From Staff Reports

For the 30th time, the Crazy Water Festival on Saturday will celebrate the past and the present of Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County.

From its humble beginnings in West City Park, the festival – which celebrates the discovery of mineral water by Judge James Alvis Lynch in 1877 and the birth of a health resort town – has steadily grown over the years. It now takes place in downtown Mineral Wells, running up and down several streets and attracting thousands of festival-goers each year.

Good news for this year's festival is that the rains and storms of this week should clear the area by this afternoon, leaving a forecast Saturday of sunny skies and a cool, crisp autumn-like day with highs in the upper 60s.

“We are expecting a huge turnout for this 30th year and hope you will be a part,” said festival chair Carolyn Hogg.

The festival offers something for everyone. For children there is a petting zoo, games, inflatables, face painting, balloon clowns and more.

There will be children dance and tumbling at the Zappe Park gazebo as well as karaoke.

More than 120 vendors have signed up for this year's festival offering all kinds of food and treats, promotional giveaways, arts, crafts, informational displays and more.

And don't forget about the judged car show in the Lynch Building parking lot across from the Baker Hotel.

Admission requested is a can of food, given to a local food pantry, something especially important in the current economy as local pantries have had difficulties keeping items on their shelves as more people hurt by the depression have been seeking assistance. Those donations can be dropped off at the information booths, which will be manned by the members of the new DAV Chapter 235 and First United Methodist Church.

The festival will get under way at 9 a.m. Saturday in N.E. 1st Street with Mineral Wells High School and Mineral Wells Junior High School bands and CAP Color Guard. The festival will run until 6 p.m.

One important change this year is that Palo Pinto General Hospital is not able to conduct its annual flu shot clinic at the Woman's Club Building because it is in short supply of flu vaccine and is awaiting another shipment. The hospital plans to conduct another drive-by flu shot clinic when a new shipment arrives.

Entertainment will take place throughout the day on two stages featuring talent from the Mineral Wells area as well as bands from the Metroplex and Austin, including the festival's headline group Baker Hotel, scheduled to play on the main stage at 4:50 p.m. Other bands scheduled include Riptide, Six Pace Sacrifice, Sidecar Inferno and artists like Stan Crawford, Mandy J., Krystal McKlenny and Raf Seibert, Big Papa Taco and Paul Sanders

The entertainment schedule for both stages follows:


Baker Hotel Stage

• 9-9:45 a.m. – Opening ceremony with the Mineral Wells High School and Junior High School Bands and CAP Color Guard.

• 9:45-10:15 a.m. – Breckenridge Hot Foot Cloggers.

• 10:15-10:45 a.m. – Krystle McCleney.

• 10:45-11:15 a.m. – Beat Factory Dancers.

• 11:15-11:45 a.m. – Mandy J.

• 11:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Raf Seibert.

• 12:50-1:30 p.m. – Six Pace Sacrifice.

• 1:50-2:30 p.m. – Stan Crawford.

• 2:50-3:30 p.m. – Sidecar Inferno.

• 3:50-4:30 p.m. – Riptide.

• 4:50- 6 p.m. – Baker Hotel band.


Garrett Stage

• 10 a.m. – (to be announced).

• 11 a.m. – Big Pappa Taco.

• 12 p.m. – Paul Sanders.

• 1 p.m. – Jimmy Baldwin and his band.

• 2 p.m. – Taylor Hickey.

• 3 p.m. – Kim Duley.

• 3 p.m. – Eddy Gilley.

• 4 p.m. – Helen Bull.

• 5 p.m. – Jim Buzbee and his band.