Pick up a rhyme, jingle your spurs and try your hand at wrangling a bit of history. Cowboy poetry is an oral tradition, with deep roots in these Ozark hills. On Saturday, September 26, the Ozark Folk Center State Park is offering aspiring and experienced cowboy poets a chance to share their works in the White Oak Auditorium at 2:00 p.m. Admission to the Cowboy Poetry exhibition is free.
Perform your own original poems, or read your favorite verse. If you’re too shy to share your work, rope a friend into reading it for you. This performance is low-key and fun. Register at the front desk in the Administration lobby by 1:00 p.m. on Saturday for your performance time, or call the Ozark Folk Center State Park at 870-269-3851 to register. There is no cost to perform.
Cowboys were drawn to the Ozarks in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s by cheap land, low taxes, abundant water and good grass. When they came, they found their neighbors had a rich tradition of songs, “ballets” similar to the cowboy songs and poetry from the West. Famous cowboy balladeers such as Glenn Ohrlin, Jim McElroy and Hubb Willis have called the Stone County Arkansas area home.
Admission to the Ozark Folk Center State Park Craft Village is $12.00 for adults and $7.00 for children. Prices are the same for evening concerts or you can buy a combination ticket to enjoy the whole day for $19.50 for adults and $10.25 for children. The Village is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday until November 29.
The mission of Ozark Folk Center State Park is to perpetuate, present and promote the Ozark way of life in an educational and enjoyable manner; through craft demonstrations, musical programs, the Heritage Herb Garden, workshops and other special events. The oral tradition of ballads, poems and storytelling are part of the Ozark way of life that we love to share. Visit the web site at www.ozarkfolkcenter.com for more information on classes, concerts and the Ozark way of life.
