Yorktown's annual Western Days joins elite Texas Music festival status
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IF YOU GO
WHAT: Yorktown Western Days-Ziegfest
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 16-18
FOR INFORMATION: Call 361-564-2661 or visit www.yorktowntx.com or www.myspace.com/yorktowntexas
YORKTOWN WESTERN DAYS-ZIEGFEST MUSIC LINEUP
Friday, Oct. 16
Jack Levitt
Wade Bowen
Saturday, Oct. 17
Texas ...
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IF YOU GO
WHAT: Yorktown Western Days-Ziegfest
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 16-18
FOR INFORMATION: Call 361-564-2661 or visit www.yorktowntx.com or www.myspace.com/yorktowntexas
YORKTOWN WESTERN DAYS-ZIEGFEST MUSIC LINEUP
Friday, Oct. 16
Jack Levitt
Wade Bowen
Saturday, Oct. 17
Texas Ride
Django Walker
Honeybrowne
Mark McKinney
Eli Young Band
Kevin Fowler
Sunday, Oct. 18
Cody Gill Band
Two Tons of Steel
YORKTOWN - This DeWitt County town of about 2,200 could see its population explode by the thousands - at least in mid-October - as its 51st annual Western Days celebration takes on a Ziegfest designation for its Texas Music festival.
The regional economy could also feel the effects of the more than 50,000 visitors expected during the three-day event.
"As a regional event, this is a phenomenal opportunity for the South Texas region," said Melissa Armstrong, Western Days' executive director. "All the counties around Yorktown will benefit. This will enable us to provide an additional economic boost to the regional businesses, including lodging establishments, eateries, gas stations and retail stores."
"We expect an increase of 40 to 50 percent from last year," Armstrong said. "We had people drive last year six or seven hours from across the state and from other states and vendors from other states also set up during Western Days. The event is reaching a national audience and participants."
Yorktown becomes one of only four Ziegfests in Texas - sponsored in large part by Anhauser-Busch's ZiegenBock Amber and Del Papa Distributing Company - and the only one with no admission charge. The other Ziegfest music festivals are in Houston, the week after the Yorktown event, Corpus Christi in June and Bryan/College Station in September.
Ziegfest is a premiere Texas music festival that also serves as a charitable fund raiser. The festivals have raised close to $100,000 for local charities in the three larger cities where the events have already been held.
The same will be true in Yorktown, where the proceeds will benefit local and regional charities and programs, including Youth Scholarships for Western DeWitt County school students, Lions LEOS Youth Group, the Yorktown Athletic Booster Club, the Nordheim/Runge/Yorktown Shattered Dreams Program, area Project Graduation programs, Newspapers in Education, the Yorktown Independent School District, Yorktown Chamber of Commerce, area Little League teams, Crossroads Youth Football League, DeWitt County FFA groups, DeWitt County Row Crop Tours, band booster clubs and various other youth groups and organizations.
But it's the music that's the biggest draw.
Kevin Fowler, the Eli Young Band, Honeybrowne, Two Tons of Steel, and Mark McKinney are among 10 acts expected to perform during the three days.
Fowler headlines on Saturday night.
Armstrong said every performer scheduled to perform in Yorktown in October is on the Texas Music chart's top 50, if not the top 10. Several of them are currently appearing on Country Music Television and Country Music Television's Pure Country and three of them are on Great American Country's top 10 list.
"For the general public to be able to see performances by this caliber of Texas Music talent at no cost is an opportunity only being offered in Yorktown," Armstrong said.
Armstrong said the success of the previous 50 Western Days and its growth the last several years was a factor in the Ziegfest designation.
"It needs to be noted that without the combined support of local, regional, statewide and national sponsors and, of course, our volunteers all working together, we wouldn't be where we are. It really is a combined effort," Armstrong said. "We are very proud of this opportunity."
The event's board of directors debated for some time before accepting the designation.
"To turn our backs on this opportunity was something we could not afford to do," Armstrong said. "We're not only promoting tourism in the area, but providing support for non-profit groups as well."
Comments
Can't wait to see it this year. It should be really......different.
July 6, 2009 at 8:20 p.m.