Autumn means colder temperatures, leaves turning color and time for family fun at the 12^th annual Kids’ Pumpkin Walk on October 2, from 12 noon – 4 p.m. at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. 

Admission is $3 per adult 18+ which will support this family event.  Children are free. 

Gather your family and friends and come enjoy an afternoon filled with outdoor fun. Although costumes are optional, your pint-sized Spiderman or Cinderella will enjoy exploring and learning.  

This year’s Pumpkin Walk is filled with activities for children, ages 12 years and younger, including a straw maze for the kids to twist and turn their way through; picking the perfect pumpkin from the patch to decorate with sticker fun; hay wagon rides and feed the rock monster!

Come and enjoy a variety of games, prizes and treats. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Special thanks to our sponsors, Wyoming Territorial Park Historic Association, Bertha Ward Family, LASSO Events, and C&A Pet and Livestock Supply. 

The event will be held regardless of weather.  For more information contact Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site 307-745-3733, follow us on Facebook or visit www.wyomingterritorialprison.com  979 Snowy Range Rd., in Laramie.

Following a successful pilot program this summer, the Wyoming State Museum announces it will host two more Digital Skills courses this fall.

Digital Skills for Seniors is a free, eight-week course that will gradually introduce skills that older adults can use to simplify and improve their everyday lives. Made possible by a Spectrum Digital Education Grant, these courses will help participants get comfortable using smart phones and tablets to access the internet, utilize tools like the magnifying glass, connect with friends and family on social media, and more. Each class will build on the previous lesson and will include time for one-on-one assistance and practice. 

Participants can bring their own device from home or borrow a tablet from the museum for free. 

Apple (iOS) focused classes will take place on Tuesdays from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Wyoming State Museum classroom, beginning on Oct 5, and ending on Nov 30.

The Android class will meet on Thursdays from 1-2:30 p.m., beginning on Oct 7, and ending on Dec 2.

Registration is completely free and is open until Oct 1. To register, call Melisa McChesney at 307-630-2573. Space in this class is extremely limited, so we encourage those who are interested to sign up as soon as possible. 

This program is offered in collaboration with Wyoming Relay.

Buffalo Bill State Park

The Wyoming Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, in conjunction with various other state agencies celebrates Wyoming Public Lands Day September 25. As part of the celebration, day-use fees to all Wyoming state parks and historic sites that day are waived.

In proclaiming September 25 as Wyoming Public Lands Day, Gov. Mark Gordon said, “The multiple use of public lands provides value to the state’s economy through open spaces, diversity of mineral resources, grazing for livestock, forestry products, wildlife and recreational opportunities.”

Additionally, the goal of Public Lands Day is to get people out to Wyoming’s parks and historic sites to enjoy the values of public lands and to become stewards by helping with specific projects. Check the respective parks’ Facebook pages to see if there is an event near you.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. Established in 1994 and held annually on the fourth Saturday in September, this celebration brings out thousands of volunteers to help restore and improve public lands around the country.

The Wyoming State Museum hosts Creepy Crawly Critters, a Family Day celebrating snakes, spiders, bats, and more, on October 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Visitors will get up close and personal to learn about the weird and creepy animals that live among us by participating in games and activities, seeing specimens up close, and meeting real scientists who study creepy crawly critters.

Activities include a creepy crawly obstacle course; a craft station where you can make a bat with flapping wings, a clothespin butterfly, and a tub of slime; and an opportunity to take your photo with a real American Alligator.

Family Days are generously sponsored by Scheels in Johnstown, Colo. Thanks to their support, these events are always free and open to everyone!

The Wyoming State Museum is located in the Barrett Building, 2301 Central Ave in Cheyenne.

Please call 307-630-2573 for more information. Family Day fans can follow the museum’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to stay in the know about upcoming events: @wyomingstatemuseum.

A celebration of all things archaeology will take place during the 7^th Annual Archaeology Fair at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie Saturday, September 25. This event is free and open to the public from 10 a.m-3 p.m.

The fair provides unique fun hands-on learning experiences for all ages, including flint knapping, atlatl throwing, pottery making, hide painting, soapstone carving, and more.

Do you have a question about something archaeological? Throughout the day, attendees will have an opportunity to meet local archaeologists, ask questions, find answers, and get "hands-on" with these experts.

The Archaeology Fair is held in conjunction with Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month held annually during September. On September 1, Gov. Mark Gordon proclaimed September Wyoming Archaeology Awareness Month.

Wyoming Arts Council Biennial Fellowship Exhibition Reception at the Nicolaysen Art Museum

A reception for the exhibition, “When Things Dream: The Wyoming Arts Council Biennial Fellowship Exhibition, 2020 and 2021” will be held on Fri. Oct. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper. The reception is free and open to the public.

The Wyoming Arts Council’s Biennial Fellowship Exhibition offers Wyoming residents and visitors the opportunity to view outstanding artwork created by the Wyoming artists who were selected as Visual Arts Fellowship recipients. The exhibition is hosted every two years by major arts venues around the state.

