Last night, the Marfa Lights Festival kicked off with a great community parade, with the historic Presidio County Courthouse in the background. There's PLENTY of fun on the schedule for the entire weekend...come on down!
Here's the rundown from Marfa's Chamber of Commerce who's put together a great, great time for all:
"Labor Day Weekend means it's time for the Annual Marfa Lights Festival. The Marfa Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the festival August 31 through September 2, 2012. Join us around the historic Presidio County Courthouse for three days of free live entertainment, crafts, food and fun. In addition to the festivities at the courthouse, there will be a parade, a 5K run, and the First Ever Marfa Lights Festival Soap Box Derby.
The festival will kick off at 5:30 PM on Friday with a Parade on Highland Ave., followed by a Marfa Shorthorn Pep Rally. The festival's free outdoor entertainment series will open Friday night with music by Andy Schneider's Trio starting at 6 PM followed by Issac Avila y Sus Camarades at 8. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Saturday morning, at 7 stop by the Chamber of Commerce booth to register for the 5K Walk/ Run. The race is scheduled to begin at 8 AM. The top three male and female finishers in each age division (21 and under; 22-40; 41 and over) will receive medals. The fee for entry is $25 with T-shirt, or $15 without. After August 31, all entries are $30.
The entertainment line up for Saturday will feature Ray Freese at 1 PM, followed by the Marshmallow Eating Competition scheduled for 2 PM, center stage. At 3 you won't want to miss the Traditional Hula Dance on the lawn. Later Saturday afternoon, there will be a Pie Baking Contest. If you think your time tested pie recipe can outshine the rest, bring your entry to the Marfa Chamber booth by 3 PM for judging. At 4 PM the Dry Creek Diggers are scheduled to play, and they will be followed by the Dog Show where every hound is a winner. Marfa's own Moondogs will take the stage at 7:30 followed by local favorites, Groupo Acuario 90 at 9.
The fun continues on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 with Judge Paul Hunt's Honourable Trio is scheduled to play the classics in English and Spanish. The Mystic Gitanas dance troupe will perform at 2 PM, later Sunday get ready for the FIRST EVER Marfa Lights Festival Soap Box Derby at 3 PM. The course is set to start at Lincoln and Gonzales just up the street from the Courthouse festivities. After the derby, come back to the festival grounds to see the beautiful Ballet Folklorico perform live on the Courthouse lawn. To close the festival, there will be one of Marfa's famous open jams. If you're a musician, you are invited to participate in the open jam, just bring your own chair and instruments.
Hope to see you at the Festival! "
