logo Updated  September 26, 2008    URL is www.tentativetimes.net/dean/faq.html

The 2008 James Dean Festival in Fairmount, Indiana includes:

Thursday night, September 26th Lions Club car show downtown Fairmount
Friday-Sunday, September 27-29th, the entire festival and car show with
        Dance contests, Lookalike Contests and Bands Saturday night
        More music and events throughout the festival
        A rockabilly area where the stage used to be, beside the bank downtown
        A huge, spectacular new screen to show all events at the new stage, including bands at the car show.  The new screen is in        the new stage area toward the south end of Main Street.
        Car Show awards on Sunday, September 29th.
        MEMORIAL SERVICE on Tuesday, September 30th, with a free lunch (donations gratefully accepted) starting at 11:30 at Back Creek Friends Meeting. The service starts at 1:00 PM and then we walk or drive to the cemetery for more sharing.  Sunday night we gather at Sirloin Stockade steakhouse in Marion, Indiana (on the bypass) for a Dutch Treat dinner.  Sunday afternoon we visit and sightsee in Fairmount. 

What is a Deaner? Deaners are people fond of James Dean and avid to learn more about him.  (Thanks to Sue Pelletier for the term!) Here are some answers to your questions.
Please click on a question:

How do I enter the Festival contests?

Show up near the Big Screen one hour or less before the event you will enter. Go to the table below the front of the stage and give your information to someone with a clipboard.  Try to make sure the mamarazzi (Sandra, me,) gets your picture while it is still daylight.  It is almost impossible to move on the midway, to get to the stage.  Allow yourself extra time.  Come around the  back if necessary.

You will enter the stage by going up the back stair.  You will be told when to step onto the stage for your first walk across.  Don't rush it.  You need to pose for the cameras.  Then you will go out as a group, then leave as a group.

The judges pick the several semi-finalists who go back on stage as a group.  This is another time to pose for the cameras and videotapers.  The judges say that they aren't influenced by the cheering of the audience.  These contests are really loud.  Bring earplugs for the little lookalikes.

And most important, remember, it is only a contest for fun. Well, and glory.  Laugh it off if you don't win this year. It is just foolishness and nonsense and a good time.

 When Is This Huge James Dean Festival?

James Dean Fairmount Historical Society festival weekend. This is always the last FULL weekend in September.  In 2008 it is Sept 27, 28th and 29th.

The James Dean memorial service is ALWAYS on September 30th. Read details about it on the memorial pages. Brunch begins about 11:30 am and the service starts at 1:00 pm. Then we march to the cemetery for more ceremony.  Sometimes we stay in Fairmount and get together for supper that night and then go on a nightwalk, led by Mark Kinnaman.

How do I register for the car show?   

Good question.  The car show happens on the James Dean Fairmount Historical Society festival weekend. This is always the last FULL weekend in September.  In 2005 it is Sept 23, 24 and 25th.   It's good to arrive on Friday  if you can.  Otherwise, come Saturday morning.  This is a huge show and you will want to jockey for position.  It may be possible to arrive on Sunday early, and still be judged, but I don't know for sure. You must preregister. Each car has to drive in under its own steam, no trailering.  But you can trailer from your home to Fairmount.  I don't know how you get the forms to register.  I'll keep checking.
There is plenty of food for sale on the Playacre Park grounds, and many vendors sell clothes, cars, parts, etc.  There are dances and shirts, celebrities, Sunday awards and pancake/sausage breakfasts for car buffs.  Yum!

Check with the Fairmount Historical Museum's website for the latest news on how to pre-register, or you could ask David Loehr at dl@jamesdeangallery.com or contact Phil Zeigler of Jonesboro. 

Where is the David Loehr's James Dean Gallery/Museum

 David has closed the Gallery in Gas City for financial reasons.   David Loehr is now headquartered back at his original Gallery location, the huge white Victorian house at 425 North Main Street, where Rebel Rebel is housed!  The James Dean Gift Shop is there, now too

This is not the Fairmount Historical Society Museum.  (That's in its  same location, 203 East Washington Street in Fairmount.)  Go to the traffic light downtown and then go 1 block east on Washington Street.  That's the Fairmount Historical Museum. It sponsors the big September Festival which is officially called JAMES DEAN FEST as of 2008!

 Who is this Adeline Nall you write about?

Adeline Mart Nall was Jimmy's speech teacher at Fairmount High School.  She was the first teacher to encourage him to pursue his passion for acting.  Read about her  in deaners.net

What or who is Marfa?

Marfa is the name of a city in Texas near the set at which Giant was filmed.  Marfa is a wonderful pilgrimage for Deaners. On the fourth of July 2005 Marfa is having a huge party in honor of the 50th anniversary of  James Dean's death. Meet people who knew Jimmy when he was in Marfa!  Book your rooms today.

Read about one awesome trip to Marfa, photographed and written by Magdalin Leonardo. 

