Archive for the ‘Enjoy the Show’ Category

The Jackson Hole Hootenanny gives you a reason to pack your harmonica, guitar, and singing voice when planning your trip to Jackson Hole. Even if your talent is lacking, you can always grab a seat and enjoy the Hoot!

The Jackson Hole Hootenanny goes back 50 years when Bill Briggs held “Teton Tea Parties” under a bridge in Grand Teton National Park, where artists gathered and sang together. In the 90’s the Hoot (as most people call it) moved to Dornan’s Bar in Moose and on December 8^th the Hootenanny will celebrate its’ 700^th show. Every Monday night, the Hoot begins at 7pm with artists signing in at 6:15pm. Any and all artists are welcomed to play and some guests throughout the years have included Tom Rush and the late John Denver. Nearly every Monday you can catch the local regular Hootenanny performers jamming out to a two-song set and collaborating amongst each other.

I suggest arriving at Dornan’s around 6:30pm and picking a good seat. I personally love to sit at the bar because you get both a great view of the stage and a great view of the Tetons through large glass windows that frame the bar. After you have your seat situated, either grab a local beer on tap or scoot into the wine store connected to the bar. The wine store has an excellent variety of wine and they will be happy to open the bottle for you to enjoy during the Hoot. Dornan’s is a great location to get an excellent pizza (try ‘The Peak’) or my personal favorite, their meatball sub. By the time your food arrives, the Hoot should be kicking off!

The Jackson Hole Hootenanny is truly a hidden gem of Jackson and a great way to catch up on all your favorite cowboy songs. A favorite song was one by Lynn Castle when she did her version of “Crazy” by Patsy Cline; however, not every song is country and some artists mix it up with versions of popular songs such as “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones.

Even if you don’t muster up the courage to sign up and sing a two-song set, the Hoot always seems to end with a song everyone sings along too. Slap your knee, clap your hand and sing along- I mean, the saying goes, “When in Jackson…” Right?

As I navigated crowds and bumped into friends during the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Palates & Palettes galley walk I heard many fond comments floating about on the evening: “I look forward to this all year, a party on the town square, and one of the highlights of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.”

The Palates & Palettes gallery walk is an annual tradition during the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival in which local galleries open their doors to the public in an evening celebration of art. The atmosphere is relaxed, gallery staff and artists are on hand to talk with guests about the art on display but also just enjoy a glass of wine and toast to Fall in the Tetons.  The multi-gallery open house lasts from 5pm-8pm, but be sure arrive early as popular galleries fill up quickly with food and wine going fast. Live music from local acts rounds out the popular evening. Check out the video for more details, but better yet, check it out yourself at the next Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

Ready, set, GO! You have one hour to create an original piece of art that is not only beautiful but it also will be auctioned off fifteen minutes after you finish. Could you do it? Some of us, including myself, lack that artistic ability; however, on September 20th during the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, thirty artists gathered on a rainy morning and showcased that time is not a factor in the annual Quick Draw.

I grabbed a warm cup of hot coco and began to check out the artists as they prepped their stations and waited anxiously for it all to begin. Each artist can choose their masterpiece idea and medium beforehand; however, they have only one hour to create their artwork. After time is called, they have fifteen minutes to mount and frame their artwork and deliver it to the auction tent. On the auction floor, their artwork is auctioned off to many adorning fans anxiously waiting for their favorite artist’s work from the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

A crowd favorite Amy Ringholz jammed away to her music as she created a unique portrayal of a jackrabbit in a rainbow of brilliant colors. Some artists worked with previous art they had created and others with a photograph. Greg Woodard created his sculpture using a live falcon as a very active model. A majority of the artwork was of regional landscapes and animals native to the mountain west that characterize the western art movement.

The hour seemed to slip away quite fast as I made several circles around the artists watching the evolving canvases and sculptures. My favorite part of the Quick Draw was to pick a few artists at the beginning and watch closely their creative process. The art changed drastically each time I circled around so I was always surprised. Soon time was called and the artists quickly began framing their art for the live auction.

The trick with the art auction is getting good seats; however, you can sneak over to the tent during the Quick Draw and place a jacket to reserve some seats. As soon as everyone settles in, the auction begins. The first auction is a painting titled, ‘Recon’ by the featured artist, Greg Beecham depicting a pack of wolves in the morning light.

The Quick Draw is an excellent way to see a more in-depth creative process during the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival of all the local artists that are sprinkled throughout galleries in town. In the auction people can buy a painting or sculpture for their house that is not only beautiful but a great conversational piece.

Bottom line: The Quick Draw inspires me to take an art class or two and is an exciting event to take in during the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

The number one problem with Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Taste of the Tetons event is you never really know where to begin. There are so many booths full of tasty treats, delicious desserts, diverse artistry crafts and not to mention all the people walking around with plates and bowls full of mouth watering ‘tastes.’

After you get your bearings you must first begin with buying your tickets which is the only form of payment at the booths.  Make your way over to the ticket booth, where I recommend starting with twenty tickets per person, at one dollar each, and coming back if you need more tickets. A plate at a booth varies in cost from two to five tickets.

With your tickets in hand, pick a circular direction, and check out some booths. Personally, I like to walk around the whole Taste of the Tetons event once and scope out all the culinary samples available. As I was ’scoping’ I overheard two ladies talking about “the best thing at the event” which was a fried green wyomato sandwich from Cascade Restaurant, which is located in Teton Mountain Lodge in Teton Village. I quickly located the popular booth and waited in the long, but fast moving line for my own taste of the ‘best thing.’ Let me tell you I was not let down, the local green wyomatos (from Big Piney) were perfectly matched with baby arugula, paprika aioli, red onions all on a ciabatta bun.

With an empty plate, I began my search for another treat. Before I saw the next booth, I smelled the sweet barbecue sauce and soon saw the delicious ribs grilling. At the Burkes Chop House booth, chefs were grilling off juicy ribs and topping them with generous portions of a homemade BBQ sauce. Moving around the booths, I spotted the historic The Wort Hotel who was serving up their famous corn chowder and even though the day was hot, the chowder was still excellent.

After tasting so many different cuisines, I needed a break and headed straight for the wine tasting tent. The same tickets work here to sample various wines; however, you must buy a glass for five dollars with all proceeds going to the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole. You can pick, swirl and sip from many different bottles as well as participate in the silent auction, which has anything from purses to elk antler knives.

In addition to the restaurant and wine booths, there are also many local artists showcasing their talents. One booth that jumped out to me was a local jewelry artist Jessica Freed. Her jewelry and belts all had intricate metal work designs that were one of a kind. There is also a live band, The Jackson Hole Cowboy Jubilee jamming away for your listening and dancing pleasure to old favorites such as Johnny Cash.

Taste of the Tetons is part of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival which happens in September each year and is an excellent time to visit due to the plethora of events, fall colors changing, and less traffic. This year twenty-two restaurants from Jackson Hole and surrounding areas cooked, grilled, scooped, sauteed, and dressed mouth watering tastes for hungry onlookers. The Fall Arts Festival Taste of the Tetons is truly an exceptional collection of some of  Jackson Hole’s finest indulgences: diverse world-class cuisine, unique artists, and a charming small town vibe all amongst the historic town square.