SOUTH TEXAS FARM FEST : Local group organizing to preserve history, farming local event
By Marisol Vidales
The Mercedes Leadership class was created to find and develop leaders in our community and it has done exactly that.
Inspiration struck Victoria Eschete during a class, as she listened to members of the Mercedes Historic Preservation Commission discuss the importance of preserving Mercedes history and the need to capture more of its story.
While the desire to have a museum in Mercedes has been voiced by many, Mrs. Eschete is the first community member who has sprinted into action. What started out as a seed of an idea has now blossomed into a twelve-hour event. Mercedes, like much of the Rio Grande Valley, is rich in agriculture history and it only seemed natural to hold an event that correlates with the city’s roots in agriculture as a means to raising funds for a museum.
The 1st Annual South Texas Farm Fest will take place on November 5, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Mercedes Dome located at 1202 N. Vermont Avenue and will be open to the general public.
The event will have a Farmer’s Market, local vendors, food trucks, live music, kiddie rides (including a hay bale ride), and much more.
What makes this event truly unique is Mrs. Eschete’s exhilarating brainchild, the Super Farmer Contest. The Super Farmer contest will be set up much like a decathlon, an all-round athletics competition, with events such as a hale bay toss, bucket race, egg gathering race, and more. The top finalist will be declared the Super Farmer. Registration for the Super Farmer Contest can be done on the day of the event, but pre-registration is recommended.
Such a large-scale event cannot be done alone. So far support has been offered by the Mercedes Historic Preservation Commission, the City of Mercedes, Mercedes Chamber of Commerce, and the Mercedes Economic Development Board. The City of Mercedes, with the support of the City Commission, donated the venue, this will help alleviate some of the costs of holding such an event. The Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development have come together to provide free advertising. One of the most exciting elements of the event, is a temporary indoor museum that will be managed by the Mercedes Historic Preservation Commission. While many of the items are coming from members of the commission themselves, community members are encouraged to contact Mrs. Eschete to discuss pieces they would like to be displayed. For those interested in displaying their historical pieces, items will need to be dropped off and picked up on the same day. This temporary showcase will provide a glimpse into what the museum would house.
The goal of the event is to raise $10,000 – $25,000 for this first year and to continue to host the event on a yearly basis. The dream of the South Texas Farm Fest is to see a Mercedes museum come into existence within 10 to 15 years, preferably within the walls of 323 S. Ohio Avenue or 301 2nd Street. If you are interested in donating, volunteering for the event, or signing up as a vendor, feel free to call Mrs. Eschete at (956) 532-7713.
