Hobbs August Nites 2005

Reprinted from the Hobbs News Sun - Friday, August 5th

Annual City Street Party Returns This Weekend
Marie Wadsworth
NEWS-SUN

It's the largest street party in Hobbs.

Hobbs August Nites draws between 20,000 - 25,000 people to downtown Hobbs for food, entertainment and shopping according to Hobbs August Nites chairwoman Gussie Black.

The eighth annual Hobbs August Nites will be Aug 5-6 in downtown Hobbs. As always Hobbs August Nites will have crowd favorites including car show, mechanical bull, poker run, train rides for children, City of Hobbs 5K Run, teen dance and tractor pull.

This year will be the first year Hobbs August Nites will feature four headline entertainers. Entertainers are the Wonders, International Tejano winner, Jay Perez, '50s doo wop group the Diamonds and country musician Rick Trevino.

"We wanted a variety," Black said. "We wanted to have something for every musical taste."

The Wonders will perform at 7 p.m. followed by Perez at 9 pm. Aug. 5. The Diamonds will perform at 7 p.m. followed by Trevino at 9 p.m. Aug. 6. All concerts are free and will be held in the Zearl and Dimple Young Plaza behind the 100 block of West Broadway.

One of the most popular activities is cruising down Broadway. MainStreet Hobbs executive director Brenda Brooks said.

"We heard a lot of grumbling when we didn't have it a few years ago," Brooks said. "For those who grew up in rural communities like Hobbs, cruising was the thing to do on Saturday. It was where you saw your friends and your friends saw you."

"There's time to relive the past with cruising," Black said. "There's lots of people, great entertainment and lots of food. There's something for everyone to do.:"

Cruising will be the same as it was last year since it went so smoothly, Black said. The cruise route covers 10 blocks and cruisers traveling east can get onto Broadway at Leech and exit on Selman and those traveling west start on Morris, exiting on Cochran. Access to Grimes and Dal Paso and all the side streets along Broadway will close at 6:00 pm both nites for cruising.

The food court is another highlight at Hobbs August Nites, Brooks said.

"There's just something about eating it on Broadway with music and cruising that makes it great food," she said.

Brooks said Hobbs August Nites has a significant economic impact on the community. Local hotels are usually booked and residents and visitors alike are eating and shopping in town.

MainStreet Hobbs brings in 200-250 barricades supplied by the City of Hobbs and road construction companies in Seminole and Carlsbad to block off the roads for cruising, Brooks said. The City of Hobbs provides bleachers, security and ambulance services and coordinates traffic lights. Hobbs Chamber of Commerce organizes the car show featuring 200 vehicles and the Lodgers' Tax Board assists in promoting the event outside Hobbs.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to show case the community," Brooks said. "It brings so many people to the community and it gives residents something to do. There's something for everyone. There's not anything else that goes on in the community that has that much variety."

About 150 volunteers are involved in making the event come together, and more are needed to help at this year's event, Brooks said. The volunteer and information center and T-Shirt booth will be located in the former Ground Zero building.

"We provide an opportunity for community groups to do some fund-raising," Brooks said. "This gives local organizations the chance to connect and let people know who they are and the services they provide."

The food court on the corner of Shipp and Broadway will be open at 5 p.m. Aug. 5. The City of Hobbs 5K run will be at 7 a.m. Aug. 6 at Leaco but everything else starts at 10:00 a.m.

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