This is my third visit to this park. The first was in the early ’80’s, and all I remember about that visit is the clog dancing in the auditorium. I wandered through all the workshops when I visited in April, 2023, but I needed to go back again to get my passport stamped.
I skipped many of the workshops this time, and just stuck my head into a couple others. This is the herb garden. The last time I was here, the woman inside latched on to me and talked my ear off for half an hour, so I didn’t go inside this time.
I bought an iron snake in the blacksmith shop. And for just a couple minutes, I watched four guys playing bluegrass music on the stage.
But I spent most of my visit here.
This workshop wasn’t here when I last visited. The guy makes old-fashioned magic trick supplies for the last remaining magician supply company. The walls of the workshop have displays of the old-time showmen and patent medicine sellers who wandered the Ozarks between the late 1800’s and WWII.
He told me all this stuff was authentic from actual old shows, but he also said during his show that “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t lie to you about.”
The show was short, about 17 minutes, and not over complicated, but the guy gave an example of the banter and did four or five tricks for the four of us in the audience. I enjoyed it.
After finishing with the village, I ate at The Skillet Restaurant in the park. The food was mediocre at best. This part of the experience, I wouldn’t recommend.