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The Gathering: The
“New Kid on the Block” a Hit
Was it at the expense of
the Annie Oakley Festival?
By Bob Robinson
Photos by Bob Robinson and Elaine Bailey. Watch for more photos of all
weekend events, including the parade, Breast Cancer Awareness, the
Festival and the Gathering, in the coming week.
“I can’t believe all the people who came today,” said one exhibitor on
Saturday. He was one of dozens, including artists and concessioners,
who were enjoying high traffic flows at The Gathering at Garst in
Greenville.
Brief moments were few and the exhibitors took advantage of them by
sitting down and resting on the hot, humid day.
This was the first year for a planned annual event by Garst Museum
featuring historic artisans and performers. “The Gathering” took place
on the Garst Museum grounds, where the former Annie Oakley Festival
took place before the traditional event moved to the Darke County
Fairgrounds.
“This is great,” said one visitor. “I love the crafts and the people.”
On the other side of town, members of the Annie Oakley Festival
Committee noted that traffic was excellent on Saturday, typically the
high-traffic day for the three-day event.
“We’ve had five historical tours since Friday with two more still
scheduled for today,” said Judy Logan of the Festival Committee on
Sunday. “Most of the buses have been full. Traffic has been good this
year.”
Sunday at the fairgrounds seemed slow compared to the Sunday activity
still at Garst Museum, but that could be misleading. Visitors are
concentrated in a smaller area at the museum than on the vast acreage
of the fairgrounds.
Festival exhibitors had mixed reactions to the “competition” on the
other side of town.
“We had a great day yesterday (Saturday),” said one concessioner.
“Definitely a profitable day. We weren’t hurt in the least.”
Other concessioners said they were down from the previous year.
“I think it’s the economy,” said one, but another said he believed the
competition hurt him.
“I don’t see why they had to have another event to conflict with this
one. I think it’s going to hurt both of us. It’s too much for a small
town like Greenville.”
His business was down more than 50 percent from the previous year.
“I think it’s great,” said another. “Gets more people into town. They
come for one but they visit both before the weekend is over.”
One visitor noted that he was disappointed there weren’t as many
exhibitors here as the year before, but he still enjoyed it. He and his
wife went to the Festival first, but planned on going to the
“Gathering” next.
“I just love the Annie Oakley Festival,” said another exhibitor who
acknowledged that she used to do crafts but gave them up for more of
the tourist and “Flea Market” items.
“There’s just no profit in creating items for sale,” she said. “You
never get paid for the time you put into them.”
One exhibitor wasn’t sure if he would return next year, but all others
said they would be back.
While the two events likely drew more traffic to the area, they were
distinctly different in their approach.
The Annie Oakley Festival is, and for years has been, more focused on a
western-style approach with Flea Markets and entertainment promoting
the Annie Oakley tradition. Annual entertainment includes the Shawnee
Bandits Fast Draw contest, Indian Creek Regulators Shoot-Out, Annie
Oakley and Buffalo Bill impersonators Loretta Jones and Richard Best,
the annual “Melodrama” by the Darke County Civic Theatre and more.
Entertainment included such popular groups as Spittin Image, Knipp
Pickers, TJ Westfall and others. Artistic skills including local art
and photography were showcased.
The annual Annie Oakley Parade, also conducted by the Annie Oakley
Festival Committee, was as popular as ever with over 100 entries and
crowds lining the streets of Downtown Greenville.
The Gathering at Garst focused more on artisans, craftsmen and the
historical heritage of the area dating back to the late 18th Century.
The flavor was distinctly different as exhibitors and performers were
dressed in the clothing of the time and displayed the crafts and skills
unique to an earlier period.
According to its website, the Gathering is designed to remember the
defining events and people who shaped Darke County’s history. The event
featured antiques, artists, fine food, farmers market, gardening
exhibitors, skilled historical craftsmen, and primitive folk artists as
well as other curiosities!
Some of the performers and artisans at the Gathering were the Darke
County Dulcimer Society, TJ Hathaway, Kochan Schlecty Stackhouse,
Marsha and Mike Bowman, Tom Kochan and more.
A common comment in Greenville and Darke County was that The Gathering
at Garst would damage the Annie Oakley Days Festival. Many had
complained over the years that they liked the festival more when it was
free and held on the Garst Museum grounds. The Festival Committee had
responded that Annie Oakley Days had grown too big, and the lack of
electricity was a major problem.
Now weekend celebrants have both options open to them.
Time will tell if each of the two distinctly different events boosted
each other, have no impact or had a negative effect. Can the community
support both? Each boasted numerous local sponsors. Each noted their
events as a success. Each required strong community support and a
tremendous amount of hours in the planning.
Most important, each can boast visitors who enjoyed themselves.
The goal for the future? Both organizations might want to note the
words of Darke County’s Famous Daughter, Annie Oakley:
“Aim at a high mark and you’ll hit it. No, not the first time nor the
second and maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting
for only practice will make you perfect. Finally, you’ll hit the bulls
eye of success.”
Miss Annie Oakley 2011, Laura Francis, can attest to this. Along with
all former Miss Annie Oakleys.
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