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Home My WebLink About2003-10-17 Euless Articles ISTRIBUTED TO: 6646 PAGE OF .MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RID GWAY(2) FOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED /C // 7C- -3 DATE OFARTICLE 16113109 NEWSPUPER FWST I Pareslvas ou play ®n crowded fi .By TERRY LEE GOODRICH Many new events have STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER ages 19,17 and 15 years,respectively. sprung up in Northeast "You can't swing a dead cat around In.Southlalce, there's an oompah. In Tarrant County in recent years – these days without hitting a festival," Euless,cries of"Opa!" so many that fun-seekers may said Bob Hamilton, Northeast Tarrant Butterflies wing it at Grapevine's have a tough time deciding which Chamber of Commerce president and Flutterby.And in a windy Euless field, to attend some weekends. chief executive officer. "Families are giant kites fly. looking for thesees of events to get So much for weak attempts at poetry. can play hard;too. outside and enjoy their communities." The point is, area residents work In the past decade,a proliferation of And although many festivals occur ' hard, study hard and commute hard area festivals have taken their places the same weekends during the week. And on weekends, alongside such venerable ones as giving festival- Gra Grapevine's Main Street Dagoers packed schedules les — "I don't thanks to Northeast Tarrant festivals P Days, its think we're at saturation oint et in March through October,fun-seekers GrapeFest and Euless' Arbor Daze, P Y Tad Prevett of Grapevine's Traffic Department removes the because they're so diverse," Grapevine Main Street Days entrance banner in May. Northeast Tar- Hamilton said. rant County cities continue to come up with new festival ideas, per- Dozens of festivals have haps at one another's expense. sprung up for a variety of rea- sons. They celebrate such diverse interests as tree preser- vation, blues music, cultural heritage and family together- ness. Festival hosts include non- profit groups, chambers of commerce, churches and cul- tural organizations. Reasons to hold them—other than fun— ' might include benefiting ani- l mal shelters or tourism,raising ; money to build a church or exhibiting and selling art. + For many cities, hosting a , festival is a matter of civic pride. Michael Woody, marketing , ' director for the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, ° touted the benefits of Grape- Fest, the city's four-day Sep- a tember festival that funds his- r toric preservation projects. `•.. "We get to introduce over ' 200,000 people to the shops on Main'Street and the spirit of RV the community,"he said. Here are a few of the festi- vals that have begun in the past ` 10 years: STAR-TELEGRAM ARCHIVES DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE�OF� MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIA7 HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGI-VAY(2) YOUNG McDONALD C/OLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR / , DATE DISTRIBUTED y l 17163 DATE OF ARTICLE 0/I3 / j NE11"SPAPER FWST ■ Bedford's Labor Day , B1uesFest, which debuted in 1995, has attracted as many as 70,000 people.The city has not ■Sculpture Along the Trini- tions but usually targets chari- effort and put it into a Fourth o� reported crowd figures for this .ty at Bear Creek,Keller's 10-day ties. An exception was its con- July event." year. juried sculpture show and sale, tribution to North Richland Hurst Stars and Stripes, ■ The Pacific Islander debuted in April and drew Hills' 50th anniversary celebra- born in 2002, has attracte WataugaFest, an expansion of about 3,000 people. tion. some 15,000 people with fire WataugaFest,began in 1999 and ■Kites Over Euless debuted "We feel it's important to works and such big-nam drew about 8,000 this year. in September and attracted give back to the community, entertainment as the western ■ Moon Festival in Haltom about 400 people. but we've started to look closer swing band Asleep at th City, which began in 2001, Tourism dollars from hotel- at what we do,"he said. Wheel. attracted about 2,000 people motel taxes, business sponsor- Not all festivals make it.The A festival that has grow this year. ships and donations are com- Northeast Fall Festival in Hurst steadily is Southlake's Art in n Oktoberfest in Southlake mon funding sources for festi- lasted only three years, despite the Square, put on by th Town Square, which debuted vals, which often have free attracting 30,000 people and Southlake Women's Club, th � last year,attracted about 40,000 admission. . winning first-place awards city and the square.This year i people this year. On the negative side, the from the Texas Festivals and raised$130,000 for 19 charities. ■ Southlake's Art in the proliferation of festivals, along Events Association. The city "The firs: year, we had 4 Square, which began in 2000, with the economic downturn, decided in 2002 to end it artists that we begged ti attracted about 70,000 people has begun to thin out corporate because of parking and space come," said Terri Messing, this year. sponsorships, Hamilton said. problems and increased insur- event chairwoman and clu ■Westlake's Arbor Day cel- Free festivals might one day ance costs. member.Last year,it had 110 ebration, which began in 2000, have to charge for admission or "That time of the year, too, and a concert by singer Jewel. attracted about 500 people. find other ways to compensate. there were just so many festi- "You have to kick it up each ■Old Town Keller Country Mike Rigby, president of vals we were competing with," year,"Messing said. +Faire, which began in 2000, Liberty Bank in North Richland Hurst Deputy City Manager Grapevine officials als attracted about 20,000 this Hills, said that institution bud- Allan Heindel said. "We decid- vouch for the importance o year. gets money each year for dona- ed to take all that time and upgrading festivals. This year,GrapeFest attract- Putting on a successful festi- matter how much planning, 'All these other cities fo ed nearly 230,000 people and val isn't easy, festival planners something will always happen. out what a good dea made $288,000 for the say. Weather is