Mountain View Arkansas anyone been there?

Subject: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: GUEST,Mary
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 05:00 PM

Would love to hear of others who have visited here?

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: Giac
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 06:19 PM

I've been to Mountain View a few times, but the last time was about 40 years ago. Not much help, but it refreshed the thread. **LOL**

another mary

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: GUEST,mtdulc
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 07:28 PM

We are currently in Mountain View. We are full-time RVers and come to Mountain View each summer to play music at the Folk Center. There is music galore here. Every night there are any number of musicians that come down to the town square and play in jam sessions.
Very, very relaxing place to be.

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: Jim Krause
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 09:24 PM

I have been there several times, even played on the Folk Center's stage a few times as well. And I do remember the big session on the town square. I sure had a good time.
Jim

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:54 PM

We've always enjoyed our trips to Mountain View. Margaret, Kate and I had a great time there, last, about two years ago for a ballad weekend at the folklore center. Looking forward to going back again soon.

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: GUEST,Tom Henehan
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 03:06 PM

It's been quite a while (since 1971 or 72), but I still remember my very enjoyable visit to the Arkansas Folk Festival.

I'm sure everything is bigger and more formally organized these days, but the surrounding countryside can't have been ruined in the meanwhile, and the Folk Center (which I take to be a year-round institutionalization of the Festival) is undoubtedly worthwhile.

The festival and folk center were personal projects of the late Jimmie Driftwood, who passed away only a couple of years ago. I remember him as a very personable emcee and host, and trust that he left his legacy in good hands.

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: harpgirl
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 04:58 PM

put Mountain View in the search engine little darlin' and read about the center of the universe...harp

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 07:16 PM

Another thread you might consult is this one: Albert E. Brumley Jr. in Mountain View (Arkansas)

And definitely check out the Ozark Folk Center and the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce page.

I took my mother—then aged 87—about 3 years ago. She grew up not far from there herself, on a farm near Mountain Home. We spent most of our time at the Folk Center. We stayed 2 nights at the lodge there, ate a couple of meals at the restaurant, toured the grounds, saw all the craft displays and demonstrations, and attended an evening concert.

My mom loved it. And so did my wife and I. My son, then aged 12, had mixed feelings; He liked the swimming pool, and wasn't totally bored with the crafts, but he thought the music sucked. Typical teenager response, I suppose—he barely tolerates any kind of music other than punk. (I would have hated it myself at that age.)

The concert was definitely old-time, not bluegrass. They have a policy that they won't perform any music composed later than (I think) 1940 or so. And, needless to say, it's all acoustic instruments.

I only regret we missed the legendary jams in the town square. I think it might have been because the weather was too hot. We checked it out but there was nothing going on in the square.

By the way, my wife bought a mountain dulcimer at McSpadden Dulcimers just down the road a piece.

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: GUEST,Tom Henehan
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:29 PM

During my one visit to the festival 30 years ago, the jams on the courthouse square were driven inside by rainy weather. So we had to settle for one single (very nice) session in the courtroom. I somehow managed to get myself invited on "stage" (in front of the jedge's bench) to sit in on washtub bass with the legendary Mr. Driftwood himself and a group of about a half-dozen pickers. A musical high point of my entire life!

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: IvanB
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 11:47 AM

We were there for a lamentably short two days back in '92. Wonderful place. Now that we're old and decrepit, I notice that there are Elderhostels offered there regularly and hope to make one one of these days.

Subject: RE: MOUNTAINVIEW ARKANSAS anyone been there?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 09:17 PM

Myself and a couple of other Chicago banjo players went there in 1966. I remember it being billed as "The Dogwood Festival" We stayed at a fishing camp on the White river. We were introduced to some lovely homemade whiskey by a retired judge. We paid him back by playing every moonshine and otherwise whiskey related song we could think of. We went fishing, taking banjos with us. We went to the rodeo. We sat around at the courthouse stage. We went to the school auditorium. We met Jimmy Driftwood. I took some of the best photos of my life (all black and white). Especially of the rodeo and the cloggers (spontaneous dancing, not a group. I remember a wonderfully tall, young, blond, woman who danced so beautifully I fell in love with her. She was completely into her dancing and had an incredible look of self satisfaction on her face. I was too shy to meet her.

I should hunt those photos down and scan a few and post them. The place has changed a lot I hear. I should get down there again.

sigh

CB