Concert draws hundreds to Nevada

Nevada Herald

Friday night's main attraction at Bushwhacker Days, RCA recording artist Andy Griggs, drew a crowd of hundreds.

An accurate number of people actually attending the concert on the south side of the Square is hard to pin down because many fairgoers moved about during the concert, but judging from the reaction of the crowd, Griggs' performance was a big hit with fans of all ages.

Griggs, whose repertoire includes the country hit, "She Thinks She Needs Me," drew several fans from across the country, from Arkansas to Minnesota. Griggs himself claims Louisiana as his home.

Fans were allowed very close to the stage, with a few crossing a rope barrier during his encore, with several young people getting to shake his hand as he reached down from the stage.

Meanwhile, fairgoers were taking advantage of other Bushwhacker Days attractions. A rock climbing wall, set up in the southeast corner of the Square was a popular challenge for several young women who were determined to reach the top. Rock climbs were $5, but for that price climbers could scale the surface twice. A mechanical bull was less popular.

A celebrity pie auction, which took place drew a small gathering as well, and a big crowd was on hand to enjoy the Colgate Country Showdown.

The celebration picked up momentum on Saturday, with indoor and outdoor attractions, including a quilt show at the City/County Community Center, a jump rope team demonstration, living history demostrations at the Bushwhacker Museum, a classic car cruise-in, a motorcycle show, a street fair featuring several vendors, and the ever-popular Bushwhacker Days parade. This year's theme was, "A Tribute to Our Heroes," something to which several performers and fair participants tailored presentations.

A hot-air balloon launch scheduled for early Saturday morning was postponed due to wind and the threat of rain or severe weather. The launch was rescheduled to take place at 7 p.m.

Saturday evening's events, occuring past press time, were to include live concerts by Calvin Milburn and Jeff Carson.