Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Sunday, December 8, 2024
Robert E. Howard Days 2025 is June 13th & 14th!
As the snow flies across the land here in early December, it's time to look ahead six months to the warmer climes of Texas in June - and ROBERT E. HOWARD DAYS!
Start making your plans to join us on June 13th & 14th at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas, for The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom. And we guarantee there will be no snow!
In 2025, we will be celebrating 100 Years of REH Publishing! In 1925, the Howard story SPEAR and FANG appeared in the July issue of Weird Tales, marking Bob's true entry into the world of professional writing. How great is it that here, 100 years later, Howard's stories are still alive, being published and enjoyed by new and old readers alike? And fans from all around the world continue to support the Legacy of his life and work.
While we are working out the specific details of Howard Days 2025 (like Guest of Honor, panel tracks, etc.), rest assured all the "regular" activities will take place. Those include: the REH Museum, Grounds and Pavilion open for all to enjoy, Tours of the house & grounds, a Bus Tour and a Walking Tour of Cross Plains, panel discussions, a Celebration Banquet, the Silent Auction, an al fresco Dealer's Area, a Souvenir Postal Cancellation Stamp, original REH manuscripts on display, REH/Conan, gaming, Poetry readings, a Hot Dog Lunch, a BBQ Dinner, plus more!
And best of all, you be in the company of your fellow Fans of Robert E. Howard and all his marvelous, iconic and innovative literary creations. We come together in a family reunion atmosphere to honor and support the Legacy of Bob Howard. Enjoy the Fellowship that is Howard Days as we celebrate 100 Years of Bob Howard's Writing!
Six months to go! It's never too early to start your plans and come to Texas! We'll see you there!
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Howard Days 2024 - It Came and Went So Quickly!
Much to my chagrin, I found that this now six months late post was hung up as a draft. So, read about what you missed last June as we get ready to start the Howard Days engine up once again.
HOWARD DAYS will be June 13-14, 2025.
Another Howard Days is over. To those of us who made the journey to Cross Plains, Texas this year to celebrate the Life and Work of Robert E. Howard at the Museum in his name, it was quite the trip!
Without a doubt, the single biggest event of the two-day extravaganza was the installation of Bob Howard's Writing Table back into the room where it belonged. We owe a debt of gratitude to Paul Herman of the REH Foundation for his relentless, tireless work in retrieving this holy grail artifact in the world of REH. Years of research, phone calls, emails, travels and plain ol' pestering got the job done!
The table was brought into the Museum on the Thursday afternoon before the "official" start of Howard Days. It had been restored to its former height by extending the legs and refurbishing them with a laminate. However, the top was not re-done; the tiger oak finish was waxed and buffed, but the worn down areas (we like to think by Bob leaning his arms on it) remain. When viewed, an appreciation for its sturdiness is evident; one can almost hear the heavy clack of Bob's Underwood No.5 typewriter echoing off the table's surface! If only this table could speak!
Howard Days 2024 was moved back to the traditional dates of the second weekend in June. We found that this time is more accommodating for attendance by educators and students. In spite of blistering heat and Texas-sized mosquitoes, the attendance number was up considerably from the late April date of 2023.
Speaking of which, the numbers for 2024 were up considerably, with nearly 300 people who signed the registry book out front. Factoring in the folks who didn't sign in, Howard Days 2024 was one of the best attended in recent years. There were 52 from 21 states not named Texas, 228 Texans and 7 from overseas (France, England, Ireland and Norway). There were over 245 items in the Silent Auction, which raised a considerable sum for Project Pride. Donations were particularly healthy as well, enabling Project Pride to continue the year long maintenance of the REH Museum.
The Museum itself shone like a beacon in the Texas sun, proving the old adage "If you restore it, they will come." Folks to whom we spoke over the weekend were mightily impressed at the entire venue of the REH Museum. Over a third of the Banquet attendees held up their hand when asked, "Who's here for the first time?" They remarked on numerous occasions to this reporter that they had learned a considerable amount about Robert E. Howard over the course of the weekend.
The Pavilion was constantly full of fans enjoying Howard Fellowship. The Hot Dog Lunch on Friday was so popular that the hot dogs ran out! There were 8 tables set up for REH Days dealers in the surrounding yard, highlighted by the Robert E. Howard Foundation Press. The REHFP was selling the ever-dwindling amount of first edition Howard books along with the newer (and most welcomed) reprint editions. And speaking of dealings, the Gift Shop in the Museum was darn near depleted of everything by Saturday afternoon!
