Lovington is celebrating El Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) and Oktoberfest Saturday with a pozole cook-off, a corn hole tournament and concerts.
The Oktober Fiesta is being held from 11 a.m. to midnight on Main Street in front of the Lea County Courthouse. Lovington MainStreet and Lovington Economic Development Corporation are partnering to host the first time event.
“We wanted an event that would bring the community together,” said Mara Salcido-Alcantar, Lovington MainStreet executive director. “Lovington EDC normally does the Hispanic Heritage concerts and we normally do the Texas-country ones so we thought we could do both and bring the community together at one time. It’s kind of a play off of Dia de los Muertos as well as Oktoberfest.”
The four artists planned to perform include TexWestus Band, Justin Kemp Band, La Vimada Norteña and Los Jilgueros Del Arroyo.
Oktober Fiesta kicks off with a pozole cook-off, sponsored by Baja Grill restaurant, scheduled from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. the entry is $25 and the first place winner receives $200, second place $100 and third place $50. The corn hole tournament is planned from noon-4 p.m. with an entry fee of $20. First place wins $200 and second place takes home $100. There is also the Drylands Brewery Co.’s Homebrew competition planned from 1-3 p.m. There is no entry fee and the winner will be allowed to brew on Dryland’s equipment and be featured for one month on tap at Drylands. “There are entry fees for the pozole cook-off and corn hole tournament,” Salcido-Alcantar said. “They can register the day-of they just need to find out tent. We’ll be located by the veteran’s memorial.”
Salcido-Alcantar said Oktober Fiesta will include activities for people of all ages to enjoy. “We will also be doing free pumpkin painting for the kids,” Salcido-Alcantar said. “We had a variety of businesses in town donate money for that so kids can come and paint a pumpkin and take it home with them. We’re going to have food vendors, face painting for the kids and we have a mechanical bull that is coming out.”
The concerts will begin at 5 p.m. with Tex-Westus Band followed by La Vimada Norteña at 6:45 p.m., Justin Kemp Band at 8:30 p.m. and Los Jilgueros Del Arroyo at 10:15 p.m.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/LovingtonMainStreetCorp.
