The Kalamazoo Program & Some Assignments

The Kalamazoo Living History show is only one week away!  

I'm almost ready. Those skeins of thread for ornament hangers seem to be stranded in Hebron, Kentucky and have not arrived yet, but I do already have a large inventory of completed ornaments. Enough so that I should be fine if I don't get to make more.

Vendor booth locations aren't posted yet - you find those out upon arrival Friday.

But I am lucky and already know that I will be in the same place I've been in the past four years. (That yellow star on the Expo North.) If you've vended at an event several times, generally planners leave you in the same location unless you request a change. It saves them time and worry moving people around, and past customers know how to find you. Win-win!

Ethan and Paisley have published the 2026 program on the show's website. 

I am excited to see that my Feast next door neighbors, the Anishinabee Kwe will be there and performing in Room A both days. 

Photo from The Kalamazoo Living History Show Facebook page.

I won't be able to go watch them, but to get to Room A they will need to pass right by my booth, so I hope to say "hello."

It was a surprise to discover that Ethan had added me to the staff list (and Lisa, too, although she can't be there.) I've wondered what I could do since I was tied to my booth, but Ethan and I talked yesterday and he had the perfect jobs for me.

Just like me, Leslie has spinal issues. In the past, she has rented a scooter to help her get around the Expo Center; this year she's got something else and Rick just finished putting it together.

She's got an upright rollator which will address her spinal pain in a way best for her issues. She will still be available in a support role to Ethan and Paisley, but she should be in her own booth a good amount of time.

(I told Leslie that a good fundraiser for the show would be the two of us racing each other through the Expo Center with our rollators, but she declined. Probably afraid she'd lose... LOL)

And that's where one of Ethan's tasks for me comes into play - he's asked me to keep an eye on her, make sure she's getting off her feet, eating, etc. 

Bossing my sister around?? Seriously, Ethan? I am ALL IN! And if she won't listen to me, then "Maggie," (Carol Jarboe) and I will gang up on her.

Maggie and me in our personas at KZoo 2024,

Carol and me in 21st century clothing at the Friday night dinner in 2025.

Ethan had another task he wanted me to do, one that surprised me, but one I think I can do. More on that to come.

Stay 'tooned!

My BreyerFest History: NAN 1997's Paper Ephemera

Third (!) Post of the Day

When your mom is a historian, you learn the importance of keeping certain items. (Note, I did not say EVERY item. Hah!) That's why I was not surprised to find not only the paper ephemera from the first NAN, but its counterpart from the 1997 NAN, too.

The official show program.

This year it was a two day show and much, much bigger than 1995 NAN.

And that is reflected in the number of volunteers and the types of jobs they were doing.

Entrants were not listed by state this time - I found that a little disappointing. But, the names are alphabetized so you could still find your friends.

The town you were coming from was listed, too.

174 entrants came (or proxied). This was actually the third NAN. In 1996 what became known as "traveling NAN" and happened every other year was held in Pomona, CA. (The last one was held in Palm Springs, California in 2015. For years there had been a variety of ongoing problems holding NANs away from Kentucky and the decision was finally made to keep the event coupled with BreyerFest.)

Apparently I did not complete taking photos of the 1997 brochure. Sorry, but it's all packed away now.

Kathy and I are back together for the 1997 NAN. Stay 'tooned!

Breyer Continues the Wild RIde

Breyer continued its wild ride for collectors yesterday. Three things, THREE, were announced. And one of those confirmed a gut feeling I'd had when I constructed my guess list of models who were candidates for the Mystery Horse Surprise. More on that in a minute.

First, the BreyerFest program was released. 

Forty two pages of information about the weekend's activities, guests, and more.

I was a little disappointed that only one page was devoted to virtual BreyerFest. But, it makes a sense in a way because the program contains maps, calendars of daily events, and things that those who are at Kentucky Horse Park would need to know.

Next, Breyer showed us more of the auction horses.

Notice I did not say the last of the auction horses. In the latest BreyerFest news section, Breyer says they are revealing more of them and to look for the last reveal next week. A look at the web address of the BreyerFest program shows that none of the auction horse pages are included in it.

The first auction model that was posted confirmed a suspicion that I'd had when I drew up my list of Mystery Surprise Horses earlier this week. I'd written, 

At this point, I crossed off both the heavy mares but kept Wixom in mind as a slight possibility despite not being a Moody mold. Wixom just "felt right."

And look who was the first lot in this batch of auction horses.

Wixom. A mold that was last seen as Puffin in the 2021 Birds of a Feather series is an auction horse. 

Did Breyer have some leftover Wixom blanks from that and use one of them for this year's auction horse? Or were they running her mold because she will soon appear again in Breyer's regular run lineup? Or maybe even in two short weeks as the Mystery Surprise Horse?

Time will tell. And I will post my guesses tomorrow. (I hope. But if more announcements come from Breyer today, then I'll postpone it again.)

None of these lots appeal to me although I do think that the color on Croi is exceptional. 

But Breyer wasn't done posting things for collectors. The June Collectors Club Newsletter dropped late in the afternoon.

June Collectors Club Newsletter

There's a link to a video from 1996 of Karma Gypsy and her filly, Morning Star at BreyerFest. Hobbyists are also interviewed in it and I was delighted to see Sande Schneider and her husband Tom.

Sande and I have been friends since the late 1980s and she's been to my home many times (in both Illinois and Indiana.) She has an incredible collection of horses.

Like I said, Friday was a busy day in Breyer land. I doubt we will hear any news today, so my plan is to post my two Mystery Horse guess lists Sunday and Monday.

Stay 'tooned!