State of the Ozarks Fest
by Caleb Brubaker
Photography by Joshua Ong
“I am the goblin king!” shouted the big man dressed as one of Tolkien’s orcs. He continued shouting the words as he sauntered past booths of vendors, artists and artisans, adamantly insisting everyone come to his goblin feast.
All sorts of folks gathered from across the Ozarks to partake in State of the Ozarks Fest on this bright day at the end of summer.
The festival stretched from Vintage Paris (where Kom Hot Yoga held a yoga sessions) all the way to the north of Downing Street where cosplayers across from Hook & Ladder Pizza posed with excited guests.
Well over a thousand people congregated on Downing Street in Hollister, Missouri, on Saturday, September 16, and there they witnessed an overabundance of exciting sounds, sights and smells.
If you had walked up Downing Street Saturday you might have seen anything from people in traditional Native American clothes, to Spiderman, Iron Man, Luke Skywalker, the Red Power Ranger, or even a Jane Austen-era enthusiast (complete with top coat and ruffly shirt) all wandering the street simultaneously.
You could also have seen an artist sharing his or her talent by way of selling their work. Here there were craftsmen, baristas, artists, brewers and martial artists.
Folks danced in the street. One such dance was traditional Celtic dancing.
Musicians were there also, performing, and interacting with people as they wandered here and there. Another thing you could have seen was families and friends coming together for this single, community-focused event. You could also have noticed that State of the Ozark Fest vendors were truly of all ages.
Walking through the festival was a juxtaposition of diverse vendors. The booth placement often provided stark contrast. Such as chiropractor Bo Bandy set up next to start-up brewhouse Skål, where many came to relax — including some Bald Knobbers after an exciting swearing-in ceremony.
And near the end of the day, vendors and guests came together to witness a beard contest judged by barbers Davy Wilson and Josh Stafford. Categories included best full beard, best partial beard, best freestyle full beard and best mustache.
Joshua Heston, affectionately called “our editor-and-chieftain” by many in the StateoftheOzarks family, launched State of the Ozarks Fest in order to foster a greater sense of community. He insisted on collaboration rather than rivalry.
His goal was met.
Downing Street was not just a street that day, but rather a home where friends and family gathered and shared in the mutual hospitality of their Ozark Mountain community.
