Robert E. Howard Days 2019: June 7th and 8th

We're at the beginning stages of making our plans for Robert E. Howard Days and we hope you are as well.

Howard Days 2019 will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 7th and 8th, at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas.
This year we will be celebrating 30 Years of Project Pride along with 90th Anniversary of REH creating Sword and Sorcery fiction.

All of the same activities and happenings that make up Howard Days will take place, of course...but that doesn't mean we won't have a few surprises for you. Right now we are in the process of naming our Guest of Honor and gathering up our panelists.

All of our "regular" events are still in place: tours of the Robert E. Howard Museum and adjoining grounds plus a viewing of the newly uncovered storm cellar in the back yard; Celebration Banquet, Hot Dog Lunch and Sunset Barbeque, viewings of original Howard manuscripts at the Cross Plains Library; interesting panels themed toward REH. souvenirs galore (like a Howard Days-only postal cancellation postmark) and many more activities are planned. And best of all, it's a time for meeting old and new friends who have come together in Howard Fellowship.

Stay tuned to this page for upcoming announcements. For an idea of what some of the activities are, just click the tabs at the top of this page and start making plans for Howard Days 2019.

We'll be looking for you, so Y'all Come!

It's Time for Howard Days!

Howard Days is THIS WEEK!

Starting on Thursday the 7th with the Robert E. Howard Museum open from 2 to 4 pm, we're packing a passel of REH activities into Friday and Saturday for your listening, viewing and enjoyment pleasure. Check elsewhere on this page and the tabs above for complete information, but here are a few gentle reminders about The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom.

When you show up in Cross Plains, the main meeting area is the Alla Ray Morris Pavilion adjacent to the Robert E. Howard House & Museum. Folks gather here for all the pertinent and extemporaneous announcements, to have a cool drink and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow Howard fans.

This year, folks gathering at the Pavilion will be able to view the ongoing REAL archaeological dig going on in Howard's back yard. Archaeologists Jeff Shanks, Thadra Stanton and Heather Young will be on hand to tell you all about it!

With one exception, all the activities at Howard Days are presented at no cost - FREE! Donations to Project Pride are welcomed and appreciated, of course. Parking is free, admission to the House and all tours and panels is free, the Hot Dog Lunch on Friday and the Saturday BBQ is free - and best of all, the Robert E. Howard fellowship and friendship afforded by Howard fans is FREE!

Temperatures are scheduled to be hot and the humidity will be high, so take care of yourselves while enjoying Howard Days. Sunscreen, bug spray, light clothing and lots of water will keep you cool and comfortable while you enjoy all the activities. The House is air-conditioned of course, to cool you off as you take the tour or shop in the Gift Shop.

Don't forget that the Cross Plains Public Library will be open Friday and Saturday and various Howard scholars and fans will be on hand to show you some of the original Howard typescripts and pulp magazines from the Library's collection. There will also be some Conan role-playing gaming and board gaming going on there, so check that out as well.

All in all, a great time is in the works. And spur-of-the-moment visitors will have no problem jumping right in to all the fun! So, y'all come - see you at Howard Days!

Howard Days is One Week Away! Here are some Random Reminders for Attendees

It might be hard to believe that Howard Days starts in one week, but hear us now and believe us later! For all you lucky attendees, here are some random yet helpful reminders about coming to The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom!

• There are still seats available for the Friday night Celebration Banquet. You can Paypal your $15.00 to Projpride@yahoo.com, or check with Arlene in the Gift Shop at the House on Friday. We've moved the Banquet to a larger facility, the Family Life Center at the Baptist Church on Main Street.
• You can also bring Silent Auction items to the Museum on Friday if you like. The earlier the better. Right now we've got 130 items plus, including some rare REH collectibles.
• There are also tables still available for the Dealers Area. $25.00 for both days for your REH/related items, payable in the Gift Shop.
• Speaking of money, please remember that the Museum Gift Shop and the Silent Auction can only accept cash or checks. So bring your checkbook or hit one of the several ATM's around Cross Plains.
• The Postal Cancellation Souvenir only happens on Friday, so be sure to get up to the Cross Plains Post Office for this unique memento.
• The Robert E. Howard Foundation Press will set up under their shady canopy, selling pure text REH. Their latest release, PICTURES IN THE FIRE, will debut there, with Editor Paul Herman and cover artist Bill Cavalier available to sign your book!.
• Skelos Press will also be on hand, debuting the English version of Patrice Louinet's THE ROBERT E. HOWARD GUIDE. The handsome Frenchman will also gladly sign your copy!
• The Conan Role-Playing Game will be presented at the Cross Plains Library along with the Conan Board Game and a little bird has told us the new Solomon Kane RPG will be on display.
• Here's a health reminder: The weather forecast for Cross Plains next week calls for hot as the slag heaps of hell (as REH would say) temperatures in the 100's. Consequently, dress accordingly, use sunscreen and make sure to stay extra-hydrated. Free water is available in the big cooler at the Pavilion, so everybody water up!
• In a related vein - Cross Plains is perpetually under a BURN BAN. The hot Texas air makes everything susceptible to fire, so PLEASE be very careful with matches or smoking.
• Finally, we will celebrate the 90th birthday of Solomon Kane with CAKE at the Friday Hot Dog Lunch. Cutting it with your rapier is optional.

