By: Davila H.R. No. 562 73R9204 NBM-F R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Houston International Festival, one of the 1-2 largest celebrations of arts and international culture in the 1-3 United States today, will mark its 22nd year with 10 exciting and 1-4 colorful days of music, dancing, art, and fun that will begin on 1-5 April 22, 1993; and 1-6 WHEREAS, This popular event, which began in 1972 as a small 1-7 street festival called Main Street, has grown over the years to 1-8 become the city of Houston's official celebration of cultural arts, 1-9 annually attracting more than a million visitors; and 1-10 WHEREAS, This year, in keeping with the tradition established 1-11 in 1988 of honoring a specific country each year, the festival's 1-12 theme will be A Salute to Mexico, which will focus on Mexico's 1-13 performing and visual arts and provide festival goers with a unique 1-14 blend of offerings by local, regional, and national artists; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The festival will encompass 20 blocks in downtown 1-16 Houston and feature seven outdoor stages with more than 1,800 1-17 performing artists; among the myriad attractions will be dance, 1-18 theater, visual arts, and music to suit almost any taste, including 1-19 folk, country, cajun and zydeco, blues, jazz, and rock; and 1-20 WHEREAS, In conjunction with the annual event, the festival 1-21 will offer an education program to be used in area schools to 1-22 promote an increased awareness among students of the arts, culture, 1-23 language, geography, government, and customs of Mexico; other 1-24 highlights of the event will be the Mayor's Gala, an international 2-1 business seminar, the 5K Fun Run, the Tour & Travel Program, and 2-2 Roadside Attractions: The Artists Parade, a unique parade 2-3 featuring ornamented automobiles and mobile sculpture designed by 2-4 artists from throughout the country; and 2-5 WHEREAS, The Houston International Festival is truly a 2-6 significant cultural event that promotes understanding and 2-7 appreciation of the world's peoples, a contribution that is indeed 2-8 deserving of special legislative recognition and encouragement; 2-9 now, therefore, be it 2-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas 2-11 Legislature hereby honor the Houston International Festival and 2-12 extend sincere best wishes to the many dedicated and hardworking 2-13 individuals who have worked so diligently to ensure that the 2-14 festival will be a perennial success; and, be it further 2-15 RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared 2-16 for the organizers of the Houston International Festival and the 2-17 Consulate General of Mexico as an expression of high regard by the 2-18 Texas House of Representatives.