The Tours for the weekend went off in fine order. Mark Finn and Rob Roehm took over the Bus Tour of Cross Plains and surrounding areas on Friday; Jack Baum and Rob led an informative Walking Tour of downtown Cross Plains; Paul Herman and Bill Cavalier took folks around the grounds of the Museum to the rear of the house, where Jeff Shanks explained the 2018 archeological dig in the back yard.
The Cross Plains Review once again opened their doors for a viewing of a vintage newspaper printing press room where Howard once worked and provided some excellent Cross Plains/REH souvenirs. Of particular note was a display of what could be Bob Howard's boxing gloves, along with some original photos of REH and his friends.
The Cross Plains Library provided visitors with a wonderful display of original Howard typescripts along with their collection of 1920's & 30's pulp magazines containing Howard stories. Both days there also featured a session of the Conan role-playing game led by Jeb Boyt.
Over at the Cross Plains Post Office, a special cancellation stamp commemorating the newly acquired Howard Writing Table was available, exclusive to Howard Days attendees.
The panels presented this year were loosely based on REH in 1934. Guest of Honor Rob Roehm presented a fine talk about his Travels with Bob. Howard's life and work in 1934 was discussed; the Glenn Lord Symposium presented four papers; an engaging talk about Bob's relationship with and influence of Novalyne Price took place; REH in Pop Culture was extremely informative and the Breckinridge Elkins/El Borak panel entertained all. A number of folks we spoke with were very impressed with the quality of the panels and they were all interesting, informative and very spirited! For certain, each panel turned out to be standing room only, which is 75+! And the Fists at the Icehouse panel worked very well as Fists in the Porchlight.
Friday night's Celebration Banquet was moved back to the Cross Plains Community Center. Project Pride was able to keep the table seating at 150, but as the CC was filled up, they moved the Silent Auction next door to the American Legion Hall. This was a good move, as the nearly 250 items filled 6 rows of tables with a myriad of REH books, magazines, fanzines, paperbacks, comics, original and print art and even laser etched glass and wood. The diversity of items provided for spirited bidding and greatly helped Project Pride with their year-long maintenance of the REH Museum.
Guest of Honor Rob Roehm spoke quite humbly about his Travels with Bob. His passion for research and travel has combined quite nicely over the last two decades in his quest for knowledge about Robert E. Howard. Rob took it upon himself to drive to each and every town REH ever mentioned visiting in search of information about Howard and his family. This includes Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas and Missouri, plus Mexico!
Howard Days 2025 was also graced with other notable REH guests: Jim Zub, the current writer of Titan Comics CONAN THE BARBARIAN comic book was on hand. Charles Hoffman, author of the seminal essay that kicked off Howard scholarship, Conan the Existentialist, was present to celebrate the 50th anniversary of said piece. Authors John C. Hocking and Howard Andrew Jones made the journey to Cross Plains, as did Michael Scott Myers, student of Novalyne Price Ellis and screenwriter for The Whole Wide World, her book detailing her relationship with bob Howard. And Shawn Curley from Heroic Signatures was on hand to video panels and interviews for his You Tube Conan the Barbarian podcast.
However, the one person most missed at Howard Days this year was Rusty Burke. Our dear friend suffered an injury in December of 2023 that has temporarily taken him out of action. As the Founder of Howard Days, his absence was keenly felt. We called him during Howard Days and his voice was strong as he sent along his love to everyone. Hearing how much he missed being at Howard Days put a bittersweet emotion on the weekend but we know he'll be back to Howard Days in 2025.
The Saturday BBQ dinner was served up as a fundraiser for the Cross Plains Library that packed the Pavilion and the donation jar. And the bittersweetness of Porch Light Poetry (this year presented in the shade outside of Bob's room) as the last function of Howard Days brought this year's event to a satisfying close
And for right now, Howard Days 2025 will be held on the traditional second full weekend in June, so out tentative date for next year is the weekend of June 13-14. But stay tuned for an announcement later in the year. And then you can make plans for joining us in Cross Plains where we once again celebrate the Legacy Life and Work of Robert E. Howard
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
June 11th, 1936
As we recover from our trip to an incredibly good Howard Days (and will be filing a report post haste), we are reminded of today's infamous date in Howard History.
