By Shanna Smith-Snyder
The 72nd annual
Fort Griffin Fandangle will run for its second and final weekend today through Saturday, June 26. It is Texas’ oldest outdoor musical and is performed in Albany’s outdoor amphitheater. History, tradition, singing and dancing will all come alive this weekend inside the Prairie Theatre as cowboys ride in on horseback, covered wagons trek across the grounds and tunes boom through the air from the infamous Fandangle calliope.
Theatrical history was made in 1938 when Robert Nail, an Albany native, wrote and directed the first Fort Griffin Fandangle. Today, it is still directed, lighted, costumed, sung and danced by the people of Albany.
The Fandangle commemorates the government outpost of Fort Griffin, which stood on Government Hill and overlooked the Clear Fork of the Brazos River and the town of Fort Griffin, Texas. The outdoor musical is based on the pioneer chronicles of West Texas.
Also something to note: The official state longhorn herd — about 20 head — makes its debut in the show! There are also about 15 different types of covered wagons, including the only Butterfield Stagecoach in existence; 30 horses, local bankers, lawyers, teachers, students and newborns — just about everyone in Albany is in the show! From what I hear, the real excitement of the show happens backstage. There are more than 400 people in the Fandangle cast and crew, and they work quickly and tirelessly behind the scenes to make the show appear seamless in front of the audience.
All shows begin around sundown each evening, approximately 8:45 p.m. On Thursday night, the annual Fandangle parade is held at 6 p.m. in downtown Albany. Prior to all performances, a chuck wagon dinner is held on the courthouse lawn from 5 to 8 p.m. For additional information and ticket prices, visit
www.fortgriffinfandangle.org or call 325-762-3838.
On your way from
Abilene to Albany, be sure to have a
Windshield History CD in your car! “Windshield History: Tales of the Texas Frontier from Fort Worth to Abilene, an Audio Tour of the Immigrants Trail West” tells entertaining and educational tales about Abilene, Fort Griffin, Albany and much more. This production, along with the latest audio tour, “Windshield History: Tales of the Texas Frontier Audio Tour II Abilene to Fort Worth Interstate 20,” are available for just $6 at the
Abilene CVB, Frontier Texas!, Texas Star Trading Co., the Texas Store at Buffalo Gap Historic Village and
texasstartrading.com.