There may be more reminders as we think of them. Stay tuned to this blog or the Facebook page for updates and additional pertinent info.

And remember: all the activities at Howard Days: Tours, panels, Hot Dogs on Friday and the BBQ on Saturday are free. Everyone is welcome, so y'all come! See you next week!

Howard Days Presents Two Book Debuts

If all goes as planned, we should see the release of two new books at Howard Days 2018. One is about Robert E. Howard, the other is by Robert E. Howard.

Patrice Louinet, world-renowned Howard Scholar, will be on hand in Cross Plains for the unveiling of his newly-translated-into-English THE ROBERT E. HOWARD GUIDE. This book is a comprehensive look at the life and writings of REH, done by this prominent Howard devote, scholar, collector and fan, who will indeed "guide" you through all things Howard within these pages!

The Robert E. Howard Foundation Press is pleased to announce the arrival of their latest book, PICTURES IN THE FIRE, Remaining Weird Tales and Esoterica. This tome features an interesting mix of Howard's original typescript writings and includes stories, poems, drafts and fragments (that were not included in previous works) and many little 'esoteric" bits that came from Bob's Underwood No. 5 or from the tip of his pencil. The cover to this book is a watercolor painting done by Bill Cavalier, this year's Howard Days Guest of Honor.

Both Monsieur (and soon to be Dr.) Louinet and The One and Only "Indiana" Bill Cavalier will be on hand to sign (and maybe doodle) in these books at Howard Days. Also, PITF editor Paul Herman will be around to sign as well.

These and other surprises await you in Cross Plains at The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom. (Although now that we've mentioned the books - not so much of a surprise...) 

We are "Celebrating REH Fans" this year and hope you can be there! To celebrate Solomon Kane's 90th birthday: THERE WILL BE CAKE!

Click on the little info tabs on this page for everything you need to know about Howard Days, and

Y'all come!

Updates for Howard Days - New Banquet Location

With two and a half weeks left, we've got one important update for you: there is a change in venue for the Friday night Celebration Banquet.

The Banquet will now be held at the Family Life Center of the Baptist Church on Main Street in Cross Plains. It's a well-labeled building that is hard to miss, just north of the downtown section.

This change will provide more space for both the Banquet and the Silent Auction held at the same time. And more importantly, the caterer is happy, so: happy cook, happy...well, the chicken fried steak will taste a little extra special this year.

There are still seats left at the Banquet. $15.00 per person will do the trick, sent to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, TX 76443 or via Paypal at ProjPride@yahoo.com.

Our panel presentations this year will be extra special as well. Fred Malmberg, Jay Zetterberg and Steve Booth from Cabinet Entertainment will be on hand with all of their REH-related updates coming down the pike. Robert E. Howard is hitting the big time in the form of multi-media entertainment. New books, new games and new television presentations featuring REH characters are being planned to really get the Howard name and brand to more people. Patrice Louinet will be here to talk about the ongoing Howard publishing being done in France, along with some exciting Howard-related gaming news. There'll be gaming presentations at the Cross Plains Library as well as notable Howard Heads on hand there for your question-answering pleasure.

We'll be hearing about these events and more at our panel presentations, but all the Howard Heads will be available all weekend all over town to answer your questions and keep things exciting.

Speaking of books, looks like the newest offering from the REH Foundation Press will be available for the first time at Howard Days. Pictures in the Fire, Remaining Weird Tales and Esoterica, should be front and center under the Foundation Press canopy set up just east of the Robert E. Howard Museum. This book features a cover by Bill Cavalier, who is also the 2018 Howard Days Guest of Honor. It will include REH stories, poems, letters and well, esoterica not yet published.

