Discovery Days will celebrate folk life, art first week of August

Wyoming Discovery Days will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 6-7 in Hot Springs State Park. 

This popular folk festival will celebrate Wyoming’s unique cultural heritage through stories, music, food, art, and demonstrations. The festival showcases the creativity and handwork of Wyoming’s own storytellers, artists, craftsmen, and musicians. 

It includes a Storytelling Circle, music at the Pavilion, Fine Art and Folk Art Show, Trading Post, Folk Master Craftsmen Tent, artisan and guild demonstrations, hands-on activities for families, and a Rocky Mountain Food Court. 

Many different types of folk and traditional music will entertain and educate listeners. Wyoming’s own Jalan Crossland, will be a featured performer. Crossland, from Ten Sleep, is a singer-songwriter who cuts across American bluegrass, Americana, and alternative country. 

A favorite feature of Wyoming Discovery Days, different groups will play, sing, and dance on Saturday and Sunday.  Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center will host a special tent featuring Wyoming authors and stories about Wyoming.

This year’s festival will focus on Wyoming Authors and Books written about Wyoming. Stop by the Hot Springs Museum and Cultural booth, across from the Hear Me Now Storytellers Circle to visit with Wyoming authors Leah and Tom Schoenewald and Linda Crichton, and look over the many books about Wyoming.

New this year, Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center is partnering with Discovery Days Folk Festival to provide Wyoming Authors a chance to share their books and offer them for sale.  Each author will man their area and can keep all sales from their books.  There is no fee for authors to participate. 

Sunday afternoon will be an opportunity for authors to share about their books or read a portion of their book in the storytelling tent. Come and learn from these authors what inspires them to write, learn how to build a story, and how to publish your work. This addition fits nicely with the Hear Me Now Storytelling Circle. Storytellers will share their favorite stories Saturday during the event.

“For The Kids”, a full day lineup of activities for children and their families, begins at The Hear Me Now Storytelling Circle. Children will take center stage to help act out stories.  The kids’ trail continues to the Art Activity Tent where families can play handmade musical instruments, create a craft to take home, and learn to rope like a cowboy. Other activities will include making your own special design on a leather bookmark. Families can end the day trailing through the many vendor booths for fun items to browse and buy.

The festival is open to the public without charge. Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund have provided special funding to help with the event.  There is additional funding from local and state sponsors including the public and private sector.

The festival is held the same weekend as the Gift of the Waters Pageant Days. The Pageant tells how the hot springs were given to the state by the Native Americans from the Wind River Reservation. It will be performed starting around 6 pm in the area around the Big Spring on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Visit their website at wyomingdiscoverydays.org for an entry form and submit by July 15 if you are interested in participating.  They are accepting artists, craftsman, trading post sellers, demonstrators, food trucks and breweries. 

Contact info@wyomingdiscoverydays.org for specific inquiries or visit wyomingdiscoverydays.org