Granite Shoals 50th Year Bash a success

By Glynis Crawford Smitih

The Highlander

At least 2,000 guests joined in the festival celebrating the anniversary of the City of Granite Shoals on Friday and Saturday, April 23-24. 

Evelyn Turner, 99, was the honored guest to blow out the birthday candle for the Granite Shoals 50th Year Bash opening Saturday. She and her husband bought land on Belaire East Drive in 1963 and they built the house she shares with her son now in 1980 and she still is active in Granite Shoals First Baptist Church.

She joined other residents old and new to reminesce among history exhibits that lined the Granite Shoals City Council chambers in city hall. But just downstairs windows had been turned into what appeared to be stained glass from an array of art from the Highland Lakes Elementary School 50th Year Bash Poster Contest. A choir from the school performed at the opening and children again took the stage Sunday at the City Wide Service of Prayer and Thanksgiving and Hope.

Children joined Olympic Silver Medalist Leo Manzano in the pre-opening Color Fun Run on the Leo Manzano Hike, Bike andRun Trail Saturday and found a playground all their own assembled inside and around the Roddick Tennis Center covered tennis courts, also in the citiy's Quarry Park. It was there the youngest citizens had an opportunity to try their hands at bashing the giant 50th Year piñata.

The multi-cultural aspects of Saturday's events and Sunday worship conducted in English and in Spanish reflected the city's  ethnic diversity, as exhibits and other activities did the range of ages and interests in the city of 5,000. Music was no exception. Former resident and country music star John Arthur Martinez coordinated the lineup, performed at the opening and returned to jam with musicians until almost 10 p.m. Saturday. He shared the stage with Brazilian percussionist Luiz Coutinho de Souza and Chris Reeves on Spanish guitar, the Tejas band, Wake Eastman, the Wilson String Band and others.