Bob Howard died on June 11th, 1936, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Accounts of this tragedy can be found elsewhere.
Here, we have just finished a fine few days of celebrating his life at his restored home in Cross Plains, Texas. Howard Days 2024 was a smash hit with all who attended! The nearly 300 people who attended this year talked about his life and works in panels, while eating hot dogs or chicken fried steak or brisket, sitting under the Pavilion, reading his poetry aloud right outside the room where he wrote it (on his newly acquired original writing table) or while hoisting a drink to his shade under the crescent moon that rose each evening.
Ol' Two-Gun was looking upon us, I'm sure - maybe even wondering what the fuss was all about. He must have cracked a grin when he heard why so many folks made a concerted effort to be at his home, honoring his legacy.
Like we do at any family reunion, we have stories of our departed relatives. We can be grateful that Robert E. Howard left all of us with so many stories.
Thanks, Bob.
Saturday, June 1, 2024
See You at Howard Days!
Robert E. Howard Days at the REH Museum in Cross Plains, Texas, will kick off for a brief time on this coming Thursday, June 6th, when Bob Howard's Writing Table will be introduced to the world, back home where it belongs! Then on Friday and Saturday, June 7th & 8th, The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom will be presented for all to enjoy!
Your intrepid reporter will be away from this website for the next 10 days, as the vacation trek to Texas lies ahead. But all the info you need about Howard Days is here and Cross Plains is all ready for Howard Fans from all over the world!
We will be posting updates and photos over on the Howard Days Facebook page, so look there for up to the minute info. We'll post as much as we can during Howard Days, but what a busy time that is!
We hope to see y'all there! And if the mood strikes, drop everything and Come to Texas! We'll be looking for you!
Thursday, May 30, 2024
Robert E. Howard Days is Next Week!
After over a year's wait, Howard Days is back once again next week! We hope you can join us at the REH Museum in Cross Plains, Texas, on June 7th & 8th (and maybe squeeze in June 6th as well) for The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom!
Project Pride of Cross Plains is the community organization that organizes Howard Days every year. They maintain the House and grounds and give tours by appointment all year long, but Howard Days is the big event that keeps them charged up! And it makes a visit to Cross Plains ever so enjoyable!
Arlene Stephenson, President of Project Pride, told us today that the House is all ready to welcome visitors from all over the world. Staale Gismervik and his wife will be here from Norway, Terry and Kay Allen are popping over from the UK and Patrice Louinet will be stateside from France, among others. And of course, the hundreds of fans from all corners of the U.S. will make for a great international "family reunion"!
As we make our last minute preparations to head to Texas, don't forget the little bits of information that will help you enjoy yourself even more. The Howard Museum Gift Shop and the Silent Auction are only set up for CASH (or checks). (There are several convenient ATM's around Cross Plains).
Texas in June can be brutally hot and the weather can change on a dime, so remember to keep hydrated! Water and Gatorade are your friends; there will be water available in the big public cooler at the Pavilion. There should also be bug spray available there too, but it never hurts to bring some along. Same goes for sun screen - there's no sun like the sun in Texas!
Dressing cool will help as well and you can put your sombreros, fedoras and cowboy hats to use, too. Fortunately the Pavilion is well shaded, as is the yard surrounding the House and we can hope for some nice winds to blow our way.
So, to y'all who are heading out early next week (like we are here from NW Indiana), safe travels! We'll be seeing you right quick now!
Saturday, May 25, 2024
Less Than Two Weeks Now!
The days are getting longer and the anticipation is getting stronger! Howard Days will be here right quick, so let's go over some details.
Most importantly, Howard Days is happening June 7th & 8th (with some limited activity on Thursday the 6th) at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas. All the information you need is available on this page, just by pushing the tabs above. Or is it?
Here are some little bits and tips that will hopefully make your Howard Days even more enjoyable.
- On Thursday the 6th, the Museum is open from 2 to 4. No docents are on duty but the Gift Shop is open. CASH (or checks) ONLY. Several ATMs are around town.
- Also on Thursday, there will be an informal installation ceremony for Bob Howard's Writing Table, fully restored and back in the place where it belongs.
