Legends of the Falls canceled; new organizer sought
Todd Fox played the part of his fourth cousin Oscar Fox at the Fuchs Cemetery in Cottonwood Shores during the 2021 Legend of the Falls theatrical hayride. Listening is Preston Kirk as Adolf Fuchs. Staff photo by Suzanne Freeman
After three successful years, the Legends of the Falls theatrical hayride in Cottonwood Shores is bowing out—at least for this year.
“I explained to the (Cottonwood Shores) City Council that I am not able to take the lead this year for this event,” said Debbie Holloway, who has been the head organizer and hayride narrator all three years. “The city later shared with me that they will not be able to take it over.”
Cottonwood Shores Mayor Jared Dodd said it is probably too late for someone to step in this year as planning for the early November event should already be underway.
“Rex and Debbie did an amazing job setting that up,” said Dodd, referring to Rex and Debbie Holloway. “They built an amazing celebration of Cottonwood Shores and its history, and they have sought a replacement, but no one has stepped up to the plate.”
Now that the foundation has been laid and all of the pieces put in place, Dodd hopes someone will take over the operation for a 2025 comeback.
“(The Holloways) have really done all the hard work, all the groundwork, so that someone could just step in and keep it going,” he said. “This is something that the people of Cottonwood Shores did. It is a volunteer effort. It’s not something the city can take over.”
Legends of the Falls began with five vendors and seven legends. Vendors set up at the Cottonwood Shores Community Center, and re-enactors of historical figures, or “legends,” were staged strategically along a route from the old Fuchs Cemetery through the city to a lakeside park and back to the community center.
As the event grew, more people from the past were added and the historical reach expanded from Cottonwood Shores into Marble Falls and Burnet.
By the event’s third year, it had grown to 50 volunteers, 50 vendors, and 14 legends, including two youngsters portraying General Adam R. Johnson of Marble Falls and Logan Vandeveer of Burnet. The founding fathers regaled those waiting for their hayride with tales of their communities in the mid- to late 1800s.
The event graced two covers of The Picayune Magazine (October 2022 and October 2023) and was voted Favorite Community Event in the Locals Love Us awards hosted by the magazine and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune.
Legends of the Falls has put a spotlight on Cottonwood Shores, Dodd said.
“We tend to get lost between the two giants of Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay,” he said. “It helped people recognize this tucked-away gem of a city on two lakes.”
His favorite aspect is the event’s focus on history.
“It told the story and honored the memory of these great men and women, the pioneers who settled this land,” he said. “And the vendors included other local history. Fort Croghan (in Burnet) had a table, Falls on the Colorado Museum (in Marble Falls), all these talented artisans and musicians. It was great.”
Dodd would like to see the event continue.
“Some things have a season,” he said. “Maybe it won’t happen this year, but we just need someone to take the information that the Holloways have set up and run with it. I’m sure it’s going to happen in the future.”
Debbie Holloway emailed all of the actors, volunteers, and vendors this week:
“Legends of the Falls has had an amazing three-year run, and it brought a lot of positive attention to our community,” she said. “I want to sincerely thank you for all your support for our community, the many hours of your hard work, and the respect you’ve given to our founding family members. You are an awesome blessing to our CWS community!”