Artwork for the exhibition is selected by an out of state curator who has served as a fellowship juror for both years. The juror is tasked with conducting studio visits with each artist, selecting artwork for the exhibition, working with the hosting venue, and contributing an essay to the corresponding exhibition catalog. The exhibition catalog also features the artwork of the Honorable Mention artists from the previous two years.

This year’s curator is Iwan Bagus, Professor at the University of the District Of Columbia, and Professorial Lecturer at the American University, Washington, D.C. 

The artists included in this year’s Biennial Fellowship Exhibition are, from 2020: Wendy Bredehoft (Laramie), Garrett Cruzan (Laramie) and Favian Hernandez (Laramie), and from 2021: Diana Baumbach (Laramie), Shawn Bush (Casper) and Rachel Hawkinson (Casper).

Artists who received Honorable Mentions in 2020 are: Peter Fine (Laramie) and Stephen Mullins (Sheridan), and in 2021: Barrie Bryant (Kirby), Carli Holcomb (Casper) and Mona Monroe (Alta).

Plein Air in the Parks Award Winners Announced

The Wyoming Arts Council and State Parks recently concluded two Plein Air in the Parks events.

The first event was held Aug. 26-29 at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site and the second event was held at Buffalo Bill State Park Sept. 9-12. This annual painting and drawing competition pairs talented artists with beautiful locations, and offers cash prizes to top participants. 

Award winners from the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site are:

Best in Show - Lori Kostur (Saratoga), “Beauty in the Ordinary”

2nd Place - Svetlana Howe (Laramie), “Old Ranch”

3rd Place - James Overstreet (Cheyenne), “Deadwood”

People’s Choice Award - John D. Baker (Laramie), “Penitentiary in Morning Light”

Judges for the Laramie competition were Laura McDermit, Executive Director of the Laramie Public Art Coalition, and Lynette Nelson, State Parks staff. Artwork created is on view and available for sale at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in the Horse Barn Gallery through Oct. 2. 

Award winners from Buffalo Bill State Park are:

Best in Show - Joe Arnold (Laramie), “Along the North Fork”

2nd Place - Linda Jolley (Greybull), “Evening Glow”

3rd Place - David Kewitt (Cody), “Evening’s Entertainment”

People’s Choice Award - Linda Jolley (Laramie), “Casting Shadows”

1st Place Teen Division - Emmalee Nordland (Powell), “Sage and Smoke”

2nd Place Teen Division - Emmalee Nordland (Powell), “Driftwood”

1st Place Youth Division - Linley Richardson (Powell), “Footprints in Rivers”

2nd Place Youth Division - Linley Richardson (Powell), “Footprints in the Sand”

3rd Place Youth Division - Sebastian Jessup (Powell), “Big Mountain”

Judges for the competition in Cody were Anne Toner, Assistant Professor of Art at Northwest College, and Don Schmalz, State Parks and Cultural Resources Commissioner. Artwork created during the event by Cody Country Art League members will be on view and available for sale at the Cody Country Art League (836 Sheridan Ave.) beginning on Sept. 20. 

“Congratulations to this year’s award winners. It’s impressive and inspiring to see such beautiful work created on-site in such a short amount of time,” says Rachel Clifton, Assistant Director of the Wyoming Arts Council. “We’re also grateful to our partners in both Laramie and Cody for helping make these events possible.”

Plein Air in the Parks is a collaborative weekend event presented this year by Wyoming State Parks, the Wyoming Arts Council, the Cody Country Art League, Laramie Artists Project, and the University of Wyoming Art Museum. 

Image caption: Laramie Artist Joe Arnold won Best in Show at Plein Air in the Parks for his painting, “Along the North Fork.” 

Wyoming Arts Council board to meet via teleconference Sept. 15

The Wyoming Arts Council board will hold its next quarterly meeting, Wed., Sept. 15 via teleconference.

Beginning at 9 a.m., the board will convene to hear reports and get updates on current Arts Council initiatives. An executive session may be called if necessary.

The board invites individuals to join any part of the meeting to observe the board process. The board will be available to hear public comments at 11:30 a.m.

Users may join the meeting from computer, tablet or smartphone by going tomeet.google.com/jiv-kyfn-hvg. You can also dial in via phone: (US) +1 661-527-0261 PIN: ‪895 606 970#. All participants will be put in silent mode except during public comment.

The mission of the Wyoming Arts Council is to enhance the quality of life for the people of Wyoming by providing resources to sustain, promote and cultivate the arts. For a detailed agenda and more information, please contact Brittany Howell at 307-214-2701 orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 “Leave it to Beaver,” a photo by Jared Kail has been presented the People’s Choice Award of the 2021 Sinks Canyon Photo contest.

This year’s contest received 70 submissions which are on display at Westward Heights Care Center, Sept 13-Oct 13.

Sinks Canyon congratulates Jared on his award-winning photo and thanks everyone who participated in this year’s contest.