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Dear Editor,
As a card-carrying, lifelong citizen of Elgin, I feel it is well within my rights to speak for the large number of Elginites in thanking our wonderful sponsors, chamber staff and volunteers who worked so hard to make Western Days as great as possible.
From those who attended and enjoyed the festival but did not have an opportunity to step up and help, please know how appreciated you are to donate your time, money, sweat and skills to make a difference.
Being a board member of the Elgin Chamber of Commerce, there are certainly a lot of misconceptions about the organization. Let me address some now: We are not a city of Elgin department — the chamber is a separate nonprofit organization meant to promote its business members and help improve their work performance, promote themselves, be active in community events and be the first face many visitors see when they come to Elgin. The chamber staff consists of two people. Let me repeat that — the chamber staff consists of two people.
Our funding comes from membership dues, Hotel Occupancy Tax funds, sponsorships and fundraising events. Each is equally important for the staff’s ability to help their members flourish.
We do not have an unlimited dollar budget to spend, as many people somehow got the idea that we do. We watch every dollar spent and are grateful for every dollar coming in.
One of the events we sponsor is Western Days. So, I want to address some questions recently brought up in a letter to the editor about why certain things are done in a certain way.
I’ve been here a long time. Yes, I too remember Western Days as it used to be and know how it is now. I remember when Western Days was a joint festival where many different organizations and businesses in town pitched in and handled certain events every year. One group would handle the Friday night dance, one would handle the parade, one would handle the street dance, one the Western Days queen pageant, etc. Sadly, as it became more work and got more expensive, those groups dropped out. Eventually, that left one organization — the Elgin Chamber — to try to take over all of the festival events.
Let’s answer some questions the writer had on why things are as they are now:
WHY DO WE NO LONGER HAVE A WESTERN DAYS QUEEN PAGEANT?
Valid question. The last Western Days court we had was in 2019. It is 2025. The reason the event was stopped is simple — cost and manpower.
For many years, the family of the winner would take on the responsibility of working on the float and ensuring the transportation to and from various parades in Central Texas. Then, for several years, that responsibility was shifted over to the chamber. The families no longer felt they needed to help, or were unable to help (no suitable transportation, etc.). The float was a lot of work to upkeep and store, and then to pull to different towns.
Maybe some business or organization in town (like the letter writer’s) would like to take this on again. Come talk to us at the chamber and maybe we can help.
I will also mention a word I will repeat often — insurance. The cost of insurance for events has skyrocketed. It costs us a lot of money because of the high risks of driving a float on the highway and in a parade.
WHY WAS THE THOMAS FAMILY BAND SCHEDULED AT 10 A.M.?
Good question. Those contracts were made and signed before the current staff at the chamber.
Yup, I would not have done that either, but when we realized what had happened, it was difficult to fix as some of the bands that followed had already signed their contracts and had made other plans.
After communicating with the Thomas Family Band, they did not seem upset at all with the situation and said they had played at 10 a.m. before. We did manage to talk to the other bands and unofficially moved the start time from 10 a.m. to a later time.
WHY IS THE FRIDAY NIGHT TENNIS DANCE GONE?
We went without a Friday night dance for several years due to lack of attendance. We attempted to bring it back in 2022 and 2023. We stopped after the two-year try. Why? Attendance!
We were paying a good band a large amount of money and we would have maybe 100 people there. And I was there. I remember being disappointed at how few people were taking advantage of a free, good dance.
If we don’t acknowledge that the makeup of people here in Elgin has changed from 25 years ago, we are living in a dream world. Apparently, having a western band in the park is not that big a thing anymore. Young people have other things they want to do because they sure weren’t there. And not that many middle-aged or older either.
Have I mentioned insurance? No event in the festival happens without us having to have insurance for that event.
WHY NO CARNIVAL?
Simple. We cannot afford the cost of the insurance, security, fencing, etc., needed. Also, every year, there are fewer and fewer carnivals and fewer and fewer insurance companies that are even willing to cover a policy where accidents are so plentifully available to happen.
Truth hurts. I mentioned we watch every dollar, and we do.
The police department is also not upset with no carnival because of the large uptick in fights, stealing and overall mischief and trouble they had to respond to these last few years.
Every year we will look at new contracts, rates, security costs, etc., and if the situation changes, we will consider it again.
WHY WAS THERE FEWER VENDORS?
Come on! We had 90 vendors this year and we cut it off because so many vendors had double spaces.
Every year we have between 90-100 vendors because that is what the park can handle.
WHY WAS WESTERN DAYS SCHEDULED THE SAME DAY AS THE LULING PARADE?
The date of Western Days was changed from late July to late June over 20 years ago. This year, we also had to compete with Bastrop’s Fourth of July celebration (which only happens every six to seven years).
There is hardly a weekend in June or July that is not taken by some town’s events. I know, it is hot! It is very hot. Probably would be hotter in late July.
If we even bring up making it a spring festival, tons of people would object because they want it in the summer since school is out, vacations are planned in the summer, etc. It’s hot. I know.
HOGEYE IS BETTER?
We are not in competition with any other event. We are citizens of Elgin and we hope everyone’s events are great. But let’s discuss the difference between Hogeye and Western Days.
First of all, Hogeye is a city-sponsored event. Let me repeat — a city-sponsored event. It is a great festival and I myself (I volunteered for six years, served as vice chair and chair of the event) greatly enjoy it.
In other words, I helped. I took my time and effort and money and helped. But it is a city-sponsored event put on by the wonderful Main Street Board of Elgin. That means what is needed to have a successful event is often provided for by city employees and city money.
Wonderful volunteers are also needed for sure. But it is not a two-person staff working on this.
Also, it is in October. Cooler.
WHY HAVE WESTERN DAYS THEMES?
Not sure why the writer is upset by this. We have had themes for Western Days off and on for years.
We never take the western out of it. But the themes are wonderful for the businesses to promote and especially the designers of the different floats. As we have heard many times, if not for the themes, it would be the same float every year.
I appreciate the letter writer taking the time to write his opinion. Everyone is entitled to one for sure. I, any member of the chamber board or staff could have cleared up a lot of this if we had been texted, called or emailed.
We are proud of our festival. We have some great events. We had the largest golf tournament ever this year. Our family day in the park with the foam machines, DJ, arcade machines, etc., was a big hit. Our participation in the rodeo was fun and a lot of people stopped to talk to chamber members there. The parade was fun and I was at the park from 10:30 to closing and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The key thing is we can provide the event — will you take the time to attend?
I personally was at every event we held except the rodeo. I look forward to having all the new volunteers to help us make this better.
Ron Ramirez