So, the time for Howard Days is drawing near, but there's still plenty of room for y'all to come! Hope to see you there!

Howard Days Poster

Here is the official Howard Days 2018 poster, done by Guest of Honor Bill Cavalier.

We see where "Indy" put in a reference to the newly uncovered storm/storage cellar, discovered last month during "The Dig" at the house. This newly uncovered part of the Howard Museum will now be on permanent display, as Project Pride has decided to add it to the Museum tour. Details are still to be worked out, but the cellar will be open for viewing during Howard Days and on other special occasions.

The poster lists a number of activities to be experienced during Howard Days, but the experience of coming to Cross Plains to appreciate the life and legacy of Robert E. Howard is like no other.

There's plenty of room for everyone and as almost all the activities are free, so y'all come!

Six Weeks to Howard Days!

With Howard Days getting closer, here are a few announcements and updates.

We will not be holding the Swap Meet inside the Pavilion this year. Instead, we will have Dealers Area tables set up along the fence east of the House for anyone wanting to display and sell merchandise. But there are a few stipulations:

• There will only be 6 tables available for $25.00 each for both June 8th and 9th. First come, first served and they can be purchased in advance. (Paypal payments: ProjPride@yahoo.com or check or M.O. to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, TX 76443). If you only need orwant a table for one day, it is still $25.00.
• There may be tables available on site the day of the event, but as they are limited to only 6, advance registration is a good idea. Limit 1 table per person.
• As this is Robert E. Howard Days, we will require the majority (75%) of your merchandise be directly related to Robert E. Howard. This means books, magazines, comics, pulps, fanzines, artwork, etc. "Directly related" can also include Lovecraft and other pulp writers' works, but does not include any self-published non-Howard items. Howard pastiches and knock-offs like Brak the Barbarian are ok. "Directly related" still covers a lot.
• There will be absolutely no displaying of items for sale on the tables or benches in the Pavilion and we would greatly appreciate your cooperation on this.

One of the most thrilling events at Howard Days is the Silent Auction at the Celebration Banquet on Friday night. A wide variety of Howard items are always available, but we need more!

If you would like to donate to the Silent Auction, please know that you will be helping out with the upkeep and maintenance of the Robert E. Howard Museum - AND your donation is tax deductible.

100% of all proceeds go to Project Pride and the Robert E. Howard Museum! 

You can send your Silent Auction items directly to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, TX 76443 and please mark your box "ATTN: SILENT AUCTION". Or, if you are attending Howard Days, you may drop your items off at the Gift Shop before 3 p.m. on Friday, June 8th.

Again, we are in need of REH-specific items. It is much appreciated and you will feel good about supporting the Legacy of Ol' Two-Gun Bob Howard!

Finally, we will adding a couple of new features this year. Various Howard scholars and fans (we call them "Howard Heads") will be on hand at the Cross Plains Public Library during Howard Days to do a "meet and greet", answer any questions you have, show off the impressive library collection of original REH typescripts, original pulp magazines and books and to show you the ongoing REH gaming area in the conference room. Every visitor to the Library can sign in at the front desk which gives the numbers rating a boost for this award-winning small town Library. Of course, donations are welcome also and coffee mug souvenirs are available.

Also, prior to the Saturday evening BBQ dinner, Rusty Burke will present a walking tour of the grounds at the Howard Museum. During this walk, archaeologist Jeffrey Shanks will be available to talk about the April excavation of the storm cellar in the back yard of the House.

More announcements, updates and information to come. Click on the various tabs at the top of this page for all the info you need for Howard Days. Also check out the Robert E. Howard Days Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you in Cross Plains!

For specific questions, please e-mail Bill Cavalier at 2cavaliers@sbcglobal.net.

The Dig at the House

The "Big Dig" is happening this week on the grounds of the Robert E. Howard Museum! Archaeologist Jeffery Shanks (who just happens to be a major Howard fan too) will be leading his team of fellow archaeologists plus a number of volunteers. They'll be digging in the back yard of the house  trying to uncover a former storm/cold cellar for the possible artifacts that may be there. One item of interest is the sign that hung on the house when REH lived lived there: DOCTOR. HOWARD RESIDENCE. It was deposited in the pit 40-some years ago - maybe it fell into a pocket of preservation!

