The 2nd Annual Wild Western Festival came to Pioneer Living History Museum in North Phoenix at Pioneer Road and I-17 on Saturday and Sunday, September 23rd-24th. Thousands of western lifestyle enthusiasts came out to enjoy the beautiful fall Arizona weather and plenty of cowboy shootin’, hootin’ and hollarin’, cowboy music and good eats.
DR “Buck” Montgomery bills his event as “Where History meets Hollywood”. Stars of the old westerns including Whitey Hughes, Donna Martell, Peter Brown, Don Collier, Gregg Palmer, Bob Hoy, Marie Harmon, and authors Cheryl Rogers-Barnett and Charlie LeSueur were on hand to sign autographs.
One man from Wittman says he came in to see some of his favorite entertainers from the golden age of the silver screen. “It was a time when the western reigned and the cowboy code was the way we lived.” Donna Martel commented, “It was a simpler time.” Marie Harmon reminisced about all of the stars she had worked with, “So many are gone now.”
From the moment you entered the old west town, musicians greeted you with old west ballads. A mix of modern vendor booths selling everything from resort hotel vacations to guided desert excursions for tourist and beachfront properties in Mexico, stood next to the old west merchants with cowboy hats and sheriff stars for the kids. The big barbeque pit had burgers, dogs, ribs and chicken smelling mighty good. Traditional festival fare like snow cones and kettlekorn were doing a steady business too.
Decked out in classic cowgirl fringed riding skirt and shirt Pistol Packin’ Paula entertained a good-sized audience seated comfortably on the lawn. Her rope tricks, gun spinning and whip cracking had the crowds oohing and aaahing throughout her performance. After, she took time to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans.
Sourdough Slim and Dave Bourne took the stage at noon with a duet of piano and song. Bourne, known as the piano player in the HBO hit series “Deadwood” where his music is used as background in the Gem Saloon, showed his historian expertise as he told stories about each of the songs he played. Some were familiar, but most never made the top 40 list of hits, even back in 1880.
A nice group of award winning traditional cowboy musicians were on hand playing at one of three stages throughout the weekend. Paula Strong and Walt Richards were Western Music Association Best Duo Harmony of the Year in 2005, Tom Hiatt and the Sundown Riders, known as an Arizona Cowboy Balladeer, and Bill Barwick, “voice of the Western Channel” sang and told stories of the old west.
The World Champion Moontee Sinquah Indian Dancers and Flute player added to the traditional western flavor of the event.
Most popular were the gunfights in the old west town with Kowboy Kal, Joey Dillon, Gary “Bad Dog” Bennett, DR “Buck” Montgomery, and Pioneer’s stunt cowboys shooting it out. Crowds gathered early for seats in the grandstand or to stake out a place along the fence to catch the action up close. These gunfighters used more humor than fear in their act and the crowds enjoyed their antics.
All in all, it was a very worthwhile and entertaining festival of old west fun. A bit of advice if you attend next year, wear a hat. Even with the cooler temperatures, the sun was intense with little opportunity for shade. And drink plenty of water.
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