City pleased with Crossroads event
Adrienne Buller takes a wild ride on a gyro at 18th and Buddy Holly Sunday afternoon during the Music Crossroads festivities. (A-J photo-Wade Kennedy)
Police estimated the festival’s crowd peaked at more than 5,000 on Saturday night – up from 1,500 during last year’s event. The Music Crossroads of Texas Festival ended Sunday with performances by Falling Jupiter, Anthony Garcia Jazz Quartet, Ingrid Kaiter Band, River Wind, The Rankins and The Diamonds.
Linda Fort, executive director of the Lubbock Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the festival’s success exceeded expectations.
”We definitely put Lubbock on the music map,” she said Sunday.
Fort said the festival drew people from all over the world. And the festival’s name change Ð it used to be called the Buddy Holly Music Festival Ð hasn’t been a problem, she said.
”Beyond our wildest dreams, it’s been successful,” Fort said. ”The change of the name was a plus. We’ve been able to show the diversity of music that comes out of West Texas.”
Lily Clement said that people who attended the festival weren’t afraid to open their wallets. She said she had no problem selling T-shirts of Buddy Holly’s 1958 Chevrolet Impala, which was on display at the festival.
For the 71-year-old Clement, the festival’s success is simple.
”Honey,” she said between cash transactions, ”in England, Buddy Holly is as respected as Elvis Presley. The younger generation has gone wild. The world is so hectic now. Everybody is searching for more peaceful times. Everybody loves the ’50s.”
Charlie and Ruby Dyer of Lamesa said they enjoyed the festival, returning on Sunday after a visit on Saturday. They said they might even be back next year.
”We like the music, the car shows, the bike rally Ð we like it all over,” Charlie Dyer said. ”I like Buddy Holly; he was one of my favorites.”
By DAN McKAY
Avalanche-Journal
