Success at the III Edition of Old West History

This past weekend, November 15 to 17, the Oasys MiniHollywood Western town, located in Tabernas (Almeria) hosted the International Historical Reenactment Old West History, the most renowned Western historical reenactment event in Spain. Attendance at this year’s edition was a great success.
For two days, visitors from all over Spain and the world enjoyed numerous activities related to the Far West. These included reenactments of historical events and episodes such as the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral or the 1868 signing of the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which featured the special participation of the historian Raúl Matarranz.
In total, more than 200 historical reenactors from all over Spain and other countries such as France, Germany, and Argentina participated in the performances. Participants included Codex Belix, Imperial Service, and La Cruz de Victoria as well as international groups such as Go West or L’Epoque des Cavalcades.
Reenactments of legendary Far West personalities like Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, and Crazy Horse, among many more, also took place with the participation of real actors. The Almeria reenactment group Far West Frontier was in charge of this activity.
What’s more, several conferences also took place, including “Tombstone: the Most Violent City in the West. Fact or Fiction?” by the historian Miguel Ángel Quero; “The United States Army in the Second Half of the 19th Century,” by Raúl Matarranz; and “The Weapons of the Old American West,” by Leonardo Jiménez.
One of the favorite activities among attendees was the exhibition of Playmobil dioramas -under the care of the Jorge Olaya family- and the Madelman of Valencia exhibition, both set up in the railway wagon. Another favorite was the “taming, lassoing, and riding in the West: the life of a cowboy.”
Throughout the weekend, attendees enjoyed typical American dishes such as Mexican chile, pork ribs, and other barbecue dishes at the Arizona buffet restaurant.
At 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, after the last of the activities, the closing ceremony of the Historical Reenactment was led by the organizers: Leonardo Jiménez, Manuel Olaya, and José María Rodríguez. They awarded certificates of participation to each of the reenactors who made this magnificent event possible.
This is the third edition of this event, which is unique in Spain. This year, there was a considerable increase in the size of the audience with respect to last year, establishing it as one of the most important events in the Western genre.