Heritage Days kicks off Friday with new events

PORTALES — A cornhole tournament and some first-time musical acts are new events scheduled for the 37th running of Heritage Days in Portales on Friday and Saturday, according to Karl Terry, executive director of the sponsoring Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce.

Planners are hoping the turnout can beat the “best ever” turnout at last summer’s Heritage Days events, which marked a return of Heritage Days after a suspension in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the cornhole tournament sponsored by the Roosevelt 4-H Council is “expected to be the biggest new event,” Terry said.

Three musical acts will make their Heritage Days debuts on Saturday, Terry said.

They include FDR, a trio that plays folk-rock music and other styles, he said.

Portales High School’s Ballet Folkorico group will perform Hispanic folk dancing for the first time at Heritage Days, and “The 60s Experience,” which plays popular rock music from the 1960s will round out the new musical acts Saturday, Terry said.

Country music performer Kenny Allen will perform on Saturday, as he has at other Heritage Days events, but this time, he’ll have a band, Terry said.

Other repeat performers will include singer-songwriter Colton Stevens and Wild Bill Cathey, who will demonstrate rope tricks.

Another new feature is that the Memorial Building will host some booths and rest rooms for persons with disabilities, he said.

Admission is free for these events, Terry added.

Heritage Days will begin on Friday evening at Portales City Park with a free street dance, country music provided by the Blackwater Band.

Terry said the dance will begin at 7 p.m. but food trucks and some exhibiting booths will be operating starting at 6 p.m.

Pre-registration forms for Saturday’s Heritage Days car show, fun run and parade are available by visiting http://www.portales.com/events/details/heritage-days-2022-4807, by emailing the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce at [email protected], by calling the Chamber at (575) 356-8541, or visiting the Chamber in-person at 100 S. Ave. A in Portales.

Pre-registration for the fun run ends at 4 p.m. Thursday, but participants in the two-mile event may register beginning at 7 a.m. at the Memorial Building at Seventh Street and Abilene Street, the race’s starting point.

Fees are $10 for participants 18 years of age and younger, $20 for age 19 and over, and $40 for a family. The race begins at 8:05 a.m.

Car show participants may either preregister or can register at the City Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Entry fee is $25.

Last year’s participation in the fun run and car show set records, Terry said. There were about 80 runners for the fun run and car show entries spilled from the park to parking spaces around the park, Terry said.

The Chamber is still seeking volunteers to help out for Heritage Days events, Terry said. Volunteers may contact the Chamber by phone or in-person, he said.