Frontier Days 2008
Gates open Friday at Fort MuseumBy BARBARA WALLACE HUGHES, Messenger managing editor
Article Photos
Fact Box
If you go:What: 34th annual Frontier Days
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Fort Museum and Frontier Village
Cost: Purchase of a $5 Frontier Days button, available at the gate
FRIDAY
4 p.m. — Fort Museum gates open
4:30 to 5 p.m. — T. Texas Terry (in front of stockade)
5 to 6 p.m. —Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show (in front of stockade)
6 to 8 p.m. —Frontier Days Pro Off Road Riding Demonstration (Tracy Bachman —take South Twenty second Street to the Recycling Center, watch for signs)
6:15 to 7 p.m. —Ash and Reuben Fast Horse
7:15 to 8 p.m. —Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show ( in front of stockade)
7:30 p.m. —Terry Davolt Hypnotist Show (in Opera House)
8 to 8:45 p.m. —Ash and Reuben Fast Horse
Under the Big Top
5:30 to 7 p.m. — Planet Rock
8 to 11 p.m. — Ski Band
Opera House Entertainment
7:30 p.m. — Hypnotist Terry Davolt
SATURDAY
10 a.m. — Frontier Days Parade (Downtown Fort Dodge)
10 a.m. — Fort Museum gates open
11:30 a.m. —Cowboy Life and Skills (near windmill)
Noon — Frontier Days Bike Ride (Amigo’s)
12:15 to 1 p.m. — T. Texas Terry (in front of stockade)
12:30 p.m. — Cowboy Life and Skills (near windmill)
1 to 4 p.m. —Bingo in Opera House
1 to 1:45 p.m. —Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show
1:30 p.m. — 312th U.S. Army Band (stockade)
1 p.m. —Spelling Bee (Border Plains School House)
1:30 to 2 p.m. — Merv Leverson Cattle Drive and Music (Opera House parking lot)
2 to 2:30 p.m. —Hole in the Sock Gang (on Front Street)
2 p.m. —United All Stars Dance Competition (in front of stockade)
2 to 2:45 p.m. — Ash and Reuben Fast Horse (in front of stockade)
2:45 p.m. — Cowboy Life and Skills (near windmill)
4 to 4:45 p.m. —Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show (in front of stockade)
4 p.m. —Frontier Days Worship Service by the church on Fort grounds
4 to 6 p.m. — Shade Jonze Country Music show (Opera House)
5 to 5:45 p.m. —Ash and Reuben Fast Horse
5:15 p.m. —Cowboy Life and Skills (near windmill)
5:30 to 6 p.m. —Hole in the Sock Gang (on Front Street)
6 to 6:30 p.m. — Merv Leverson Cattle Drive and Music (Opera House parking lot)
6 to 6:45 p.m. —Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show (in front of stockade)
7 to 7:45 p.m. — Ash and Reuben Fast Horse (in front of stockade)
8 to 8:45 p.m. — T. Texas Terry (in front of stockade)
Under the Big Top
2:30 to 4:30 p.m. — Cheap Drinks
5 to 7 p.m. — Salty View’s Acoustic Review
8 to 11 p.m. — Scott Dorman
Opera House Entertainment
4:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Shade Jonze
7 to 11 p.m. — Bobby Awe and the Country Awe Stars
SUNDAY
11 a.m. — Fort Museum gates open
11 a.m. — Worship service in the church
11:15 a.m. to noon — T. Texas Terry (front of stockade)
Noon to 12:45 p.m. — Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show (in front of stockade)
12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Hole in the Sock Gang (on Front Street)
1 to 1:45 p.m. — Ash and Reuben Fast Horse
1:15 to 2 p.m. — Merv Leverson Cattle Drive and Music
2 to 2:45 p.m. — Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show
2:30 to 3 p.m. — Hole in the Sock Gang (on Front Street)
3 p.m. —Terry Davolt Hypnotist Show (in the Opera House)
3 to 3:45 p.m. —Ash and Reuben Fast Horse
3:30 to 4 p.m. —Merv Leverson Cattle Drive and Music
4:30 to 5:15 p.m. —Doc Anderson Traveling Medicine Show
5:30 to 6:15 p.m. —Ash and Reuben Fast Horse
6:30 to 7:15 p.m. —T. Texas Terry
Under the Big Top
1 to 2:30 p.m. — Shade Jonze
3 to 5 p.m. — The Players
6 to 9 p.m. — Bill Dewey and the Dynammics
Opera House Entertainment
3 p.m. — Hypnotist Terry Davolt
ALL THREE DAYS
Historic Artisans
A group of historic artisans will populate Front Street buildings, showing off their handiwork, demonstrating their skills and offering items for sale. Among the tradesmen are: scrimshaw artist Mike Roberts, owner of Thunder Lodge Trading Co.; knife maker John Giannini, owner of Lion of Judah Knives; blacksmiths Mike Ameling and Tim Timmerman; woodcarver Bruce “Woodpecker” Meurer, owner of Woodpecker Trading Co.; tinsmith Jim Kimpell, owner of Highhorse Trading Co.; and basket weaver Roger Lindeman
Other entertainment
Hillbilly Bob and his antique-laden, four-wheeled companion, Old Ruthie; buckskinners camp; Gilbert’s Petting Zoo; and Cowboy Life and Skills
No, it’s not the opening line of a bad joke. It’s just a few of the entertainers who will bring their talents to the 34th annual Frontier Days celebration this weekend.
