Huckin' Around!

ANDRÉS RUZO

America’s Amazon: An International Explorer’s Take on “Mississippia”

Can a dead fish stuck high and dry in a fence lead to a career-defining realization? Are key answers to saving the Amazon Rainforest hidden in the fields of Mississippi? We know we can miss the forest for the trees—can we also miss the river for the levee? National Geographic Explorer Andrés Ruzo´s work as a researcher, conservationist, educator, and communicator has taken him all over the world, but this will be his first trip to the Delta. Join Andrés and the Huckin’ Around Team as we explore “Mississippia” with new eyes in order to discover the hidden magic of America’s Amazon.

BRYON WHITE

Cultivating Change: The Revival of America’s Forgotten Heritage Beverage

A movement is brewing in America's Heartland, with roots stretching deep into an 8,000 year old past, steeped with wild tales of the sacred, the cutthroat, and the resilient. Yaupon, America's only native caffeinated plant, once a cornerstone product of native civilizations, nearly became a victim of colonial erasure. Now, a renewed appetite for this heritage beverage, and the unique benefits presented by its cultivation, are revealing yaupon's amazing potential as a catalyst to build a better America.

CINDY LOVELL

Mark Twain: Author of America's Sacred Texts

The Mississippi River was Mark Twain's holy water. What he saw and experienced on the river shaped his ever-evolving views about humankind. Twain was more than a humorist. He was a moralist. With his pen warmed up in hell, he delivered some of his mightiest sermons that still resonate today. We'll examine a condensed look at his life and work through the relevant lens of current events.

John “Driftwood Johnnie” Ruskey & Mark “River” Peoples

River Time

Ready to get out of town? (Like Huck?)  Ready for some river time?  Warning: you may not want to return. Through personal stories, music, and slide show, seasoned Mississippi River rats Driftwood Johnnie and Mark River guide you over the levee, and then down the muddy banks of the river, into the expansive forest and floodplain of the biggest river in North America!  A paradise thriving just over the levee, where the waters flow forever wild and free — as they bounce back and forth between the big sky and the big islands -- and your imagination is set free amongst the whirlpools, eddies and boils, and the profusion of wild birds, fish, and mammals.  We might have our feet in the mud, but our eyes are on the heavens.  We call it "river time."  This is our reality.  You may not want to return once you get a taste of it!

JAMES STARNES

Unlocking the Great River’s Ancient Past to Understand the Treasure it Holds for our Future

In this landscape, the Mississippi River acts like the hand of God-- creating islands out of nothing, reshaping state-lines, and defining the geology that is the basis for the environment. Its meanders weave past, present, and future together into a fascinating mystery written into this sacred ground-- a mystery, that if decoded can reveal both ancient treasures and the keys to a better future.

For accomodations: we recommend the Shack Up Inn, and we have reserved some rooms there which are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Email Scott@revilopark.com or call (720)-939-9428 to confirm reservations and obtain details. 

We look forward to seeing you at the first annual Huckin’ Around! Let’s work together to make it a safe and enjoyable event. Don’t forget your mask and vaccine card, and get ready for an unforgettable experience!