There is a Go Fund Me page set up! https://www.gofundme.com/hh35y-robert-e-howard-house-archaeology is the place to go for complete information and if you'd be interested in helping out with this project. Any amount over the funding goal will be donated directly to the Robert E. Howard Museum.

More news next week when we return from the dig! Thanks for your support!

TEN WEEKS TO HOWARD DAYS!

With only ten weeks to go, plans for Howard Days are moving forward!

Here is the registration form as sent out by Project Pride. If one has not appeared in a mail box near you, never fear! Use this one to register for the Friday night Celebration Banquet and help out with other costs.

Now, you don't have to "register" to attend Howard Days, you know. All of the activities connected with our annual gathering are presented at no cost: Tours of the House and grounds, the Bus Tour, all the panels and readings and accessibility to the adjoining Pavilion - FREE! Just show up and enjoy the events and the fellowship of Robert E. Howard Fans from all over the world.

The registration fee is to insure that you have a seat at the Banquet, which is limited to 120; also, it helps defray costs for the Friday lunch, drinks - and cake!

Did we mention the cake? At the Friday Hot Dog Luncheon, we'll have cake to help celebrate the 90th birthday of one of Howard's more famous characters, Solomon Kane. There will be a knife to cut the cake, so leave your rapiers at home!

For more detailed information about Howard Days, just click on the handy tabs on this page for answers to your questions. There's a contact name there too, if you need even more specific answers.

Stay tuned to this page and our Facebook page as we ramp up our coverage of the premier event in Howard Fandom!

We want to make Howard Days as enjoyable an experience as possible for all of you as we "Celebrate REH Fans" at our 2018 event! Looking forward to seeing y'all.

Howard Days 2018 Schedule - Short Version

Here is the short version of our 2018 schedule. We'll have the longer version with more complete details up soon!

2018 HOWARD DAYS SCHEDULE

“Celebrating REH Fans”

We would like to dedicate Howard Days 2018 to four of our fallen Cross Plains friends: Tom Stephenson, Kennith Beeler, Don Clark and Tommy Rone. We miss you and will carry on your fine spirit and honor your legacy.

THURSDAY JUNE 7

2:00 – 4:00 pm: The Robert E. Howard House and Museum is open to the public. There are no docents on duty but the Gift Shop will be open and the grounds and Pavilion available to all.

5:00 pm: Fish Fry at the Cross Plains Senior Center.

6:00 pm: Barbarian Festival Parade down Main Street in Cross Plains.

Afterwards, Gathering at the Pavilion

FRIDAY JUNE 8

8:30 – 9 am: Coffee and donuts at the Pavilion, compliments of Project Pride

9 am – 4 pm: Robert E. Howard House Museum and Grounds open to the public. The adjacent Alla Ray Morris Pavilion will be open until late night.

9 am – 4 pm: REH Postal Cancellation at Cross Plains Post Office. Friday Only.

9 am – 11 am: Bus Tour of Cross Plains & Surrounding Areas. Friday Only.

10:00 am to 5:00 pm: REH Foundation Press canopy and Dealers Area open on grounds east of Museum.

10 am – 5 pm: Cross Plains Public Library open. Original Robert E. Howard typescripts available for viewing. The Conan Board Game and the Conan Role-playing Game will be presented.

Also at the Library: “Meet Me at the Library”: various Howard scholars and will be on hand to host and enhance your visit there. Come and enjoy one of the best small town libraries in the U.S.!

11:00: PANEL: From Fan to Pro. Mark Finn, Scott Cupp, Jason Carney + others.

Noon: Hot Dog Lunch hosted by Project Pride at the Pavilion. Donations are welcome!

1:30 pm: PANEL: The “Clubs” of REH. Bill Cavalier, Lee Breakiron, Jeff Shanks, Rusty Burke        

2:30 pm: PANEL: The Third Annual Glenn Lord Symposium. Jeff Shanks (M), Bobby Derie, Karen Kohoutek, Nicole Emmelhainz.

Following this panel will be the presentations of the 2017 Robert E. Howard Foundation Awards.

5:30 – 6:30: Silent Auction items available for viewing & bidding at Banquet site

6:30: Robert E. Howard Celebration Banquet & Silent Auction at the Cross Plains Community Center. Guest of Honor Speaker: Bill Cavalier.

Afterward there will be Howard Fellowship at the Pavilion, including extemporaneous prose and poetry readings.

