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National Polka Festival, Church Picnics!
Note: Technical difficulties with Flickr and Yahoo prevented this newsletter being sent out Thursday as usual. Still having problems with flickr, so no new photo albums this week. Hopefully, we'll get back to normal next week.
Wow! 15 polka bands await you at the 53rd Annual
National Polka Festival in Ennis this weekend. Top Texas favorites PLUS Squeezebox, featuring Ted Lange and Mollie B and the Alex Meixner Band. Great country concert with Josh Ward and Kody West Saturday night, and even Gary P. Nunn will make an appearance on Sunday afternoon downtown. Czech out:
the schedule,
10 fun things to do at NPF.
Church Picnic Alert!
Hallettsville:
Sacred Heart Picnic @ KC Hall - J&S Playboys, 11A-1P; Red Ravens & Texas Sound Czech, 1-7P
SHINER: Sts. Cyril/Methodius Picnic @ KC Park - Inside Hall: Accordion Jam, 11A-2P; Shiner Hobo Band, 2-4P; Mark Halata/Texavia, 4-7P; The Emotions, 9P-1A: Historic Beer Stand: Vic & Beav, 1-3:30P; Terry Cavanagh/Alpine Express, 3:30-6:30P; Bingo Pavilion: Chris Rybak, 6:30-10:30P
Also this weekend
Friday: Paul Schlesinger/Knights of Texas Swing in Austin...Vic Rodriguez in Cistern...Off the Grid in Liberty Hill...
Alex Meixner in New Braunfels (Sat too!)
Saturday: Glen Collins/The Alibis in Austin...Smokin' Guns in Cistern...Off the Grid in Fredericksburg...Seth Spell & Cajun Strong in Houston...Blake Harlow Band at Mullins Prairie Store...Sean Orr in Round Top...John Holub Band in San Angelo...Kenny James in Webster.
Sunday: Glen Collins/The Alibis in Gernonimo...Squeezebox in Goliad...Southern Breeze in Houston...Little Joe y la Familia in Rosenberg...Charles/Fab 4 in Shelby.
The Texas Dance Hall Tour hosted by Asleep at the Wheel and Ray Benson, presented by Central Market and benefiting The Texas Dance Hall Preservation, returns June 13th - 16th in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. The Tour aspires to bring attendees the truest form of the Texas Dance Hall experience with a four-day weekend at four historic and one of a kind dance halls. Featuring the best in Texas music with performances by Hot Club of Cowtown, Jason Roberts, Asleep at the Wheel, Big Cedar Fever and Summer Dean, guests will be two-stepping their way to an unforgettable weekend. Get tickets
here.
Stay hydrated and Polka On, y'all!
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Coming in June: Cajun music, like polka, is happy music. Editor Gary McKee tells us the origins and current Cajun music scene in Texas. In his column, Gary pays tribute to zydeco music. Justin Everett reviews George Strait's new CD and profiles DJ Todd Z from Polka Jammer Network. He also reports on the successful benefit for musician Henry Machicek. Curtis Oltmann of Charles and the Fabulous Four has retired and Gary tells us about his successful music career. The International Polka Association president announces hall of fame inductees and music award winners. Of course, we have your June calendar of dances, festivals, and live music events, and the listing of church picnics. Visit texaspolkanews.com to see the latest issue.
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Click on photo to see images by Joe Cool Pavlicek
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Click on photo to see images by Gary E. McKee
And the winners are:
Conjunto 18-21 Anthony Ortiz Jr prize: Eduardo Garza
Conjunto 17 under: Perla Hernandez
Polka: Elijah Clements
Cajun/Zydeco: Chloe Johnson
Watch them perform at the Accordion Kings & Queens on June 1 in Houston
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Click on photo to see images by Gary E. McKee
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Das Ist Lustig in Tomball
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Click on photo to see images by Julie Matus
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To celebrate three decades of Accordion Kings & Queens, Texas Folklife is hosting a 30th AKQ Kick-Off Party at Cactus Music in Houston on Thursday, May 23 from 6-8 pm.
The 30th AKQ Kick-Off event will feature live music from past Accordion Kings & Queens performers Keyun Dickson & the Zydeco Masters and Mark Halata, event ticket giveaways, and a presentation of the Star of Texas Folklife award to longtime AKQ event photographer David Dodd.
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Watch the videos
by Walt Harfmann of Praha Brothers, Czechaholics, & Fritz Hodde & Fab 6 at Henry Machicek Benefit in Granger...Jodie Mikula, Dujka Bros, Red Ravens, Ennis Czech Boys & Fritz Hodde at the South Texas Polka & Sausage Festival in Hallettsville...Fritz Hodde & Fab 6 in Elgin...The Moravians at TPMM Fundraiser.
Watch the videos
by George Weber of Texas Sound Check and Czechaholics at Hostyn Picnic...the Spring Awakening Dance in West featuring Dujka Brothers and Czech & Then Some...El Campo Polka Fest featuring Red Ravens, Fritz Hodde & Fab 6, The Majeks...Enzian Buam in Sealy...Red Ravens & Texas Sound Czech in Rosenberg
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WEEKLY LAUGH
A woman and her husband interrupted their vacation to go to the dentist.
"I want a tooth pulled, and I don't want Novacaine because I'm in a big hurry," the woman said. "Just extract the tooth as quickly as possible, and we'll be on our way."
The dentist was quite impressed. "You're certainly a courageous woman," he said. "Which tooth is it?"
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