- The Pavilion adjacent to the Museum will be open all day Thursday, too. Early comers gather there to meet & greet, maybe make plans to travel to the Howard grave site in Brownwood, have dinner or just get a start on the weekend's Howard Fellowship.
- When you arrive at Howard Days on Friday or Saturday, please register at the canopy out front and get your name on the mailing list. This gives us an idea of attendance and you can get a name badge, too.
- The Bus Tour is a Friday ONLY activity. This year it is being lead by Mark Finn and GOH Rob Roehm. Please meet AT THE PAVILION BY 9:00 AM, as the Bus leaves at 9:05! The tour lasts about 90 minutes.
- The Cross Plains Review will be open for tours Friday Only: 10:30 to 12 Noon. Come see the printing presses from Howard's era and pick up some souvenirs there, too.
- The Cross Plains Post Office will provide a unique souvenir: a postal cancellation stamp exclusive to Howard Days. It is available FRIDAY ONLY from 9-4.
- The Celebration Banquet is on Waitlist Status right now. Check at the Museum for updates, as there will be limited seating still available for $25.00. Also, the Banquet has been moved to the Cross Plains Community Center. Please pick up your dinner ticket there, starting at 5 pm. The Silent Auction viewing and bidding is next door at the American Legion Hall, with dinner at 6:30. Remember, CASH or check only at the Silent Auction.
- The Fists at the Ice House panel at 9 pm on Friday has been moved to the Museum grounds this year. So, it's Fists at the Pavilion!
- The Walking Tour of downtown Cross Plains is on Saturday ONLY, conducted by Jack Baum. Meet at the big red ICE HOUSE building on Main Street at 9:00 am sharp. The tour lasts about 90 minutes.
Thursday, May 16, 2024
THREE WEEKS TO GO!
With only three weeks to go, you might be asking yourself 'What can I do until Howard Days gets here? I'm bursting with anticipation for The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom!' BTW: it all happens June 7th & 8th (with a bit on the 6th) at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas!
The answer is easy: get yourself over to You Tube and click yourself into videos of Robert E. Howard Days! There is a ton of stuff there that can pretty much give you a Howard Days experience right on the comfort of your computer or phone.
For years now, professional cameraman Ben Friberg has been posting videos of Howard Days to You Tube. He does it now through The Texas Center, showing all the panels, readings and activities that occur there. It's a great way to become familiar with a Howard Days experience.
You Tube is also home to quite a number of Howard stories done via audiobook and most are done very professionally, as would befit a writer of Howard's stature! Plus, a number of You Tube personalities have some excellent, informative shows based on REH & his writing.
The World of REH is one of many excellent websites devoted to Ol' Two-Gun Bob Howard, as is The Robert E. Howard Foundation site. Robert E. Howard Days is one of many websites that inform you and a search of Facebook shows dozens of sites devoted to Howard, Conan, Solomon Kane and other REH characters.
And it's not too late to sign up for the Banquet on Friday night at Howard Days, or send items for the Silent Auction. You don't want to miss either of these activities, as they are one of the highlights of Howard Days!
So, enjoy this "slow" time before Howard Days by seeing all the great places about REH on the internet. You know how to do it!
Sunday, May 12, 2024
HOWARD DAYS! Less Than a Month Now!
All right! NOW we are getting down to it! HOWARD DAYS 2024 will be upon us June 7th & 8th at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas in a few weeks! And while it may be time for most of us to start finalizing our plans to attend, we're here to tell you that there's room for everyone on that weekend. And all of the activities at the Museum can be had for FREE!
The Howard House will be open that Friday and Saturday (and for a while on Thursday) for all visitors. You can tour the House and grounds, relax in the adjacent Pavilion and mingle with REH fans from all over the world. The well-stocked Gift Shop is open as well (CASH only). You may partake of the numerous discussion panels, enjoy a cool beverage, see original Howard manuscripts, pick up a nifty souvenir postal cancellation (for the price of a stamp!), eat a BBQ dinner for a donation, read a Howard poem aloud and just be among like-minded REH fans enjoying Howard Fellowship.
The Friday night Celebration Banquet (this year held at the Cross Plains Community Center, is the only true cost of the weekend. For $25.00 you can be feasted with a real Texas chicken fried steak dinner while perusing the many Howard items at the Silent Auction.
