Posted: 04/26/2014 07:22:19 PM MDT
LAS CRUCES >> 'The wind is contributing to the art,' said Penny Duncklee, pointing to some windblown, artistic chalk smears on the giant roadrunner being created by members of the Ten O'Clock Club for the 3rd annual Avenue Art Competition Saturday in downtown Las Cruces.
Just minutes before, a blast of wind had toppled most of the canopies sheltering artists, who were left scrambling in a colorful maelstrom of chalk, towels, knee pads and motley art supplies.
It's Superweekend in the Mesilla Valley and the legendary Doña Anas decided to blow in to join festivities that include the Las Cruces Country Music Festival, La Viña Wine Festival, the Border Book Festival, British Car Day. Las Cruces Railroad Days and a street chalk art festival.
The entertainment and the wind were both supersized on Saturday as festival and special events fans braved gusts and dust to celebrate everything from art, books and country music to trains, cars and wine.
The weather forecast and festival congestion had a daunting impact on some Superweekend activities. British Car Days, hosted by the British Motorcar Club of Southern New Mexico, was moved from a planned location on Las Cruces Avenue to a parking lot at the north end of main street to make way for a Las Cruces Country Music Festival stage.
'But it's okay, Charlie Daniels takes precedence,' said Jack Pumphrey, at the wheel of a 1953 Bentley Empress owned by his friend Jock Findley of Estancia.
Pumphrey said attendance, at about 50 cars, was down for the event, which attracts cars from throughout New Mexico and the United States.
The country music fest, after a rousing Friday night launch with the Charlie Daniels Band, opened Saturday morning with local bands.
'I came for the market and just saw the stage here. I figured we'd get out before the wind gets too bad,' said Sonia Leopold of Las Cruces, settling in with her kids Masen, 1, and Brylee. 2, for some country tunes.
'Because of the weather forecasts, we only have 60 or 70 percent of our regular vendors and those that are here are pretty hard core. We've consolidated them and pushed them closer to the store walls and we'll just play it by ear,' said Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts manager Duane Mosely.
The National Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning at 4 p.m. The advisory, in effect until 7 p.m., warned of gusts up to 58 miles per hour.
The festival pushed back the main stage performers' start time to 7 p.m., an hour later than planned. The wind didn't seem to affect the planned crowd, who assumebled early to watch Las Cruces' own Bri Bagwell, followed by 'American Idol' contestant Casey James and 'The Voice' winner Cassadee Pope.
'Other than the wind messing up hair, I think we'll do well,' said Philip San Filippo, executive director of the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Buruea, which sponsored the festival.
The wind also didn't affect the crowds at La Viña Winery.
'We're doing fine. We've already had about 1,500 through the gate,' Denise Stark, of the winery, said. 'People who've been here know that we're really well protected. We have trees and rock walls. It's windy, but nice. We have a good crowd.'
At Klein Park, Border Book Festival founder Denise Chavez was philosophical about the wind's influence on the group's 20th annual festival, with the theme: 'Honoring the Corn Mother.'
She handed out ears of fresh corn for a creative corn eating contest and watched the building of a cornhusk storytelling hut.
'The wind clears, so it's appropriate here. We're meeting in a new place, a new neighborhood this year, and a few gusts of wind won't bother us. The wind gusts are like naughty children. You just have to talk to them and tell them to go to sleep,' Chavez said.
'We're going to just ignore it. We're grabbing kids and pulling them over and giving them free books,' said Maria A. Flores, distributing children's books with her fellow Children's Reading Foundation of Doña Ana County board member Terry Miller.
'You can't help the weather. We've brought everything indoors, including things that we'd planned to have outside. And a few brave souls are showing up now and going outside to see the caboose,' said Garland Courts, manager of the Las Cruces Railroad Museum, finishing up Railroad Days on Saturday, with tours, model railroads and visiting railroad historians from throughout the state.
'I love railroads. Traveling by train is so much better than being in cars. You can read and sightsee. I'm so glad they're doing restoration of old buildings like this,' said Ruth Ann Smith of Las Cruces.
If your best-laid Superweekend plans were blown astray, you might want to try again at some events continuing today.
Celebrate our local planet at Las Cruces Earth Day Fair, a day of family-friendly, eco-conscious fun, featuring sustainable vendors, educational displays and demonstrations, live music from regional bands, hands-on activities for children, food treats and more from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Young Park, 1905 E. Nevada Ave. New Mexico State University's Oasis Club will host. Admission is free. For information, visit nmsuoasis.org.
The Las Cruces Country Music Festival will close today with a 10 a.m. Country Breakfast at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum featuring a Western wear fashion show with guest models that include members of NMSU Men's Rodeo Team and contestants from the Miss New Mexico Pageant, acoustic performances by some festival artists and a 1:30 p.m. NMSU Intercollegiate Rodeo on the NMSU campus, east of Aggie Memorial Stadium. For information, visit, lccountryfest.com.
The Border Book Festival will close today with a 10 a.m. event, 'Celebrating The Corn Mother' with Alejandro Lopez, Balam and festival artists joining for a ceremony, corn planting and procession, followed by a potluck, all taking place at Casa Camino Real, 314 S. Tornillo St. For information and a full schedule, visit borderbookfestival.org.
La Viña Spring Wine Fest runs from noon to 7 p.m. today at La Viña Winery, 4201 S. Hwy. 28, La Union, N.M., with more than 20 wines and live entertainment. Arts and crafts and food treats are available on site. Admission, at $20, includes a souvenir glass and a choice of samples or a full glass of wine. It's $10 for ages 12 to 20 and free for kids under 12. Info: 575-882-7632 or online at lavinawinery.com.
The Avenue Art contest is over, but you can check out remnants of masterpieces with a drive or stroll down Main Street, Sidewalk drawings line the southern block of what used to be the Las Cruces Downtown Mall, in front of the New America School.
S. Derrickson Moore may be reached at 575-541-5450.
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