  Questions about James Dean's motorcycles and about New York City

I don't know anything about his motorcycles, but thank you for writing to me and reading deaners.net
His Indiana motorcycle, bought from his neighbor Mr. Carter, at Carter's Motorcycle Shop, is available for viewing at the Fairmount Historical Museum.

 I just write this site about Fairmount, because it is all I know for sure.     David Loehr guides a New York City Walk which visits places Jimmy had been to in NYC.  It is created by Magdalin Leonardo All prices for the walk are from 1997 and no longer apply. The walk doesn't happen every year.

What is Cholame?

I have made pages about Cholame, California, (the site of Jimmy's death) using information sent to me by sharing, caring Deaners.  I am no expert on cars or New York City.  I know almost nothing about the car show at Paso Robles on September 30th.  I think it is every other year.  2005 ought to be a bang-up show in California. If you belong to the fan club, you will learn more about California events from Kip Brown's outstanding column,

Why in the world would an adult join a fan club? 

That's what I used to think, until I became involved in James Dean Remembered, also called James Dean International.  Originated by Silvia Bongiovanni and another fan, WRDI (We Remember Dean International) remained active for many years.  When Silvia wanted to retire, various other fans tried their hand at collecting dues and publishing the quarterly magazine.  We have come a long way now, and the friendships are as loyal as ever. The magazine is now a slick, thicker color production and we have a website at www.tentativetimes.net/jdr/    Er, we had to cut down on the color, because we were going broke, but there are still wonderful pictures and articles about wonderful people.

We have an active email network so we can get word to all the members when anything happens, either good, bad or neutral.  We don't miss out on any Dean TV shows.  We know if anyone is sick, married, babied, relocated, appearing in a movie or traveling to Marfa or Cholame.  Pam Crawford, our President, is going to write a similar exposition about the benefits of being a member of James Dean Remembered (International.)   

 Rules of Rock Lasso
Don't Knit, Knot!

Okay people, listen up. These are the rules. You take this rope, see, and tie a rock on one end. It can be a clothesline or a nylon rope. You bend way over and throw your arm some strange way and the rock makes a knot in the rope. The contest is to see who can make the most knots in a short length of time, and who can make three knots, untying after each knot, in the least amount of time.

 Now we take this very, very seriously, so don't make a sound. Don't move in their line of vision. Don't slurp your lemon shakeup. After all, A&E was here filming this for a biography on James Dean.  CBS-TV has filmed it.  We may not be in the Olympics yet, but we could be some day.

There are a million people who couldn't make their first knot if they tried for a year. Most of us couldn't tie up a rock either. And if we did, we'd knock out a tooth. This is a specialized sport. It's a very short contest, with microseconds making a difference. It is AWESOME. All hail our James Dean rock lasso knotters.  The contest is held early on a Saturday morning, maybe around 9:00 or 10:00.  I am not there in time to film it, since I stopped driving. 

Bob Hinkle taught the rock lasso to James Dean when he was a dialog coach during the filming of Giant in Marfa, Texas.

Where did this huge deaners.net come from?

I'm Sandra Weinhardt.  When the internet became available in the small city where I live, in 1996, I made a personal website, Lincoln's Doctor's Dog's Homepage or How To Stay Sane In A Small Town.  One section advised everyone to take a trip to Fairmount, Indiana to learn about James Dean.

My husband's Aunt Elsie Haindl was married to  Joe the Butch, a much-loved character who owned a butcher shop with  Elsie when Jimmy was growing up in Fairmount.  I had spent a lot of time in Fairmount too, but not until the early 1970s.

Everything stemmed from that.  I finally found my calling in life.  Each of my pages in deaners.net grew from an email from a fan.  I still have many pictures and details to add to deaners.net from the many kind Dean fans who have emailed me.  The site has taken over my life.  It is almost the only thing I do.  My husband cooks and brings my meals to me at my computer. 

I receive no compensation.  This annoys my husband a lot.  He also has to drive me to events and tote my photography equipment.  I have no training with software so I work very slowly.  Housework?  When the interest in Jimmy has been satisfied for everyone in the world, I'll do housework.  However, if you want to come here and do laundry, vacuum, run errands, tidy up, clean the bird cage, etc. you would be welcome, 'though  I can't pay you. 

I have several other magazines, all unpaid.  They are sadly neglected because deaners.net is my life now. The are listed at http://www.tentativetimes.net/ I have a Rockabilly and Roots music e-magazine called http://www.tell-mama.com/   , the website for the Geneva home of Gene Stratton-Porter (an Indiana State Historic Site), Opine: an opinion e-magazine, and Nostalgia: an e-magazine about Kustom cars and life in small towns. 

I am always very, very, very tired.

logo Click Jimmy to link out to the main index.

Send your questions to secop@parlorcity.com

My logo graphics are by our good friend, U.S. Army veteran Mark Kinnaman of Fairmount, Indiana.