MOOSE, WY — Ever wondered how Jackson Hole’s early settlers crossed the Snake River before bridges? Beginning Monday, July 20, visitors can take a ride on a replica ferry boat and experience crossing the Snake in the same fashion provided by Bill Menor through his routine ferry service of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Park ranger naturalists will offer free rides daily from 9:00–10:15 a.m. and 1:15–2:15 p.m., as well as before and after the ranger-led program, “A Walk into the Past,” that occurs each day at 2:30 p.m.  Call 307.739.3399 for additional operation times.

The wooden ferry boat serves as a central feature of the Menor/Noble Historic District, located just north of the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Grand Teton National Park.  Ferry rides transport visitors across the Snake River from Menor’s general store on the west bank of the river to Dornan’s on the east bank—and back.

 

Menors Ferry July 2015

Menor’s Ferry consists of a wooden platform deck placed upon two pontoons for flotation. The ferry is tethered to a cable system that spans the river and operates by directing the pontoons toward the opposite riverbank, allowing the power of the current to push the craft across the river channel. The system uses river power—rather than motor power—to push the ferry across the water. This type of river travel existed in ancient times and was widely used throughout the United States.

Menor’s Ferry played a vital role in providing safe transport for passengers over the swift-flowing Snake River before construction of a bridge. Prior to the ferry’s existence, the Snake River was essentially impassable from Wilson to Moran—except during low water periods in the fall and winter months. As a man of vision, Bill Menor saw the need for a more convenient access across the Snake River and consequently built and operated his ferry from 1894 until 1918 when he sold it to Maud Noble. Maud operated the ferry until 1927 when its use became obsolete after a steel truss bridge was constructed across the river, allowing for vehicles and foot traffic to cross without the assistance of a ferry service.

Although transportation has changed over time, Menor’s Ferry offers a chance to step back into the past and experience a bygone time and historic mode of river passage.

 

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COWBOY TOUGH ADVENTURE RACE

WY Beef Summer WLM 2015

CHECK OUT ALL THE TEAMS AT THE CAMECO COWBOY TOUGH ADVENTURE WEEK WEBSITE:  http://www.cowboytoughwy.com/#!teamroster/c1aam

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cOWBOY tOUGH RACE 2015

FROM WIND RIVER COUNTRY TOURISM:

Cowboy Tough Adventure Race, Here We Come! Lander Athletes Represent Wind River Country at the 2015 Cowboy Tough Adventure Race (July 16 –July 19)

 

Wyoming – “So what are you up to this weekend?”

“Oh we’re just headed to Buffalo to do a little trekking through the Bighorns, some mountain and fire road biking, a little Class III whitewater boating, and a touch of orienteering with 100 athletes from over the globe for an 84-hour adventure race ending in Casper.”

Here in Wind River Country, chances are you know one: your neighbor, best friend, co-worker, or even you and your partner are considered an “adventure athlete.” Whether you weekend-warrior up to Wind River’s Stough Creek for a 21-mile fishing excursion, wake up at 5am to run the Tomato Loop, bushwhack with topo maps through the Red Desert to find petroglyphs, ride at-skis/fat bikes/stout horses through the backcountry—there’s a familiar, prevalent breed of (and unspoken camaraderie among) outdoor-forward humans throughout Fremont County.

No surprise that Fremont County has its own adventure race team, for its second year, competing in Wyoming’s 2015 Cowboy Tough Adventure Race. Sponsored by the Wind River Visitors Council, Team Wind River Country is a coed team of four, all residents of Lander.

Captain Charles (Chuck) Schuster crunches 0’s and 1’s by day for Wyoming Life Resource Center. He and his Cowboy Tough teammate and wife Karla Wagner, a local OB/GYN physician, originally got the adventure racing bug at the annual Leadville 100 MTB (mountain biking) race. (Where they spend over ten hours biking 100 miles over 14,000 feet of elevation gain. Each year. On a tandem bike. For fun.)

Returning for a second round, Wind River Country teammate Shad Hamilton is principal at Fort Washakie, a husband, and father of two. Having met in 2006 at the cycling club, Shad has joined Schuster-Wagner on several Leadville races and adventures through the backcountry. Hamilton paddled a canoe singlehandedly across Boysen Reservoir for one leg of last year’s Cowboy Tough to keep the team rolling through an injury and brief and unofficial checkpoint in the Emergency Room. Shad’s wife jokingly refers to Chuck as “that friend” (who drags him out for days and hours of insanity.) We’re not sure if that’s better than a weekly game of poker with the guys or not.