always a gam- We've joked for years that the Grapevine had with its festiv Grapevine Heritage Founda- ble: Bedford's blues festival city needs to produce the histo- and started to compete with tion's restoration projects — in coped with 110-plus tempera- ry of Arbor Daze behind the — but it's a good deal for part because of standard festi- tures one year, and heavy rain scenes:' and them,"he said."It gets peo- val highlights such as people's pelted it this year. But they say festival lovers ple to know other people choice wine-tastings and There's competition — like make it worthwhile.And the teaches them to work togetqff grape-stomping contests, city last weekend's Mid-Cities love affair is mutual. and that's still worth its weiffir officials said. Greek FoodFest in Euless "Where else can you go for in gold." "But every year, we also (Opa!) coinciding with Okto- all that free music of all sorts?I Terry Lee Goodrich,(817)685-3812 come,up with something we berfest in Southlake (oompah). fit as many fests as I can into a terry@star-telegram.com haven't offered before to keep One.year, art lovers had to weekend," North Richland them alive," Woody said. He make tough choices — or put Hills administrative assistant gave as an example the year lots of mileage on the car — Karen Ames said. "I like to , when Art in the Square coin- smell all that food from the barrel rollers from France cided with the Main St. Fort vendors'booths and be outside rolled wine barrels on their Worth Arts Festival and the after being cooped up all week. rims down Main Street. Denton Arts and Jazz Festival. I go to Celtic fests,blues fests, In Euless, the financial goal And Arbor Daze officials Arbor Day fests — you name for the city's biggest event — have coped with complications it." Arbor Daze — is.merely to such as major food vendors not Grapevine lawyer and ' break even, said Ray McDon- showing up, or the generator Southlake resident Izak Grego- ald, parks and community ser- for the main stage sound going ry, 62, is another avid festival- vices director. out. goer.He's so ardent,he won the The three-day festival, "That's the joy of planning scraggliest beard category of which attracts about 250,000 events," McDonald said. "No Main Street Days' beard-grow- people, features tree giveaways ing contest in 1994 after gluing and oldies bands such as The live water bugs into his beard. Beach Boys. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE i OF I MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIAI HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGII'AY(2) YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS IVILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADAIIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR DATE DISTRIBUTED_1 C1 J17 ' D 3 DATE OFARTICLE I b It! I V J NEWSPAPER DAIN H-E-B ISD GENE BUINGER Group to recognize superintendent's devotion Age:58 to youth club with lifetime achievement award Occupation:superintendent,Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district Family:wife,Mary Kay;daughter,Ann;son,Doug S Education:bachelor's degree in history,Fort Hays State College in Hays, Kansas,1968;master's degree in educational administration,University of School chief receive Missouri at Kansas City,1973;doctorate in education administration, Oklahoma State University,1984 1praise Scouts honor Associations:Boy Scouts of America;H-E-B Rotary;H-E-B Chamber of Commerce I By BRANDON FORMBY the Boy Scouts. and other organizations,"he said. Staff writer Dr.Buinger's dedication to the Although Boy Scouts works Gene Buinger, 58, credits his organization began during his youth in Kansas City,Kan. with years as alloy.Scout with laying Y � many' 3 different school dis- the foundation for his character. "I think it has so many positive tricts and their administrators,Dr. "It was a positive experience," aspects,so I was flattered to be se- Buinger stands out, Mr. Hueske he said. "It taught me leadership lected,"Dr.Buinger said. said. ' skills. It put me with a positiveIn the third grade,Dr.Buinger "The introduction to Scouting peer group." joined the Cub Scouts and later through the school system is so The Scouts' Roadrunner Dis- belonged to a church Boy Scout important to the success of the trict, which serves Hurst, Euless troop. program," he said. "Many school ' and Bedford, credits Dr. Buinger "1 enjoyed the camping part of districts across the country have with a lot,too. Scouting because I grew up in the been less than supportive.Dr.Bu- "He has just been a wonderful city,"he said."This was an oppor- inger has just literally opened the supporter of Scouting, not just tunity to have outdoor experienc- door to Scouting in this district." ' now but throughout his life,"said es." That openness speaks a lot Joel Hueske, a former Roadrun- At 13,he and a group of Scouts about Dr.Buinger's strength as an did community service to receive educator,Ms.Follett said. their God and Country badge. "I think he looks at the whole ' x ner District "We went to Goodwill Indus- chairman. tries at a time when special-needs child,"she said."He wants to see m The group youngsters weren't in public the students in that district have a will present Dr. schools like they are today," Dr. well-rounded education." ' Buinger, super- The award will be presented intendent for Buinger said. `"this was our first during a dinner and reception at Nlf the H-E-B experience working alongside spe- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pat school district, cial-needs individuals." May Center,1849B Central Drive. ' Gene Buinger with a lifetime Dr.Buinger said it was impor- Area restaurants and H-E-B culi- achievement tant for children to have expert- nary arts students will prepare award Wednesday. ences provided by groups like the dinner.The event will feature live "He's always been helpful in Scouts. and silent auctions and music by trying to get programs started for "I believe part of the purpose of local Boy Scouts.Tickets cost$20. the youth in H-E-B,"said Gale Fol- education is character develop- Call 817-624-5527. lett, senior district executive for ment,and that's afundamental fo- , cus of Scouting and Campfire Girls E-mail bfortnby@dallasnews.com ' or call 817-865-4970