While the seats at the Banquet are going fast, there are still some available for any late deciders (or procrastinators!) You may purchase a ticket with PayPal: ProjPride@yahoo.com or with a check to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, TX 76443. Now, the seats are limited, so don't delay!
The simultaneously occurring Silent Auction is just the place to pick up some real gems of Howard items: books, comics, paperbacks, fanzines, magazines, original art - every year there is something truly unique in the auction. This year we understand there will be some glass etching artwork done on a recovered pane from a window at the House.
But, in order for the Silent Auction to really succeed, donations are needed! Most of us have duplicates in our Howard collections or items we no longer have use or space for, so why not donate it for the upkeep of the Howard Museum. 100% of the money from the Auction goes to that upkeep. You can either send your Howard item donations to the address above or bring them to the Museum on Thursday or Friday.
And speaking of Thursday: Robert E. Howard's original writing table is finally coming home! Paul Herman, with the REH Foundation, has worked tirelessly in both acquiring and refurbishing Howard's table to its original state. We will have a short installation ceremony on Thursday at the Museum and The Table will be put in place. This magnificent Howard artifact will be back where it belongs. And you can have your picture taken sitting at it!
The schedule is set and we're looking forward to enjoying it, along with all the other extemporaneous activities that will happen. We've got some great guests coming in plus folks from France, Norway, England, Ireland and all points in the USA, Howard scholar Rob Roehm is Guest of Honor, there are dealers in the yard - and Howard excitement will be in the air.
So check out the schedule and make your plans - we'll see you soon!
Sunday, April 21, 2024
ONLY 7 MORE WEEKS UNTIL HOWARD DAYS!
With a mere seven weeks to go, Howard Days looms on the horizon. Actually, it will be here before we know it, so time's a-wastin' to make plans to attend!
As seats for the Friday night Celebration Banquet at the Cross Plains Community Center are going fast, making a reservation should be your first order of business! For only $25.00 you get a delicious country-fried steak dinner with all the fixin's, to enjoy among the company of fellow REH fans, while listening to Guest of Honor Rob Roehm talk about his travels in the footsteps of Bob Howard. Registration may be had via PayPal at ProjPride@yahoo.com or by sending your dough to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, Texas 76443.
Now would also be a good time to help out Project Pride with donations of a REH/related item or three for the Silent Auction, held during the Banquet in the adjacent American Legion Hall. 100% of the proceeds from the auction go to Project Pride for the yearly upkeep of the Robert E. Howard Museum. Please send your items to the address above or bring them to the Museum on Thursday or Friday.
The Big Deal for Howard Days 2024 will be the unveiling and dedication of Robert E. Howard's Writing Table. Thanks to the tireless work of Paul Herman, working through the Robert E. Howard Foundation, Howard's fully restored writing table is coming home at last. After eight decades, the very table upon which Howard created so many words, worlds and works of wonder, is back in the very spot where he accomplished so much. This iconic artifact will be in place at Howard Days 2024 and you may sit before it for photos, dreams and memories. (Table is shown here in its unrestored state.)
The Howard Days guest list is also growing. This year we will welcome Jim Zub, the current writer for Conan the Barbarian comics; author and editor Howard Andrew Jones will join us, as will John C. Hocking, author of Conan and the Emerald Lotus. Both Mr. Jones and Mr. Hocking have novels upcoming from Titan Press/Heroic Signatures and will appear along with Mr. Zub on several panels. Shawn Curley from H.S. will be bringing his new REH podcast and web endeavors to Cross Plains and we'll look for updates on those.
On Saturday the 7th, the Cross Plains Chamber of Commerce will have a Summer Bash Festival in Treadway Park (1 block west of the Museum). The Cross Plains Review office will be open Friday from 10:30 to 12 for a tour and some Howard Days souvenirs.
Check out the Schedule for all the happenings at Howard Days this year! There will be a lot of extemporaneous events popping up as well - one of those deals where 'ya gotta be there' to enjoy. Excitement will permeate the air at Howard Days!
So, we hope to see you in Cross Plains on June 7th & 8th for The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom! Y'all come!
Sunday, April 7, 2024
HOWARD DAYS IS JUNE 7th & 8th!
With two months to go, it's time to get down to brass tacks and make your plans to attend Howard Days June 7th & 8th at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas!
Here we have the official Howard Days Registration Form. You can use these images and get yourself registered for all the activities at this year's event!