Brad Young is a husband, father, Army veteran, and the newest member of Team Wind River Country. A behavioral therapist at the Wyoming Life Resource Center, Brad was inspired by Chuck’s endeavors over office water cooler conversations, and effectively turned curiosity into action. After surviving his “first date” with the team at the Teton Ogre Adventure Race in June 2014, Brad has been training and on board for Cowboy Tough ever since.

The 2015 Cowboy Tough race-course this year is set for a start in Buffalo, a gentle meander through the Big Horns (ha) and finish line in Casper. 360-430 miles of trekking, paddling, orienteering, fire road biking, single track biking, mountain and road biking, and plenty of checkpoint challenges over the course of four days. Teams are completely independent and self-sufficient for food and water, and are allowed one tote box on an eighteen-wheeler for transition stations. What does that mean? Racing “re-starts” each morning at 7am and even if you rolled into the transition station at 2am, you have to get your food, sleep, and gear ready to start all over again.

Paula McCormick, marketing director of the Wind River Visitor’s Council was adamant about supporting the team in its second year. “Wind River Country is known for its mountains, rivers, trails, and unparalleled terrain from high desert to alpine. Even more so are the people that live here. There’s a pool of adventure athletes who are ‘Cowboy Tough’ and we are thrilled to support them… and have Wind River Country represented at an international (and Wyoming) competition that receives global exposure. These are the people we run by on the trail or see out on the mountain pass. They are our own.”

To get a sense of what this year’s race looks like, look at the video and photos from last year’s race that started in Fremont County. http://www.cowboytoughwy.com/ – !media/c9v9

You can track Fremont County’s team during the race on posts on our Wind River Country Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/WyomingsWindRiverCountry?fref=ts

Related Links: Lander Chamber of CommerceRiverton Chamber of Commerce, Dubois Chamber of CommerceDestination Dubois

ON THE CALENDAR: Intl Climbers Festival in Lander July 8-12

WY Beef Summer WLM 2015

Intl Climber Fest 1

From the Wind River Visitors Council …

Lander, WY – The International Climbers’ Festival is a five-day rock climbing festival that brings together hundreds of people from across the country to Lander. The event includes rock climbing clinics, speakers, and plenty of fun for climbers of any age.

Located in central Wyoming, Lander sits at the base of the spectacular granite-filled Wind River Range, which has some of the best alpine routes in the country. Just outside of town are the legendary limestone-dolomite sport-climbing crags of Sinks Canyon and Wild Iris, where you can find single pitch sport and traditional climbing as well as bouldering with grades for the whole family.

Questions:   climbersfestival@gmail.com or visit www.climbersfestival.org

Image by Wind River Visitors Council
Image by Wind River Visitors Council

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8

  • Noon- Registration Opens at Wild Iris Store
  • Evening Events at American Museum of the American West, BBQ from 5:30-8:00pm
  • 6pm- Legends & Lore at the Museum of the American West
  • 8pm- Boulder Bash at Cabin Boulders (with lights!)

THURSDAY, JULY 9

  • 8am-Noon- Access Fund Service Project, with Support from the Trango
  • 9am-11:00am: Shoe Demo at Wild Iris Store (return to store as well)
  • Noon-4:00pm: Tour Lander Brewing on the hour @ the Cowfish
  • 3:00-5:00pm: Falcon Guide Writer’s Clinic
  • 5:00pm- Central Bank & Trust Art Crawl begins and will make stops at local businesses to see various art displays and scotch/beer tasting.
  • 7:00—11:00 pm- Opening Party, brought to you by La Sportiva and the Lander Bar at the Gannett Grill. Pull-Up competition starts at 7:00pm and band, Trout Steak Revival, starts at 8:00pm.

