Serving the High Plains
All but eight of 500 tickets sold for the event.
More than 450 people capped off the second annual New Mexico Music Showcase dancing, enjoying the music of Cuarenta Y Cinco and Darren Cordova and family Saturday at the Tucumcari Convention Center.
"There was a lot of trial and error but overall I feel this year's showcase was a success," said Jerry Lopez, event coordinator.
Lopez said in its second year, the Tucumcari Knights of Columbus Club's showcase brought a mixture of traditional and new era New Mexico music to Tucumcari.
"This event focuses on celebrating New Mexico music and it's importance in our heritage, culture," Lopez said.
The two day event featured performances from artist including Carlos Medina Con Mariachi, Ernestine Romero and Darren Cordova and his family.
"This was a very special treat, I think it's been three years since the entire Cordova family performed together," Lopez said.
Lopez said there were only eight tickets out of the 500 printed remaining after Saturday night's main concert. He said the official total generated is not known at this time. After covering the cost, any remaining money will be donated back into the community or used for next year's event, Lopez added.
This year's event had a variety of attractions, vendors for people to enjoy over the weekend including a carnival with rides for the children, said Ruth Ann-Litchfield, Mayor of Tucumcari.
Litchfield said the performers, attractions of the showcase were well received by both residents and visitors. She said the event has such a potential to become another unique signature event for Tucumcari.
"I hope this event continues to grow each year," Litchfield said. "The showcase has the benefit of drawing people to our community, but more importantly it celebrates Eastern New Mexico's culture."
Lopez said extending the showcase into a two day event was a gamble that had both it's rewards and setbacks. He said people enjoyed the free live music concerts held on Friday night and Saturday morning.
"One thing we will look at next year is providing some sort of shelter, shade for those attending the outdoor concerts," Lopez said.
Lopez said he was pleased with the variety of venders at the event, despite having eight vendors not attend. He said the additional vendors would have been a bonus, but it was a challenge to manage the ones that showed up.
"I took some time to set up the vendor spaces while still trying to maintain a dance and stage area," Lopez said.
Lopez said the main driver of the event's success was the overwhelming community support. He said along with the $11,000 from the Tucumcari Lodger's Tax Board, contributions from local sponsors, businesses helped the Tucumcari Columbus Club put on the event.
"I really cannot say thank you enough to our sponsors and volunteers," Lopez said. "It was a lot of work but we made it happen. Now we can take what we learned and make next year's event even better."