The 15th annual Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Patch Challenge will be in Greenville on Saturday, September 17th this year. Come enjoy the cooler riding temperatures after the near record 2011 heat wave in Texas. We have a fun packed weekend with lots of bicycle events, live entertainment and food.
Kicking off this year’s weekend events will again be the Emerald City Band concert on the Hunt County Courthouse Square in front of Landon’s Winery from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. This 14 piece, 4-horn section Dallas area band has played all around the country and was a huge hit in Greenville last year. Emerald City electrifies audiences with a repertoire encompassing the last 50 years of popular music, as well as playing the most current songs on the radio with a mix of their original music. Emerald City Band has performed for President and Mrs. Bush at The White House, and numerous fortune 500 companies including MCI, Ford Motor Company, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. As Wedding Musicians, Emerald City has been featured at many high profile weddings for clients such as Emmitt Smith, Mark Cuban and Angie Harmon. Come enjoy their performance while a sipping on a glass of wine and eating a fine meal.
This year all our pre-ride and post-ride event activities will be moved to Greenville’s new 10,000+ sq. ft. Landon’s Winery and City Bistro Restaurant. Registration (6:00 to 9:00 AM) will be held on their expansive exterior covered patio that is adjacent to the display miniature vineyard. A concert violinist will be playing on their patio stage during the morning registration. A light breakfast will be available at the City Bistro Restaurant. Start of the tour events will be under our new CPC arch directly in front of Landon’s Winery. The first registered tour participants will receive a complimentary moisture wicking event t-shirt. All tour events start at 9:00 AM. USAC road race events will again have a staggered start ranging from 7:00 to 8:45 AM. The tour routes choices this year are 21 miles, 31 miles, 41 miles, 56 miles and 63 miles. There will be live music on the route this year at the Kingston, Bailey and Wolfe City rest stops. This year the routes will finish under our new CPC finish arch with cheers from local civic groups. Following your ride, complimentary sandwiches, fruit smoothies, fruit and ice water will be served in the air conditioned Landon’s Winery and City Bistro Banquet room (No cycling cleats will be allowed in the winery). The winery and restaurant will also be opened to serve wine and meals for those desiring a more substantial reward for their efforts. Complimentary beer will be served after the ride, provided by Ben E. Keith Distributors. Complimentary raffle tickets for two mountain bikes, provided by Ben E. Keith Distributors, will be given to each participant. Power Bar and Bob’s Red Mill will be giving out complimentary product after the ride. The Texas Baptist Men will be providing complimentary post ride onsite showers all weekend on the Courthouse Square with their mobile shower unit.
Following the event, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy the Rally Round Greenville Festival in downtown Greenville. The festival this year will include a live music stage, kids alley, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors. A chili and barbecue cookoff competition will be taking place Friday night and Saturday.
Visit the White Buffalo buses will leave from near the front of the Municipal Building on the hour beginning at 10 am and continuing until 5 pm on Saturday. Tour guides will be on each bus to explain about the White Buffalo enroute. The cost of the round-trip bus trip to Lakota Buffalo ranch is $3 per person. T-shirts are also available for $12 each. At the ranch, there will also be Native American dancing, ceremonial drums and Native American foods and arts and crafts. http://youtu.be/7m0xH2K2AMU
On Saturday afternoon the CPC USAC time trials will start at 4:00 PM in Celeste. This year the time trial will be a point to point course starting at the Audie Murphy Memorial Park in Celeste on Hwy 69 and ending in Greenville on Hwy Business 69. Time trial registration will be at the Celeste High School.
A Saturday night concert featuring Ray Wylie Hubbard will be held at the Bud Light Stage on Lee Street starting at 7:00 PM. It is a FREE concert adjacent to the beer garden.
On Sunday the CPC USAC criteriums will take place in downtown Greenville on a 1 mile course that features climbs over the Audie Murphy Overpasses and around the Hunt County Courthouse, in front of Landon’s Winery and City Bistro. Excellent viewing of the criterium races this year can be seen from the patio area of the winery.
For updates and more information about the events, visit these sites:
· Bicycle Rally: www.cottonpatchchallenge.com
· Bicycle Race: www.cottonpatchchallenge.com – OR – www.teampacc.com/race.php
· Rally Round Greenville festival: www.greenville-chamber.org
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