“It’s here,” said Charles Clayton, who heads up the Frontier Days Committee. “Pray for good weather.”
With the exception of Saturday’s parade and a pro off-road riding demonstration, all action takes place at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village, east of the intersection of Business U.S. Highway 20 and U.S. Highway 169.
Recent rains have left parts of the Fort grounds a bit soggy, but when it comes to Frontier Days, the show always goes on.
And that includes the 10 a.m. parade down Central Avenue. Parade coordinators Mike and Cindy Mulroney have approximately 150 entries ready to make the trip Saturday, including more royalty than usual. Scheduled to appear are Miss Frontier Days, Little Miss and Mr., winners and runners-up from the Miss Heritage Pageant, Junior Miss Iowa 2007 and National American Miss.
“We are looking forward to a great, sunny parade,” Mike Mulroney said.
Although crowds usually make their way to the Fort after Saturday’s parade, gates officially open for Frontier Days at 4 p.m. Friday.
When it comes to music, “We’re ready to go,” said Lindy Kaye, who oversees the weekend’s musical entertainment.
“We have everything from gospel, classic country, newer country, classic rock, rock and roll, blues, all the way to a military band,” Kaye said. “We’ve been wanting a military band for years.”
The 55-member 312th U.S. Army Band will play inside the stockade at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, but parade-goers will get a preview Saturday morning.
“Every band playing this year is very talented, and I think people will be very happy about the variety and just the top notch quality of the groups,” Kaye said.
At least a half dozen musical groups, including the Ski Band — longtime Fort Dodge favorites — and Scott Dorman, an area native who plays professionally in Nashville, will be making their first Frontier Days appearances under the Big Top.
“There’s a huge line up of vendors, bigger than before,” said Terry Cook, who oversees the food and craft vendors area.
Among the new food offerings this year, he said, will be vendors selling mini doughnuts, shish kabobs, gyros and tater ribbons.
New sunglass, jewelry, wood craft, honey and novelty sellers will take their place in the craft area, Cook said.
Stage entertainment kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Friday when T. Texas Terry, a former Ringling Brothers performer, brings his whips, guns and ropes back to Frontier Days. The cowboy comedian will be doing double duty this year when he performs his hypnotist act under his real name, Terry Davolt.
Doc Anderson — an Old West flim-flam man — returns with card tricks and games of chance, but this year he’s bringing his entire medicine show, complete with a wagon and his inventory of Swamp Oil Elixir. Anderson is scheduled to offer a preview of his skills from 11 a.m. to noon Friday at the Fort Dodge Hy-Vee.
Historic artisans will demonstrate their skills and sell wares along Front Street. Among those scheduled are a woodcarver who translates his interest in Eastern Woodland Indian culture into his art; a pair of blacksmiths who will fire up the forge in the Shold Blacksmith shop; a scrimshaw artist, who carves intricate designs into powder horns; a knife maker, a basket maker; and the Fort’s resident tinsmith.
Admission to all events, including the traditional Noon Sertoma pork chop dinner, requires a Frontier Days button. The buttons, which sell for $5, are available at various Fort Dodge business locations through today and at the admission gates on the Fort grounds.
Contact Barbara Wallace Hughes at (515) 573-2141 or bwh@messengernews.net'>bwh@messengernews.net
