Friday, September 25, 1998

Dancing in the streets

If you're planning to drive downtown this evening or Saturday, you'll want to pick another route besides North 1st or else be prepared to dodge thousands of merry-makers.

North 1st from Pine to Hickory will be closed to traffic tonight and Saturday for the final major event of Hispanic Heritage Month in Abilene, the second annual Festival of the Americas.

Beginning at 6 p.m. today, Mexican food vendors and arts & crafts booths will be spread along that area of North 1st. Air castles will catch the fancy of younger visitors. At 9 p.m., there will be dancing in the street to the music of Tejano vocalist Gary Hobbs of Eagle Pass.

Saturday's all-day activities include entertainment at the star at North 1st and Cypress by Fito Oritz, a 3 p.m. menudo cooking contest and dance music at 9 p.m. featuring Dee Burleson and Grupo Valiente.

The festival, organized by the Hispanic Leadership Council and sponsored by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, attracted some 3,000 participants in its first outing last year. Everybody's welcome to make this year's event an even more festive occasion.