SATURDAY JUNE 9

9 am – 4 pm: Robert E. Howard House Museum open to the public. The adjacent Alla Ray Morris Pavilion will be open until late night.

9 am – 4 pm: BARBARIAN FESTIVAL at Treadway Park, 3 blocks west of REH House

10 am – 3 pm: Cross Plains Public Library open. Original Robert E. Howard typescripts available for viewing. The Conan Board Game and the Conan Role-playing Game will be presented.

Also at the Library: “Meet Me at the Library”: various Howard scholars and will be on hand to host and enhance your visit there. Come and enjoy one of the best small town libraries in the U.S.!

10 a.m. to 4 pm: : REH Foundation Press canopy and Dealers Area open on grounds east of Museum.

11 a.m. PANEL: Happy 90^th Birthday Solomon Kane. Patrice Louinet, Bobby Derie, Dierk Gunther, Karen Kohoutek.

Lunch & Barbarian Festival Activities at your leisure during the day

1:30 pm PANEL: The Games of REH. Bill Cavalier, Steve Booth, Mark Finn, Jeff Shanks. Jason Carney

2:30 pm PANEL: What’s Up with REH? Steve Booth, Paul Herman, Patrice Louinet

4:00: Tour of House Grounds. Rusty Burke

5:00 to 8:00 pm: Sunset BBQ at the Pavilion

There will be some extemporaneous panel-like events and surprises this year!

 Special Announcements at the Pavilion ongoing over both days,

“Meet Me at the Library” – Come hang out with Howard Heads!

Conan Board Game and Role-playing game demonstrations and participation at the Library.

Poetry Readings on Howard's Porch after the BBQ.

Backyard Dig: hear and view the results from a real archeological exploration in Howard’s back yard.

Ongoing Thursday/Friday/Saturday nights: Howard Fellowship at the Pavilion.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL PANELS LAST ONE HOUR AND WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1000 N. MAIN ST. IN CROSS PLAINS, unless noted.

Happy Birthday Robert E. Howard!

January 22nd is the 112th anniversary of the birth of Ol' Two-Gun Bob Howard!

A tradition we started years ago is on his birthday, read some Howard and enjoy your favorite libation. As we know, there is a lot of Howard to be read and there are a lot of libations to enjoy!

Enjoy your day...Happy Birthday, Bob.

Howard Days 2018 is June 8th and 9th!

A New Year brings us a new Howard Days!

The 2018 version of Robert E. Howard Days takes place on Friday and Saturday, June 8th and 9th, at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas. Once again, fans from all over the world will gather to celebrate the life and legacy of the incomparable Robert E. Howard!

Project Pride of Cross Plains, along with the Robert E. Howard Foundation and REHupa, the Robert E. Howard United Press Association will be your sponsors and hosts once again. This year, we will celebrate members of all three of these organizations, along with the hundreds of REH fans from all over the U.S. and the world with our Howard Days theme of CELEBRATING REH FANS. Our Guest of Honor for 2018 is one of the mainstays of Howard Fandom, "Indiana Bill" Cavalier.

Again this year, Howard Days attendees will enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie felt by REH fans from all over the world! The Robert E. Howard Museum and adjoining Alla Ray Morris Pavilion are the gathering points and will be open to all (at absolutely no cost)! All of our regular activities will be in place: Tours of the REH Museum and grounds are ongoing; a Bus Tour of Cross Plains and environs takes place Friday morning; a Hot Dog Lunch, the Celebration Banquet and a honest to Texas Barbeque feast will keep you fed; numerous panels, seminars and demonstrations will feed your fannish and intellectual curiosities; you can marvel at Original Howard Manuscripts on display at the Cross Plains Public Library, you can acquire REH books, comics, magazines, t-shirts, hats and souvenirs in the Museum Gift Shop; the Robert E. Howard Foundation Press will be set up to sell true text Howard books; there will be a special REH Days postal cancellation stamp at the Cross Plains Post Office; and, we will have a small Dealers Area adjacent to the Pavilion this year. Plus, we promise to have a surprise or two to make things interesting!

We are in the process of getting our panels. scheduling & registration and logistics lined up to give you another great experience at Howard Days, so please stay tuned to this page as well as our Howard Days and REH Foundation Facebook pages.

It's never too early to start planning to join in all the fun and fellowship that Howard Days can provide for you, as we Celebrate the Fans of Robert E. Howard! Y'all come!

And we promise that Cross Plains will be thawed out come June!