GUN BARREL CITY -- The city is rushing to complete improvements to the new City Park so it can be presented to residents and visitors during the July Fest celebration July 6-7, according to city officials.
"My focus is to get the new park up as fast as possible," said City Manager Gerry Boren. "We want to showcase the new park amenities to our public during this event."
The park is adjacent to the old city park across from the Gun Barrel City Fire Station on Municipal Drive. The old park is being expanded thanks to a 21-acre grant from the Economic Development Corp.
Gun Barrel City was awarded a $500,000 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife that was enabled by the donation of land by the EDC.
This week work continued on the new amphitheater shown in the photo below where a concert featuring rapper-turned-rocker Vanilla Ice, Country singer and songwriter Stoney LaRue, Fort Worth The Ranch Radio DJ and singer Charla Corn and local Gospel singer Chris Weis will be stated July 7 at 5:30 p.m.
Boren said that the city hopes the July Fest celebration will draw a larger turnout than any other event the city has ever staged.
To accomplish that, city officials set out to "do something that would make July Fest attract more people" this year, said City Treasurer Mickie Raney. The city hired Brad Weiss of B-Weiss Entertainment of Dallas to help.
"He puts on several big events in the Dallas area such as Mardi Gras DFW and Texas Red Dirt Jam so he knows what kind of crowd each entertainer will pull," Raney said.
The first choice for a big name in Texas music was Randy Rogers, but another city offered him more money to perform.
"Most of the bigger names were already booked so we decided to go with artists not quite as big as Randy Rogers but still well known and book two,' she said.
Stoney LaRue was chosen as the headliner, and Vanilla Ice was booked "to mix it up a little," Raney said.
"He has been here before and pulled a good crowd," Raney said. "He also has a movie that came out ("That's My Boy") so we knew that would help as well. His name is really out there now."
Corn was chosen because there has never been a female performer before at July Fest, and Weis is "local and really good," Raney said.
Raney said the promoter is expecting a turn out of about 3,000 people to July Fest, which will include a local talent contest.
"We chose acts that were in our budget and would pull a good crowd," Raney said. "We kept our ticket prices low so it would be affordable, especially if they buy them early."
Raney said she is anticipating a favorable reaction by the public to the new park facilities.
"Overall, I hope everyone has a good time and wants to come back next year," she said.
Visitors to the concert will not be allowed to bring coolers into the park this year, but beverages, including beer, will be sold at a concession stand.