On Saturday, October 23, 2010 The Legend of Pancho Barnes will be shown as part of the 5th Annual "LA Archives Bazaar". Southern California history comes alive in exhibits from more than 70 historical collections and archives. Browse rare collections, consult with experts, and learn about the hidden stories of L.A. diverse neighborhoods and communities.  Click here for more information.

Unfortunately, "Pancho Barnes Day" — the annual celebration of Pancho's life and legacy — won't be happening this year.   That's the bad news.  The good news is that "Pancho Day" should return in 2011 and, drum roll please, this October 1 a truly special (dare I even say, "landmark"?) event will take place not far from the site of Pancho's old ranch.  Those of you who follow our Facebook page know of what I speak ... the USAF is having an open house and invited 100 civilian pilots to fly into the base and land on the lakebed!  The lucky winners of a lottery (supposedly over 1000 people applied!) held on the Flight Test Nation website have just been announced, and you can read the tail numbers here.  Also attending will be a whole other group of people, allowed to drive in to the site by car.  Rumors have been circulating that there will be a special attendee performing as Pancho Barnes at the event.  People are mum about the casting of this person, who the heck would dare try to fill those flying boots?  Guess I'll learn the answer to that mystery on Oct. 1!

Pancho will be screening at The Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival on November 6th.  This prestigious event is the longest continuous-running women's film festival in North America. It showcases documentary, feature, short and animated films that are thought-provoking and enriching, and that encourage global awareness and personal growth. The Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival honors films and filmmakers that present the world as women experience it and that inspire curiosity, educate, entertain, and stimulate conversation.

The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club has been invited to screen at the BendFilm 2010 Film Festival in Bend, Oregon, October 7-10.  Now in its 7th year, the BendFilm Festival has evolved into a must-attend event. It brings together independent filmmakers and savvy media consumers for a life-enriching experience that educates and entertains. The work of BendFilm has drawn acclaim from both the film industry for its bold support of alternative cinema, and the Central Oregon community for its jammed-pack, four-day event of film viewing, lectures and other special events.

Screening times:

Friday 9 p.m. at the McMenamins 1 (Main) Theater

Saturday 11 a.m. at the Oxford Hotel (100) Theater

Amanda Pope's new film The Desert of Forbidden Art is also showing at this festival!

 

For more information visit http://www.bendfilm.org/

Amanda Pope and I just returned from six wonderful-but-tiring days at the biggest aviation event in the world, the EAA's AirVenture 2010 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  It proved to be one of the highlights of our run with the film.  We started off with a huge screening at the Theater in the Woods, made possibly through the generosity of Diane Titterington and the Aviation Speakers Bureau.  What a terrific event. Most of the crowd of roughly 1000 people were pilots who had flown into Oskosh that same day, including a couple who actually flew in specifically to see the movie (yes, we were totally blown away!)  The rest of the week found us screening the film three more times at the Skyscape and Hilton Theaters at the EAA Museum, and hosting signing sessions in the EAA's store.

In between the screenings and signings there were a number of terrific events, including an afternoon spent in the VIP area (thank you Brian Lorenz) where Amanda got to meet Red Bull's Chuck Aaron, and I chatted with barnstormer Matt Younkin, who often pilots a replica of Pancho's Mystery Ship.  We made friends at seemingly every turn, and actually the weirdest thing about how huge AirVenture is, is how small it seems.  For example, ahead of us in the Southwest line at the airport in L.A. was our good friend 99'er Susan Liebeler, headed to Oshkosh of course.  We got to the tarmac at AirVenture and the first person we see practically, is our buddy John Lyon from Flabob Airfield.   A few minutes later we ran into Clay Lacy and Harliss Brend (photo above right), who had just arrived in style in a restored Douglas DC-2.  And on, and on, and on! 

There were also some delightful introductions at Osh.  We met and socialized with a bunch of other filmmakers and authors who, like us, had come to share their projects.  We got to stare in admiration at pilot C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger, who was there to sign his new book and had a line longer than an Airbus A380 (yes we did have a pang of jealousy -- but then again he IS an American hero!)  We met several people who knew Pancho, including a fellow named Ron Wiener who spent part of his childhood at the Happy Bottom Riding Club. Ron shared memories of soaking in Pancho's circular pool in the midst of the hot summer . . .  it was obviously a bit of paradise.  And we got to hear a bunch naughty Pancho stories, some of which we'd heard before and some of which we hadn't.  Next time you run into me, ask me about the time Pancho was waiting for the guy to fuel her plane -- and I'll whisper it in your ear okay?

Photo at left: Amanda Pope speaks to fans at our fourth and final, standing-room-only screening at the EAA Museum. At right, she sneaks a hug with ace heli pilot Chuck Aaron.

AirVenture is vast -- over 700,000 attendees and upwards of 15,000 aircraft on the field -- and just to get from one side of the venue to the other can be an ordeal.  In between bus rides and hikes to and from our screenings and signings, Amanda and I marveled at the organization it takes to put something like this on.  The marvelous thing is that the EAA does manage to make it look easy.  This year especially there were huge challenges, including  an enormous downpour that threatened to make the event untenable.  Would you believe they actually closed the airport at Milwaukee two days before we flew in, due to hard weather?  The ground at the airport in Oshkosh was soaked, and that made parking of planes and autos difficult or in some cases impossible.  But despite all this, there was no talk of canceling the event.  Contingency plans were put into place, and by the third day of the air show you'd never have known there'd been a problem.  That's a credit to the employees of the EAA and especially, the volunteers.  We're grateful to everyone who helped us with our (admittedly small) part of the show, and especially thank Adam Smith, Kristin Schaick, Kathy Hanson, and Mark Forss.  Amanda, Pancho and I are grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of aviation's premiere event.