Remember that the only *real* cost for attending Howard Days is a ticket the Friday night Banquet; as seating is limited, advanced registration is required. Your $25.00 fee helps pay for other aspects of Howard Days and donations to Project Pride are always most welcomed. All of the tours, panels and other activities are presented free of charge. That's a deal you can't pass up!
We are also showing the Schedule of Events. Please note that the City of Cross Plains is having a Summer Bash Festival in Treadway Park (next to the Howard Museum), where there will be vendors, food, music, activities, entertainment and good ol' Family Fun.
Howard Days will be here before we know it! Make your plans now to come to Cross Plains and enjoy The Best Two Days in Howard Fandom!
Friday, March 8, 2024
ONLY 3 MONTHS UNTIL HOWARD DAYS!
With only three months to go until Howard Days, it's time to make your plans to join us June 7th & 8th at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas! While we are busy getting the panel scheduling tightened up, we do have some additional information to pass along in the meantime.
Project Pride, the driving force behind Howard Days, likes to send out flyers to previous attendees and those are ready to go. There is a registration form attached to the flyer that you can use to reserve yourself a seat at the Friday night Celebration Banquet. The cost is only $25.00 for the opportunity to have some authentic Texas chow, hear Guest of Honor Rob Roehm speak and rub elbows with Howard fans from all over the world!
Please note that the Banquet fee is the ONLY cost for the entire two days of this event. Everyone is welcome to Howard Days to enjoy the two days worth of free REH activities. The $25.00 registration fee is payable only if you want to partake of the Banquet.
Registration is now open. Send your $25.00 (per person) to Project Pride, POB 534, Cross Plains, Texas 76443 or you may PayPal at ProjPride@yahoo.com.
Regular - free - activities always in place at Howard Days include visiting the Robert E. Howard Museum, taking any of the four tours provided (House, Bus, Walking & Grounds), enjoying the adjacent Alla Ray Morris Pavilion, collecting an exclusive postal cancellation stamp souvenir at the Cross Plains Post Office, viewing original Howard manuscripts and Weird Tales magazines at the Cross Plains Library, attending the numerous panels devoted to the life and work of REH, enjoying a Hot Dog Lunch on Friday and a Sunset Bar-B-Que on Saturday, partaking of the Porchlight Poetry readings of REH poetry - and, best of all: partaking of the fine Howard Fellowship that finds you among fans of Bob from all over the world!
Plus a number of extemporaneous events and special happenings are lining up to enhance Howard Days 2024!
On Thursday, June 6, when the Museum is open from 2 to 4, we are going to have a special Installation Ceremony of Howard's Writing Table! As we mentioned earlier, Bob's table has been procured for the Museum by Paul Herman and the Robert E. Howard Foundation and is currently undergoing restoration. So this year you will be able to sit at the actual table where Bob Howard pounded out nearly 3 million words on a beast of an Underwood No.5 typewriter. And there are new photos of REH to be displayed in the hallway.
We know of some special guests who will be showing up as well, including Jim Zub, who is the current writer for Titan Comics' CONAN the BARBARIAN comic book.
Among other media notables appearing are Shawn Curley, the developer behind Heroic Signatures new REH podcasts and YouTube videos; (hopefully) the Cromcast podcast gang will be in town; and Stephanie Childress hopes to come in to do an oral history of Howard Days with interviews of attendees.
Finally (for now) we need to inform you that the Banquet and Silent Auction venue has changed. This year we are going back to the Cross Plains Community Center for the Banquet and we will have the Silent Auction next door at the American Legion Hall. The CC is a bit smaller than our previous venue, so it's even more important to get your Banquet Registrations in maybe a little early this year.
These three months will fly by! Hope to see y'all in Cross Plains June 7 & 8!
Friday, February 9, 2024
HOWARD DAYS IS ONLY 4 MONTHS AWAY!
With only four months to go until Howard Days (June 7-8) at the Robert E. Howard Museum in Cross Plains, Texas, we are in the process of getting our panels and activities lined up, travel plans are being made and the anticipation of good Howard Fellowship under the warm Texas sun is becoming more real every day!
The underlying theme for this year's event is REH in 1934, a 90th anniversary look at why 1934 was such a banner year for Ol' Two-Gun. In addition to writing Conan, El Borak, Breckinridge Elkins and Red Sonya of Rogatino stories and starting a relationship with Novalyne Price, Bob hit the road and traveled quite a bit around the American Southwest and even into Mexico.
