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Annie
Oakley Days...
10th Annual Western
Arts Showcase Performances
Wild West performers headlining the 10th Annual Annie Oakley Western
Arts Showcase are gearing up for five live performances during Annie
Oakley Days in the upper level of the Darke County Fairground Coliseum.
Whip artists, trick ropers and other Wild West art experts who have
appeared shows like America’s Got Talent and The Bonnie Hunt Show will
be on hand to perform at 7 p.m. on Friday July 27 at 7 p.m. on Saturday
the 28th 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. with two more shows at Noon and 2 p.m. on
Sunday the 29th. Each show is free with regular admission.
The event started out as a gathering of whip crackers in May of 2002 at
the family farm of the founder and producer of the event, nationally
known writer, entertainer Gery L. Deer. Deer expanded the event a year
later to include trick roping, knife throwing and much more and moved
it to the grounds of Annie Oakley Days Festival. Participants have the
opportunity to learn from some of the best names in the business while
sharing their skills to entertain the public.
Scheduled Events:
7PM Friday 7-27: Wild West Showcase Performance
1PM Saturday 7-28: Wild West Arts Exhibition Contests - Whip Speed and
Accuracy, Bullwhip Fast Draw, Trick Roping
2PM Saturday 7-28: Matinee Wild West Showcase Performance
7PM Saturday 7-28: Special Grand Wild West Showcase hosted by “The
Brothers & Co. Variety Show” (http://www.thebrothersvarietyshow.com)
11AM Sunday 7-29: Wild West Showcase Performance
2PM Sunday 7-29: Wild West Showcase Performance
Whip cracking, trick roping, knife throwing exhibitions going on
throughout the weekend as well as educational sessions to learn about
the Wild West Arts and how these performers are working to keep them
alive today.
Deer is an award-winning whip artist who has spent a quarter century
performing, competing and teaching whip artistry. “We’re happy to be
back at Annie Oakley Days for our tenth year of precision whip
artistry, knife throwing and fancy trick roping,” says Deer, who is
also the managing director of The Whip Artistry Studio, bullwhip
training center in Jamestown, Ohio. “I’m grateful that we have the
opportunity to show the public genuine Wild West arts that require
talent and skill, not to mention years of practice.”
Each showcase will also feature champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of
Xenia, who teams up with wife Melodee in the suspenseful Bass Blades
impalement show. Bass is a certified thrown weapons instructor with the
International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and the assistant director
for the Western Arts Showcase events.
According to Deer, the best show to see will be on Saturday evening.
“We pull out all the stops on Saturday, with Wild West arts exhibitions
during the afternoon performance and a longer, variety show in the
evening.” For the 9th year at the festival, Saturday night’s extended
program will be hosted by The Brothers & Co. Entertainers music and
variety group from Jamestown, Ohio. Often compared to The Statler
Brothers or Oak Ridge Boys, the group offers audiences a brilliant
combination of four-part vocals and Vaudeville-style comedy and variety
routines.
All performances are family friendly. For more information go online to
www.ohiowesternarts.org or call (937) 902-4857.
Buy a weekend pass before the festival and pay only $2.00 for access to
everything. Last chance to purchase a weekend pass at the discounted
rate. Available at:
Hallmark Readmore
KitchenAid
The Coffee Pot
AAA
Mayors office, Greenville City Building
Main Street Greenville
Darke County Visitors Center
Bill Hawkey and Associates
Barga Heating and Air
Lavy’s Mathathon, Gettysburg
The complete schedule of events for the Annie Oakley Festival is
available at our web site: http://www.annieoakleyfestival.org. or visit
our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/annieoakleyfestival
The Annie Oakley Festival is supported by a $500 grant from the Darke
County Visitors Bureau, visit the bureau’s website: www.VisitDarkeCounty.org
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