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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, For over half a century, Winnie has been known far |
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and wide as the host of the Texas Rice Festival, a celebration of |
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the local rice harvest and the integral role that the rice industry |
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has played in the area's history, development, and culture; and |
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WHEREAS, First cultivated locally around 1900, rice has long |
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been essential to the regional economy; the Texas Rice Festival |
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originated in 1968 as a special event held by St. Louis Catholic |
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Church of Winnie to commemorate the conclusion of the growing |
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season; its popularity stirred further interest among area farmers, |
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and they banded together to establish the Texas Rice Festival and |
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obtain a charter for the celebration in October 1969; Winnie was |
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selected to be the host town before the inaugural Rice Festival was |
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held on October 3, 1970, and the event has continued to be organized |
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each year around the first weekend of October; and |
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WHEREAS, Five years after the first Rice Festival took place, |
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the board of directors recognized the need for more space to |
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accommodate the growth of the event, and the decision was made to |
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relocate it from downtown Winnie to Winnie-Stowell Park on LeBlanc |
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Road; initially a one-day affair, it has since expanded to multiple |
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days of activities, including parades, musical performances, car |
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and livestock shows, photography and art exhibits, and a barbecue |
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cook-off; the festival also features a slate of pageants, where |
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youth of all ages compete for such titles as Senior Queen, Miss |
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LaPetite, and Little Rice King; moreover, awards are presented to |
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honor the Farmer of the Year and other deserving members of the |
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community; and |
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WHEREAS, The enduring popularity of the Texas Rice Festival |
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is a testament to the pride that local residents take in the rich |
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agricultural heritage of the Winnie area, and the town's connection |
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to the festival and to the tasty and versatile grain that inspired |
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it is indeed deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate Winnie as the official Rice Capital of Texas; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |
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* * * * * |