FRIDAY, JULY 10

  • 8:00am- Breakfast Burritos by Solid Rock Climbers’ For Christ in City Park
  • 8:30am-10am: Shoe demos in City Park (return to City Park as well)
  • 9:00am- Meet for clinics at City Park and carpool to Crag
  • 2:00pm-9:00pm- Trade Fair at City Park. Includes booths, exciting games, gear giveaways, and a Dyno Comp that starts at 6:00pm.
  • 9:00pm Peculiar Patriots playing at the Lander Bar

SATURDAY, JULY 11

  • 7:00-9:00am- Dolomite Dash Trail Run, sponsored by Elemental Gym with support from Dynafit @ Wild Iris Crag (21k at 7:00am, 5k & 10k at 7:30am)
  • 8:30 am- Crag Breakfast by the Middle Fork @ Wild Iris Crag
  • 8:30 am-10am Shoe Demos at Wild Iris Crag (return to Wild Iris Store)
  • 10:00 am- Clinics at Wild Iris Crag
  • 6:00 pm- Autograph Session with Athletes at Community Center
  • 7:00pm- Millet Keynote Speaker Series
  • 8:30pm- Closing Party and DJ Cut La Whut

SUNDAY, JULY 12

  • Coffee by prAna
  • 9:00 Slide Show by Hans Florine (City Park)

All Access Pass – $70
All presentations, $10 Art Crawl dollars, Trade Fair, T-shirt, and Clinics. Includes select free food and discounts for drinks. Your way to experience the entire Festival!

Children’s Ticket – $35
All Access pass, specially priced for kids ages 6-17. Kids under 6 are free!

 

Intl Climber Fest 3

Image from Wind River Visitor Center
Image from Wind River Visitor Center

From the Parks: Two Temp Exhibits Celebrate Wyoming at Natl Elk Refuge

 CLICK HERE & READ OUR NEW ISSUE ONLINE!

 

WY Beef Summer WLM 2015

A reproduction of Rock Springs' Andrew Kneeland's Duck Stamp award-winning acrylic painting.
A reproduction of Rock Springs’ Andrew Kneeland’s Duck Stamp award-winning acrylic painting.

Two temporary exhibits will be on display next month at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, located at 532 N. Cache Street in Jackson. The public is invited to view the colorful exhibits, which celebrate Wyoming successes.

From the National Elk Refuge … The first exhibit commemorates the 125th anniversary of Wyoming statehood. Wyoming became the 44th state admitted to the Union on July 10, 1890. An interactive display will give visitors an opportunity to learn more about the state’s history and fun facts. Both a Wyoming and National Elk Refuge time line will be featured, along with coloring sheets, state logos, and a Wyoming quiz. Small Wyoming flags will be given to the first 200 families that visit the exhibit, which will be in the upstairs theater from July 2 through July 12.

Later in the month, visitor center staff will add a second exhibit to the upper level of the visitor center. The Wyoming Junior Duck Stamp 2015 Artwork Tour for the Top 100 entries and National Best in Show will move from its current location at the Campbell County Public Library in Gillette to the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center from July 9 through August 2.The exhibit features an acrylic painting of two wood ducks by Andrew Kneeland, age 17, of Rock Springs. Not only was Kneeland awarded top honors in the state competition, but his artwork was judged the winner among best–of–show entries from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. His design will appear on next year’s Federal Junior Duck Stamp, scheduled to be released in June 2016.

The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is a dynamic educational program that uses both conservation and design principles to teach wetland habitat and waterfowl biology to students from kindergarten through high school. The program incorporates both scientific and wildlife management principles into an engaging visual arts curriculum. At the completion of their studies, participants complete a Junior Duck Stamp design, which is submitted to a state or territory contest. Top entries move on to the national competition.

 

Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center hours are from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.

 

ON THE CALENDAR: Elevation 8076′ Celebration & Rock Springs Kicks Off Farmers Markets in July!

WY Beef Summer WLM 2015

 

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The Elevation 8076′ Celebration is a music, food, and arts fair inCentennial, Wyoming on July 3rd! All profits benefit the Albany County Search & Rescue and the Centennial Valley Volunteer Fire Department. 

Music Featuring: 
Kelsey Waldon 
Luke Bell 
Kelley Mickwee 
Brandy Zdan – https://www.facebook.com/brandyzdanmusic?fref=ts 
Harland Allen 
Danno from Wyo

Festival Seating Only BRING A CHAIR!!!!! The arts part of the celebration starts at 11. Music starts at 1. 

Tickets are $20 at the gate, but we will be announcing on this page where you can get your tickets for FREE so stay tuned!

 

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