Everything Nac

Texas Farm Bureau Freedom Fest presented by metroPCS will once again be offering all the sights, sounds and tastes of an old-fashioned, community-wide Independence Day celebration on July 4th in Festival Park.
Families are invited to enjoy delicious festival food, children’s activities, the “All-American Hot Dog Eating Contest”, the “Star Spangled Pitch Off” washer tourney, and live music by Culverhouse. The evening will culminate in a dazzling fireworks display sponsored by Texas Farm Bureau beginning 30 minutes after dark. Admission is free.
Freedom Fest will take place from 5 to 9:30 p.m. in Festival Park, located just south of the downtown square in Nacogdoches. Guests are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to Festival Park. Glass bottles and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
The 3rd Annual “All-American Hot Dog Eating Contest” will start at 6:30 p.m. and there will be three age groups: 7-12, 13-17, and 18+. Participants may register the day of the event 5-6:15 p.m. at the CVB tent. Registration is free. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Sharpen those washer-pitching skills for the 5th annual “Star Spangled Pitch Off” washer tourney. Teams of two have the opportunity to compete in this pitching event at 6 p.m. located by the children’s activities in downtown Festival Park. Contestants can download the entry form at www.visitnacogdoches.org or sign up at the Jaycees info booth the day of the festival. Entry into the contest is $20 per team. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of the Pitch Off.
A fun children’s area will keep the kids entertained with arts and crafts, potato sack races, water slides, moonwalks and letters to the troops.
“Freedom Fest has something for the whole family to enjoy from excellent food to show-stopping fireworks,” said Melissa Sanford, Executive Director of the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau. “What better way to celebrate our nation’s independence than to share it with family and friends at a safe and fun patriotic festival.”
Sponsors for the Fourth of July celebration include Texas Farm Bureau, metroPCS, Brookshire Brothers, KICKS 105, the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Nacogdoches Jaycees and Pepsi, the official drink sponsor of Freedom Fest.
Other popular locations for viewing the fireworks are the University Mall, Williamsburg Plaza, Downtown Square, Nacogdoches County Courthouse, Coy Simms Softball Park and Brookshire Brothers on South Street.
For more information about Freedom Fest, call the Nacogdoches Convention & Visitors Bureau at 936-564-7351 or 1-888-OLDEST-TOWN.

Enjoy a meal created by Merci Nicklas, Merci’s World Cuisine, using local growers’ products at the Fourth Friday Luncheon presented by Urgent Doc – Urgent Care Clinic, noon to 1 p.m., Friday, June 27 at Quality Inn & Suites, 3400 South St. Keynote speaker is Rev. Kyle Childress, Austin Heights Baptist Church.

Childress considers a healthy Nacogdoches is one where we all have a sense of wholeness and belonging to each other and to our place. In his presentation, he will discuss “how might we encourage a relationship-economy and community that nurtures long-term connection, commitment and human flourishing.”

“I am excited about how the food provided by Mercy’s World Cuisine underscores the message by providing locally-sourced foods,” said Dr. Adam Peck, program chair.

According to Nicklas, the menu is predominantly Eastern European using predominantly local Nacogdoches ingredients.

“The buffet includes stuffed cabbage rolls with grass fed pork seasoned with caraway, roasted onion, and garlic sauce and green bell peppers stuffed with a mixture of yellow squash, pinto beans, fresh eggs, red onions, zucchini and cornmeal topped with an herbed tomato sauce,” Nicklas said. “The fresh green beans will be steamed with rosemary and pan sautéed bell peppers, and I think all will enjoy the Czech style potato dumpling made with Yukon gold potatoes and mixed green salad featuring Swiss chard, kale, cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers.”

For dessert, Nicklas promises delicious Czech kolaches made with flour grown and milled in Texas, fresh eggs and filled with Nacogdoches peaches, plumbs and strawberries.

Childress has been the pastor of Austin Heights Baptist Church since 1989. He is a graduate of Baylor University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

In 1991 Childress was the founding president of the East Texas AIDS Project known now as Health Horizons, and the founding president of the Nacogdoches affiliate of Habitat for Humanity in 1994. He has served on the board of the Nacogdoches County United Way and Greater East Texas Community Action. He is a member of the Nacogdoches Ministerial Alliance and the Interdenominational Ministers’ Alliance. He is the author of over 40 published articles and has contributed chapters in four books. In 2008 Childress was named one of the preachers of the Great Preaching Series at Andover Newton Theological School in Boston during the school’s 200th anniversary celebration. He and wife Jane, an adjunct professor at Stephen F. Austin State University, have two grown daughters, Emily and Callie.

The information presented is vital for all local businesses, and the luncheon serves as the Chamber’s monthly membership meeting. To register, complete and return the form or find a secure “pay online” in Hot News at nacogdoches.org or call 560-5533. Lunch is $16 and reservations are required by noon, June 25. Event Gold sponsors are Manpower Temporary Services and Willowbrook Nursing Center.

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About the meal
Merci’s World Cuisine presents
an Eastern European dining experience made with local Nacogdoches ingredients.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
(Serbian Sarma)
Tender cabbage leaves stuffed with grass fed pork, seasoned with caraway, roasted onion, and garlic sauce. This entree includes local fresh eggs, vegetables, herbs and *pork.
Stuffed Bell Pepper
(Hungarian Toltott Paprika)
Green bell pepper stuffed with a mixture of yellow squash, pinto beans, fresh eggs, red onions, zucchini and cornmeal topped with an herbed tomato sauce. This entrée includes local fresh eggs, herbs, beans, vegetables, and *cornmeal.
Green Beans, Sautéed Bell Peppers Zucchini and Squash
Fresh green beans steamed with rosemary, pan sautéed bell peppers, garlic, zucchini and squash.
This dish includes all local foods. The oil used to season the green beans comes from the *grass fed pork that is not from Nacogdoches but from Texas.
Potato Dumplings
(Czech Bramborove Knedliky)
Czech style potato dumpling seasoned with garlic and parsley. This dish includes local Yukon gold potatoes, fresh eggs, and herbs and *heavy whipping cream.
Mixed Green Salad
(eastern European style salad)
Swiss Chard, Kale, Bell peppers, Cabbage, Tomatoes, and cucumbers. The salad includes all fresh local vegetables. The dressing is made from local eggs, vinegar, olive oil and herbs.
Yeast Rolls
(droždíbuchta)
Fluffy yeast rolls made with flour grown and milled in Texas. This recipe includes *flour, fresh eggs, yeast starter, and * Falfurrias butter.
Kolaches
Flour grown and milled in Texas, fresh eggs and filled with Nacogdoches peaches, plumbs and strawberries. This recipe includes local fresh fruit, yeast starter, *flour, *Falfurrais butter, *milk, and *sugar.
Ice cold Mint Tea
This tea is made of local fresh mint and sweetened with local honey.

* Indicates that the item is not from Nacogdoches but from Texas.