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Ozark Pioneer Gathering
by Andrew Hilton, rural Aurora, Missouri
Tucked down a steep hollow southeast of Ava, Missouri, and just past the edge of the world, curved to fit the nearby creek and towering hills of the Ozarks, lies a small farm not terribly unlike hundreds of others. Except, on these 9th and 10th days of October, 2010, a gathering of exhibitors, merchants, musicians, cooks and visitors from several counties away took place to celebrate a history of life and play here in the Ozarks.
A yearly event, the Pioneer Descendants Gathering had a little bit of most things cultural spanning a few centuries and several different tastes.Civil war era, Mountain Man and Frontier era, late 1800's steam power, 1950's cars, wagons, mule-drawn hay and corn mowing and everything between was represented. One well-equipped music stage with a covered bring-your-own-chair seating area hosted several country, bluegrass and western singers as well as provided one of the best moments I've had at one of these types of events in recent years (see below).
Not quite a craft show; not nearly a car show; nowhere near a steam-engine show; couldn't be further from a Civil War or other period reenactment. It didn't even have the feeling of those frequent Midwest Fall festivals.While I can only imagine that it was well organized, with the requisite facilities to handle a large number of people and a well-thought-out placement of participants, it didn't have the feeling of the tight constraints often found in the large crafts shows or town-square festivals. It was, well, more of a nice gathering of Ozarks enthusiasts with different interests that were willing to share those skills and knowledge. Being a publicly open and welcoming event, supported by the descendents of Tom Brown and John Burden and donations being dropped into a small container near the entrance from those attending, this event is one of the very few that makes me remember the feel of the old days when neighbors and family would gather after the Fall harvest just to relax and share food, stories, gossip and how to tie the latest, greatest fly bait.
Still, it's not perfect and not all of it was to my own taste, but it covers a lot of bases and tries to appeal to most people. Regardless of who you are and what you are interested in, you'll likely find something to capture your attention and make the trip worthwhile. Speaking of the trip, it is one. But not so much that you can't make just a half day of it if you have to. I believe the old saying of "It's about the journey and not the destination" could have been written with the trip to this Gathering in mind. Highway 14 southeast of Ava, or Gentryville if coming from the East, is a great ride. It's one of those roads I often tell 'furiners to drive along if they want a fun drive. Turning south off of Highway 14 onto county road 341 gets even better! Being a dirt road, it can get a bit dusty but seems to be well-maintained and surprisingly wide in some spots. The highlight is away from the front of the car ... turn your head, safely please, and take a look at the fantastic woodland on either side of this short 4 mile drive down to the Gathering.
I don't recommend many, actually 'most', shows and festivals here in the Ozarks anymore but this Pioneer Descendants Gathering event is one that I can. You'll find a variety of crafts, skills, periods, music and equipment on display. It isn't a large event, maybe only 30 merchants and exhibitors with one music stage and a couple of food vendors but the parking is plentiful, the scenery is absolutely beautiful and the time of year is just right for cool, but not cold, weather. As I mentioned above, what endeared me to this location was the sound of a musicians voice from the stage as I was walking back to my truck to leave in the afternoon. The music faded from the stage as I was walking but started to come from the echo traveling down the hollow. Hauntingly beautiful is the only way to describe the fading light of the afternoon blanketing the drifting music voice casting about in the trees of my Ozarks Home.
— submission from Andrew Hilton of rural Aurora, Missouri
Photo credits, Andrew Hilton. Photo editing, Joshua Heston.