Mountain Man Rendezvous recreates Frontier Life
at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO. – How high can an anvil fly? See for yourself, and learn about authentic 1800s frontier life, at the 18th annual Osage River Mountain Man Festival and Rendezvous. The old-time event is set for Sept. 16-18 at the American Legion Campground below Bagnell Dam at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks.

"The Mountain Man Rendezvous is a journey back in time capturing the frontier era of the early 1800s," says Trisha Roberts, executive director of the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. "One must experience this living history event by walking among mountain men and women as they bring the 19th century back to
life."

Traders and trappers, gunsmiths and blacksmiths, artisans and storytellers also will be on hand to recreate a frontier encampment in the days after the Lewis & Clark Expedition opened the West. Attire, equipment and lodging will faithfully depict a typical encampment, and the re-enactors themselves will
describe and discuss their rugged "lifestyles" with visitors.

Among the highlights of the festival will be demonstrations of frontier skills, including beadwork, open-fire cooking -- plus the crowd-pleasing anvil shoot by former World Anvil Shooting Champion Gay Wilkinson of Farmington, Mo.

Anvil shooting is accomplished by placing a large blacksmith's anvil upside down on the ground, filling it with gunpowder, placing another anvil on top and lighting a line from the powder. The deafening boom supposedly can be heard up to 15 miles away. Towns without cannons used anvil shooting as an early warning system to alert residents to an emergency or a gathering. "Gay Wilkinson shoots his anvil so high you wouldn't believe that big hunk of lead could soar like it does, more than 100 feet into the air," says Geniece Tyler, festival co-chair. The anvil shoot will occur twice daily during the festival.

The French Colonial Artillery also will be back this year to conduct re-enactments with drills and cannon-firing throughout Saturday and Sunday. "The Mountain Man Rendezvous is not just buckskin," Tyler says. "The French, English and Spanish all were in the region at one time or another in the early 19th century and you'll see all of these influences reflected in the re-enactors' costumes."

Other popular events will include black powder contests, tomahawk and knife throwing and fire-starting contests. The popular Trader's Row shopping area will feature unique crafts, gifts and souvenirs, folk art and artifacts from the past.

Tyler expects up to 3,000 people to visit the three-day event. Admission will be $5 for adults, good for the entire weekend; children age 12 and younger will be admitted free with a paid adult admission. The event will be open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. Friday traditionally is designated as Student History Day, when students from area schools will be admitted free of charge to learn about 19th century frontier life.

"We invite everyone to come experience the unique sights and sounds of a real frontier rendezvous at the Mountain Man Rendezvous," Roberts says. For more information contact the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at 800-451-4117 or visit www.lakeareachamber.com.

To find out more about lodging, shopping, dining, attractions and activities at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks, contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE or online at www.funlake.com.