Forest Festival, Lufkin Brass, Multicultural Fiesta, Did I Miss Anything...

It was a busy weekend. On Sunday our band The Lufkin Brass played the Texas State Forest Festival for the second year in a row. Our Bilingual choir played the music for Mass for St. Patrick's Catholic Church Multicultural Festival. Me, Cathy and her brother Matt worked booths, helped set up and take down and Cathy assisted with the money counting duties. Proceeds from the Festival will fund a renovation of the old church building, now called LaSalette Hall. It's where me and Cathy were married when it was the old church and word on the street is that more than enough was raised.    

The Lufkin Brass gig went well. Morgan sat in on drums. Two funny things happened in the course of this gig. While setting up for the church festival Saturday evening a young curly headed fellow with a fade hair cut answered a call for set up volunteers and after a bit he said, "ok I have to go because I'm going to the Forest Festival with my grandma." I said , "great, thanks for the help and if you are at the festival tomorrow catch my band the Lufkin Brass." He looked at me and his eyes widened as he said, "yeehaw, That's you?" I affirmed it was. 

The next day right before the Brass began to play another young man comes up and says, "how are you, good to see you!" I don't recognize him but as I'm a local personality I chat him up and he says, "I'm still playing that cigar box guitar you made me." I've made and sold close to 100 cigar box guitars but probably not made one in about 3 years. I asked so its holding together and playing well? He said, "still plays great!" That's good feed back to hear.       

The church festival was great with food musical entertainment, dance groups, games and people many countries represented and working together for fun, fellowship and purpose. 

This is a Salvadorian Dance group. 

Mexican Folkloric Dancers. 

Plenty of good food at the festival. Mexican, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, and the Philippines and if there were others I hope to try them next year.  

Here's the judge and High Sheriff working the jail booth. For some reason no one wanted this job. The way it works is you pay the judge $5 and you point out the person you want arrested to the HS. He locks them up for 15 minutes. All the prisoner's friends make pictures. Someone can bail you out for $5 or you can buy a get out of jail card for $10. That's what I did since I worked the voter registration booth and had the forest festival gig. No time to get locked up.  

Another word on the street is that this festival will be on a date next year not to conflict with the Forest festival or the Diboll church, Our Lady of Guadalupe which had a Fiestas Patrias Celebration yesterday.   

Next gig for the Brass is The Stonewall Jam Fest and M.D. Anderson Cancer Benefit on Oct. 15th. 

My grandson Cullen gives Ross a few pointers on the ins and outs of drumming while we set up for the gig. Only problem was when we started playing he was out on drums and his dad was in. He was disappointed but he will be big enough to sit in before you know it.