2025 Hootin an Hollarin to have more old-time demonstrators than ever before
Fiddlemaker Stacy Davenport from Yellville, Arkansas, will be returning to Hootin an Hollarin this year, setup on the courthouse lawn showing festival attendees how to make traditional fiddles. He's pictured here with the first fiddle he made, finished in 1991. He was taught by Violet Hensley, who was 107 at the time this photo was taken last year. The fiddle is also signed by country music legend, Grandpa Jones, he said.
The spirit of Ozark County’s past shines brightest through the many demonstrators who set up at Hootin an Hollarin each year. These talented volunteers give their time freely to share the skills and traditions that once defined daily life in the Ozarks. In response to festival goers’ requests, the committee has worked especially hard to bring back more craftsmen and women, offering a wider variety of old-time demonstrations.
From practical homestead skills to fine handcrafts, each demonstration gives visitors the chance to watch heritage come alive right before their eyes-whether it’s the smell of fresh bread baking, the steady rhythm of a loom or the sparks from a knife being sharpened on a whetstone.
Some demonstrators will be set up at various booths along the square (see festival booth map), while others will be demonstrating from the shady courthouse lawn. Make sure to stop and take a stroll under the courthouse maples for those demonstrations. The trees make the perfect backdrop for a step back in time to a bygone era in Ozarks history. Anyone interested in joining the lineup of demonstrators at a future festival is encouraged to reach out to Barb Luna at 417-712-1946.
This year, the festival will have the following demonstrations:
• Homemade bread, butter and apple butter making (free samples!)
• Corn broommaking
• Ragdoll making
• Yarn weaving
• Basket weaving
• Primitive weaponry
• Traditional teepee
• Mountain man attire
• Dutch oven cooking
• Animal pelts on display
• Live traps
• Knife sharpening
• Chainsaw carving
• Knapping
• Fiddle making
• Pedal-powered scroll saw
• Glass blowing
• Rope making
• Basket weaving
***
Hootin an Hollarin is scheduled for Sept. 18-20, on the Gainesville square.