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Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

FREE Admission to family-friendly event thanks to sponsors

  (Laredo, TX )  The City of Laredo is once again hosting this year’s annual 4^th of July Family Fest celebration and thanks to their partners Guerra Communications and Uni-Trade Stadium, and sponsors Family Chevrolet, Southern Distributing/Miller Lite, and AT&T, this event promises to be a sizzling celebration.  Kicking off Independence Day with a patriotic parade and opening ceremonies; food; entertainment; kiddy activities and tons of music; watermelon and Jell-o eating contests; a bar-be-que cook-off; a Tejano concert with award-winning artist Elida Y Avante and Control; and ending with a rousing musical fireworks show, Uni-Trade Stadium, located at 6320 Sinatra Parkway, will be the place to be at this July 4 to celebrate the 4th in true Laredo-style!  The entrance admission to the event will be FREE.

 “This is the greatest country in the world and the 4^th of July is our chance to celebrate our freedom and be thankful for our liberties that were forged 237 years ago,” said City of Laredo Mayor Pro Tempore Juan Narvaez.  “I would like to invite families to come out and honor our Independence Day at this Family Fest by participating as a vendor, entertainer, cook-off entry or just enjoying all the old-fashioned fun of bar-be-que, games, music, entertainment, at the event for a fun-filled celebration of our nation’s birthday.”

 Anyone wishing to sign up as a vendor, to sell food items not already sold at Uni-Trade Stadium, or other arts & crafts or games and activities, can sign up at the City of Laredo Parks & Leisure Services Administration Office at 2201 Piedra China.  Call 795-2350 for more information.  All vendors will be required to purchase a $20 special event permit; food vendors will need to show all required City of Laredo Health Department permits. 

 Dance, cheer or musical groups who would like to entertain the crowd throughout the day can sign up at the James & Maria Luisa Haynes Health & Wellness Center, 2102 Clark’s Crossing Drive.  Call 729-4600 for more information.

 Interested in participating in the bar-be-que cook-off contests?  Teams or individuals can enter in any or all of four categories: brisket; pork ribs; beans or salsa.   To enter all four categories, the fee is $150; to enter just the ribs and brisket category, the fee is $100.  For just ribs or just brisket, the fee is $50; the fee is also just $50 for beans and salsa.  To enter just beans or salsa, the fee is $25. Celebrity judges, including members of the group Control, as well as other local celebrities will crown the winners, who will walk away with a trophy for 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd place in each category, as well as bragging rights.  A People’s Choice category will crown the top grill master in Laredo.

 To sign up and for more information, call the Parks Department at 795-2350.  Download the application at the City of Laredo website at www.cityoflaredo.com.

 For more information on any of the activities or sponsorship opportunities, contact the City of Laredo at 791-7461.

The celebration opens up with a spectacular red, white and blue parade that kicks off the day’s festivities at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, 2013, starting off at St. Peter’s Plaza, heading up Matamoros past Jarvis Plaza before turning north on San Bernardo and ending at the Civic Center.  This year’s parade theme, “Celebrating – Laredo Style” will feature schools, churches, businesses and community organizations to take their favorite American traditions, and show how that is celebrated – Laredo-Style – on their parade float. 

 “What’s more American than a parade?” mused Rene Cardona, president of V-Parade, proud sponsor and organizer of this year’s parade.  “I invite all organizations in Laredo to come out and show your patriotic spirit and watch the City of Laredo 4^th of July parade.”