Way out West, where the Fest is wild
Wild Western Festival corrals history and Hollywood at Pioneer Village

At Pioneer Living History Village on Sept. 22, the West will come alive, and it’ll be wild, it’ll be   festive, and it’ll last just three days.

But it won’t be the first time. Last year in February, veteran Hollywood stuntman D. R. Buck Montgomery came up with the idea of creating his Wild Western Festival, Arizona’s answer to the Renaissance festival with cowboys, guitar pickers and saloon girls instead of troubadours, lute players and jesters.

“All my friends are in the business,” says Montgomery. “They’re entertainers. So I thought hey, why not bring them together and do this.” So this year he and his friends are back for the 2nd  Annual Wild Western Festival, and he’s advising you to “come early and stay late, because there’s plenty to do and lots of fun to be had.”

Among the roundup of Montgomery’s friends joining him at Wild Western Festival this year, just to name a few, are the yodeling cowpoke Sourdough Slim, world record‑holding trick roper Kowboy Kal, champion gun spinner Pistol Packin’ Paula, and the event’s co‑hosts, Col. Travis and Miss Rusty.

“I have two right hands with them,” proclaims Montgomery of Col. Travis and Miss Rusty, two of the most colorful Wild West show people to wind down the trail since Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley.

Supplying the foot stompin’ music for this colossal shindig will be Bill Barwick, hailed as “the cowboy’s cowboy‑song singer” by the Western Music Association’s Web site; balladeer trio Tom Hiatt and the Sundown Riders; and Trails and Rails (Paula Strong and Walt Richards) who bring the rhythms of the old railroad right onto the dance floor.

Sourdough Slim is what Montgomery calls “a real hoot.” And for good reason: He has a knack of mixing up comedy and yodeling with such finesse that he’s played some mighty venerable venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Ponderosa Ranch. He’s a helluva show all by himself, although he does rely on his accordion for a little help once in while.  

Chances are you’ve probably seen Kowboy Kal somewhere already, even if you aren’t aware of it. He’s appeared many times on the silver screen and numerous times on television on the Biography channel, the Discovery Channel and the History Channel. He’s surely one of the top rope swingers around, but he doesn’t stop there–he also spins a gun with the best of them and cracks a mean bullwhip.

But keep your eyes peeled: Pistol Packin’ Paula will give ol’ Kal a run for his money in the art of the gun and the whip. This gun totin’ gal packs a whale of a wallop with her amazing six‑gun shenanigans and, count on it, her aim is true, so feel free to volunteer as one of her targets–if you dare.

Montgomery himself is a former Hollywood stuntman who has ridden, fallen, dived and died in many popular Western movies, including the TV miniseries of Louis L’Amour’s “The Sacketts,” Clint Eastwood’s classic  “Pale Rider” and Walter Hill’s brother‑rich shoot ‘em up about the James Gang, “The Longriders.”

He also used to be the general manager of the Ponderosa Ranch Theme Park in Nevada near Lake Tahoe, which was the home of Ben, Hoss, Little Joe and the rest of the Cartwrights, the West’s most Western family, on the TV show “Bonanza” from 1959 to 1973.

Montgomery and fellow stuntmen and actors Peter Brown, Whitey Hughes and Bob Hoy from TV shows such as “Laredo,” “Wild Wild West” and “High Chaparral,” respectively, will be putting on a daredevil show in the “Celebrity Showcase” on Sept. 23‑24. They’ll be joined by Don Collier, who also acted in “High Chaparral,” but hit the big screen in classics like “The War Wagon” and “Tombstone;” and Greg Palmer, a veteran of six John Wayne films including “Big Jake” and “The Shootist,” who has appeared in more than 400 TV shows and 50 films.

A Vendor Encampment and  authentic Sutlers’ Row will feature hundreds of artisans displaying their western clothing, leather goods and crafts. Of course, there will be plenty to eat and drink, and an Old Dutch Oven Cook‑Off Competition. There’s even a Kids’ Korral with bouncy horses, face painting and wagon rides to keep the younger cowpokes entertained.

A special attraction to the festival this year is “One Night in Deadwood,” which will take the stage for one performance only Sept. 23 at Boulder Creek High School Performing Arts Center in Anthem, just up the road from the festival site. There’s a separate charge, but the show ticket is good for admission to the festival for one day.

The stage show is based on the hit HBO series “Deadwood,” starring Ian McShane as the Mephistophelean, soliloquy‑prone proprietor of the Gem Saloon, Al Swearengen; Powers Boothe as the scheming Cy Tolliver, owner of the Bella Union, a rival, higher‑class gambling joint and whorehouse; Timothy Olyphant as Sheriff Seth Bullock, who is desperately trying to keep the peace; and in a lesser role, Dave Bourne as the piano player at the Gem Saloon and sometime henchman for Tolliver.

Bourne, a piano man and music historian, has released four “Saloon Piano” CDs, and supplies many of the musical arrangements for “Deadwood” in addition to appearing on screen. He will recreate his character in Montgomery’s “One Night in Deadwood” and lend a touch of Hollywood authenticity to the evening.

But not too authentic, hints Montgomery, whose festival is a family‑oriented event. “This Deadwood,” he insists, “ain’t got no cussin’ or spittin’,” unlike the profusely profane HBO series.

Montgomey will play the role of Tolliver and Pistol Packin’ Paula will step into Calamity Jane’s boots–and those are tough ones to fill, given Robin Weigert’s brilliant booze‑soaked performance in the series. Sourdough Slim, Kowboy Kal, Barwick and Hiatt will be in town for the night as well.

That’s a lot of rip‑snortin’, gun slingin’, high flyin’ action to pack into Pioneer Village, but Montgomery certainly doesn’t see a problem.

“Pioneer is like a great secret,” says Montgomery. “Probably 75 percent of people who come to the Wild Western Festival don’t know Pioneer. So one of our goals is to create an awareness of Pioneer. It’s a tremendous facility.”

And it should be a tremendous show, if consummate cowboy Buck Montgomery has anything to say about it.

Because Montgomery is, well, he is Wild Western Days.

Now, you can just believe that or you can ride on out to Pioneer Village and see for yourself. No question, it’ll be sure as shootin’ a lot more fun to do the latter.

The 2nd Annual Wild Western Festival takes place Sept. 22‑24, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Pioneer Living History Village, I‑17 North, Pioneer Exit 225. Daily admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $5 for children 5‑12 years old. Children under 5 years old are free. “One Night in Deadwood” is 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at Boulder Creek High School Performing Arts Center; admission is $25 and includes one festival ticket. Tickets are available at www.wildwesternfestival.com or at the gate the day of the festival. A discount coupon and an Internet special are available online. For further information and show schedules, call (623) 444‑7121 or (623) 521‑3856, or visit the Web site.