This past weekend, Friday through Sunday, Lindale hosted the first “Big Tex Fest.” The festival showcased over 20 musical performers as well as several interactive art festivities for Lindale citizens and surrounding communities.

“We are wanting to bring something new to Lindale and we plan on hosting it every year,” Citizen of the Year Nina Bryan said. “It is a big art festival for the family to come out and enjoy.”

The event was held at The Cannery located downtown, along with Love and War and The Pink Pistol. Five performing stages were in use, creating a walk-around listening environment.

“Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to Texas music artists, experience beautiful Texas art showcased in Artist Alley,” Cannery developer Chad Franke said. “Visitors can also taste the Tour of Texas featuring food and spirits from all five regions of the Lone Star State.”

In addition to the live music, the festival showcased wire sculptors, clay throwing demonstrations on a pottery wheel, live painters, 3-D chalk artists, glass art demonstrations and coppersmiths, along with many more live art demos.

“This big fest is definitely going to affect our tourism,” Bryan said. “The hotels will fill up, many people will be in and out of Valero filling up their tanks [and] it will just help out large varieties of the community from this event.”

The projection of 10,000 festival-goers does turn the heads of a few Lindale citizens as the small town continues to grow into a tourist attraction. The community perhaps has outgrown the common feeling of knowing each and every community member.

“We are very blessed to have the community growth opportunity that we’ve never had before,” Bryan said. “The hope is that Lindale will jump on board with it and see us grow a little bit.”