With that in mind, let's meet Rob Roehm, Howard Days 2024 Guest of Honor. Among Rob's other accomplishments (which you can find under the "GUEST" tab), Rob is the only person we know of who has traveled to every location in the U.S. that Howard wrote about visiting.
Rob has extensively detailed his travels to dozens of cities and places Howard visited and has documented it all with photos, courthouse papers, newspaper clippings and interesting stories. One of the panels we will present will be "Travels with Bob" - a great look into the life and wanderings of Robert E. Howard.
We will also have a group present gathering up oral histories of Howard Days with interviews, and Project Pride is preparing their own Howard Days history.
So, Howard Days 2024 will be a time to share old memories and make new ones, all in support of the Legacy of the Incomparable American Original, Robert E. Howard. There's plenty of time to make plans to come to Cross Plains in June - but it never hurts to start a little early.
Most of the information you need can be found under the tabs under our header, so start clicking! We'll see you in June!
Monday, January 15, 2024
HOWARD DAYS IS 5 MONTHS AWAY!
As snow and cold sweep across the nation, it's time to turn our thoughts to warmer climes - mainly: ROBERT E. HOWARD DAYS on June 7th & 8th in Cross Plains, Texas!
The wheels are in motion to provide you with another spectacular time at Howard Days. While we've got our standard programming well into the planning stage, there will be some new activity going on to entertain and enlighten you as to the World of Robert E. Howard!
Howard Days is not your regular convention of like-minded enthusiasts, it is more like a family reunion where folks gather to enjoy, support and carry on the Legacy of Ol' Two-Gun Bob Howard. Enjoy Howard Fellowship while relaxing in the shade of the adjacent Pavilion at the site of the REH Museum in lovely Cross Plains, Texas. Listen to Howard fans, scholars and enthusiasts as they speak of all phases of Howard's life and career, and enjoy spirited discussions about his writings and creations among Howard fans from all over the world. Enjoy the Museum Gift Shop and various dealers of Howard merchandise in the yard.
Here is the basic schedule we follow during Howard Days, but there's plenty of time for additions and surprises that make HD such a unique event.
2024 Howard Days Schedule
Thursday June 6
2 - 4 pm: Robert E. Howard Museum & grounds open.
Friday June 7
9 am - 4 pm: Robert E. Howard Museum & grounds open.
9 am - 4 pm: Howard Days souvenir postal cancellation available
9 - 10:45 am: Bus Tour
1 am - 4 pm: Cross Plains Library open.
11 am - Noon: Panel
Noon: Hot Dog lunch in Pavilion
1:30 - 2:30 pm: Panel
2: 30 - 3:30 pm: The Glenn Lord Symposium
3:30: The Robert E. Howard Foundation Awards presentation
5:30: Celebration Banquet & Silent Auction
9 pm: Fists at the Ice House panel
Saturday June 8
9 am - 4 pm: Robert E. Howard Museum & grounds open.
9 - 10:45 am: Walking Tour of Cross Plains
1 am - 3 pm: Cross Plains Library open.
11 am - Noon: Panel
LUNCH
1:30 - 2:30 pm: Panel
2: 30 - 3:30 pm: Panel
4 pm: Tour of Howard house/grounds
5 pm: Sunset BBQ
Afterward: Porchlight Poetry
This is our "bare bones" scheduling. We are developing our panel topics now and will be posting them soon, so stay tuned. But this is enough for now and it's never too soon to start your planning to attend Howard Days! We already have friends coming from England, France, Norway and Japan!
Further general information is always available here by clicking on the various tabs, and will help you as you make your plans to come on down to Texas! Also check the Robert E. Howard Days Facebook page and the REH Foundation website.
And here's a little teaser for you: the Robert E. Howard Museum has acquired the original writing table that Bob Howard used when he wrote all of his marvelous stories and poems! Paul Herman has worked tirelessly to enable this to happen. The table is currently being restored to its' former glory and we plan to have an installation ceremony during Howard Days. Come witness this major event in Howard History, have your picture taken as you sit at the Table and feel the magic in the air. This is a very big deal and you can be part of it at Howard Days 2024!
Y'all come!