NW New Mexico News

As always, one of the best parts of our Independence Day celebration this year was the fireworks show itself. We are constantly told that we have the best fireworks show for hundreds of miles. That’s all thanks to Precision Fireworks out of Era, Texas, and the Carlsbad Fire Department, who helps coordinate it. Thanks as well to Carlsbad Radio for putting together the musical accompaniment. Thanks to Eddy County for helping to sponsor the fireworks show again this year. Thanks to Sheriff Mark Cage and the Eddy County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Sam Clouthier and New Mexico State Police, for help throughout the week.

One of the best things about this year’s Independence Day celebration is how many different groups in Carlsbad worked together to make it possible. Independence Day is the busiest day of the year for the City of Carlsbad. Members of our police department, fire department, public works department, facility maintenance, parks, lifeguards and the Riverwalk Recreation Center are just a few of the groups who work from sunrise until well after sunset. The extra activities, which ran over a four-day period, were made possible thanks to a great group of sponsors. Thanks as well to our master of ceremonies, Danny Fletcher, for helping run all of these events.

One of the highlights this year was a ceremony at the Cavern Theatre honoring veterans. This took place after the longest parade we’ve seen in a long time. Voncile King, the Carlsbad Veterans Honor Guard, Rhonda Hatch, Judge Collis Johnson and Jason Shirley all assisted with this ceremony. Hatch, the Carlsbad Police Department Honor Guard and the Rev. Serina Nelson all assisted with the Memorial Day sponsor dinner. We had ten different musical performances throughout the weekend, ranging from the Brooks Brothers, to Elvis and Patsy Cline tribute artists to Grupo Veneno. We also had foam cannons, bouncy houses and an inflatable cave, courtesy of the BLM.

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce hosted the GLOW miniature golf tournament on Sunday and the very successful electric light boat parade on Monday.

Carlsbad MainStreet ran the street parade on the Fourth and helped with our veteran’s ceremony, which was co-chaired by Steve Angell and Joy Springer. The morning worship service featuring Randy Brooks, Bill Brooks and Allen Asbury was also an incredible success.

Two companies, Crestwood and the Alibi, helped make this event possible. Another group coordinated the Star-Spangled Paddle on the Pecos River.

We especially appreciate the members of the public who celebrated safely throughout the holiday, and those who cleaned up after themselves. What was possibly the most amazing about this year’s Independence Day celebration is that the weather held up. We only had one weather issue – the GLOW miniature golf tournament had to be cancelled early due to the weather, but everyone still had a lot of fun. In past years, we’ve had weather that was much less cooperative.

Thanks again to everyone who made Carlsbad’s Independence Day so special.

Sincerely,

Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway

Original source can be found here.