Salsa Fest, County Fair days away

 

            Live Oak County residents and visitors from across the state and beyond will find plenty to do in Live Oak County over the next two weekends.

            The sixth annual Three Rivers Salsa Festival will offer visitors a full day of fun, entertainment and activities. The festival is scheduled for April 1-2 at the Three Rivers Schools Auditorium and the town square.

            The Live Oak County Fair is set to kick off the following Thursday.

 

Three Rivers annual Salsa Festival draws visitors from across state

            The sixth annual Salsa Festival will open with a gospel music concert at the school facility on School Road in Three rivers on Friday, April 1, at 7 p.m. Featured performers will include Christian Country Music Performer of the Year Clifton Jansky of San Antonio, the Rockport Gospel Force, the Gospel Harmonizers of Mathis, 6-year-old Jimiley Dixon of Alice, the Grumbles Sister, the Wilson/Gaither families, the Gospel Crossroads band of Beeville, Linda Wientjes of George West and Charlotte Maples of Agua Dulce. The concert is sponsored by South Texas Custom printing and free to the public.

            On Saturday morning, bicycle riders will begin registering for three races sponsored by Diamond Shamrock Corner Stores. Registration will be in the parking lot behind the Rialto Theater in Downtown Three Rivers and will be for 25-, 35- and 50-mile rides. Entry fee for the ride is $20 and includes a free souvenir T-shirt. The three routes cover the Three Rivers and Choke Canyon Reservoir areas and is hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. All of the rides will depart at 8 a.m.. Winners will be announced at 3 p.m. on Stage 1.

            At 10 a.m. there will be a Salute to the Troops on Stage 1 sponsored by the Live Oak County Support Our Troops committee. Linda Couk of Three Rivers will perform patriotic and gospel songs during the event.

            Music begins on both stages at 11 a.m. with the young gospel rock band, Remission, performing mostly original music composed by brothers Orlando, Adrian and Gilbert Pena from Skidmore and Israel Mendez of Three Rivers on Stage 1.

            At the same time, accordionist Chris Rybak of Austin will be performing his one-man show on Stage 2.

            The horseshoe and washer pitching tournament will begin at 11:30 a.m. on the town square. Registration will begin at 10 a.m.. There will be cash prizes with 40 percent of the proceeds going to the Texas Diamonds Babe Ruth 10 and under softball team. For information, call Joe Hinojosa at 786-2557.

            At noon there will be a motorcycle poker run which will cover about 150 miles around Three Rivers. The event will raise money for local charities. For information, call Joe Halbrook at 786-8121. Entry fee is $20 or $25 the day of the run.

            Also at noon, Mariachi Bandolero will be playing on Stage 1 and then strolling through the festival grounds.

            The stars of the Brush Country Music Jamboree will begin performing at 12:30 p.m. on Stage 2. Featured acts will include veteran country artist Billy Mata of San Antonio, champion fiddler Bobby Flores, the Glosbrenner State Prison Praise Team, 11-year old Amber Lynn Womack, singer Allison Crowson, state champion yodeler Ken Brothers, brothers act Brennan and Seth Leigh of Austin, young vocalist John Wayne Schulz, Curtis Richard of San Antonio, David and Barbara Brown of Corpus Christi and the Flores Family singers.

            At 1 p.m. the eight—piece salsa and jazz band, Latin Talk, will perform. Michael Perez, a Corpus Christi school district music teacher, leads the band.

            New on this year´s list of performers are Jake Cortez and his Latin blues Band, which will perform at 2 p.m. on Stage 1.

            At 3 o´clock the popular Conjunto Oro band will be entertaining on Stage 1.

            Back for a second year will be Estrella de Lluvia at 4 p.m. on Stage 1.

            The music will conclude at 5 p.m. with local favorite Ruben Salazar and his Lasso band on Stage 1.

            Other features of the festival include about 50 food and arts and crafts booths.

            The First State Bank of Three Rivers presents the Salsa Festival with support from the Valero-Three Rivers Refinery and the Texas Yes program of the Texas Department of Agriculture. Texas Yes is a new initiative of the department of agriculture designed to spotlight rural Texas and promote rural Texas tourism.

            For more information on Texas Yes, call (866) 4TEX-YES or visit www.texasyes.org.

            The Three Rivers Salsa Festival is a project of the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee. Call 1-888-600-3115 for more information or visit www.threeriverssalsa.com.

 

Thousands attend Live Oak County Fair each year

            Three Rivers seventh-grader Hayden Kopplin has spent the last several months caring and raising two pigs he plans to show at the Live Oak County Fair next week – if they make the weigh-in.

            “I hope they do,” he said. “They´re a lot of work.”

            Hayden´s show hogs are among hundreds of animals – including steers, lambs, goats, chicken, rabbits – to be entered into this year´s fair.

            This year´s Live Oak County Fair is scheduled for April 7, 8 and 9. It is anticipated that this one will be even bigger and better than the last one.

            The collection prize and premium money is vital to the success of the fair. Contributions are used to provide the youngsters prizes and premiums on their time, efforts and expenses for their projects. “I am sure that you will agree with us when we say that most young people involved in such activities as FFA, FCCLA and 4-H are and will continue to be the kind of young people who are real assets to our communities and to our country,” organizers said.

            Contributions help to keep them involved and all contributions are greatly appreciated whether they be large or small. Those wanting to make a donation to the fair may mail them to Live Oak County Fair, P.O. Box 144, Three Rivers, Texas 78071. Donations are accepted any time.

            The rosette-winning baked goods sale will be Friday, April 8 at noon and the livestock auction will be held Saturday, April 9 at 6 p.m. “We invite you and your family to attend and participate,” said organizers.

            Anyone being new to the county, who would like more information on the fair, call Nelda Franke at 786-3254.

           

 

Photo: Chris Rybak will perform at the Three Rivers Salsa Fest this weekend