Courtesy Big Bend Sentinel
The Marfa Chamber of Commerce is proud to present the 29th annual Marfa Lights Festival on Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-6.
Austin-based John Arthur Martinez starts the weekend filled with music, dance, food, fun and a variety of vendors. Martinez will perform at the street dance on Friday.
Martinez finished second place on the TV show, Nashville Star, and his album Lone Starry Night reached number 49 on the Billboard Magazine’s Top Country Albums chart.
He has shared the stage with Dwight Yoakam to Elton John and released his latest album “If Stars Could Sing†earlier this year. The fabulous Resonators open for John Arthur Martinez.
Returning to West Texas is Grammy nominee and Tejano artist Ricardo Castillon y la Diferenzia from San Antonio, who will perform at the free street dance Saturday night. Castillon picked up his first guitar at a young age and joined La Conexion Tejana when he was 12 years old, following his dad’s footsteps.
He set out on his own in the early 1990s and formed his own band with a childhood friend, Jose Luis Benavides. The band has performed on television shows such as Sabado Gigante, Onda Max, Despierta America and Primer Impacto and has received Grammy and Premio Lo Nuestro nominations. Destino Band of Midland opens for La Diferenzia.
Both Friday and Saturday performances will be at the Presidio County Courthouse and free to the public.
Other performers on Friday, Saturday and Sundat include local favorites Mariachi Santa Cruz, Primo and Beebe, and the Mystic Gitanas.
Padre’s Marfa is sponsoring the return of the Sunday night dance with the Selena-tribute band, Bidi Bidi Banda, from Austin and reggae rock band, Bachaco, from Miami at the USO building.
Tickets for the Sunday dance will sell for $20 the night of the show at the USO building. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. with Bidi Bidi Banda starting the music at 8 p.m. and Bachaco starting at 10 p.m.
Bidi Bidi Banda packed Padre’s during Cinco de Mayo as both residents and visitors danced all night to Selena favorites.
Bachaco is also no stranger to Marfa as they performed at Padre’s earlier this year as well aT Viva Big Bend music festival. Tickets for the Sunday dance will sell for $20 the night of the show at the USO building. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. with Bidi Bidi Banda starting the music at 8 p.m. and Bachaco starting at 10 p.m.
A variety of vendors will be on the scene to provide food, drink, and entertainment for children and adults. Food and craft booths open Friday evening and will again be set up around the beautiful Presidio County Courthouse lawn all weekend.
Saturday morning’s traditional parade will march down Highland Avenue starting at 10 a.m. Mariachi Santa Cruz will open the festival after the parade. If you end up having too much fun Saturday night, musicians and vendors will continue to provide entertainment, food and drink at the courthouse on Sunday afternoon.
Blackwell School Alliance will be in charge of the beer sales at the festival this year. No coolers allowed at the festival. See you at the festival!
