The University Star | Tuesday, April 14, 2015 | 3
LIFESTYLE
UniversityStar.com
San Marcos concert series promotes community By Denise Cervantes LIFESTYLE REPORTER @cervantesdenise San Marcos Plaza Park kicked off its Keep San Marcos Beautiful Spring Concert Series April 9 with The Spazmatics, an Austin-based ‘80s cover band. The Keep San Marcos Beautiful Spring Concert Series is used to promote litter prevention, waste reduction and beautification, said Amy Kirwin, solid waste program coordinator. “We’re hoping to teach kids and their parents how to be more sustainable about law and energy conservation and environmental stewardship,” Kirwin said. During the intermission, audience members were asked to participate in an environmental quiz to promote awareness. “My goal and mission is to encourage landfill diversion, so this is also a venue to do some educational outreach—but not lecture to people, but to do it in a fun
and interactive way,” Kirwin said. Victoria Nelson, audience member, said The Spazmatics were able to bring the community together. She said the band interacted with audience members throughout the performance. “I’ve danced with strangers the whole night because of them,” Nelson said. “I really feel like I’m reliving the ‘80s when watching them.” Joseph Gutierrez, audience member, said the band brought locals out while educating and raising environmental awareness. “My kids got a lot from the quiz game,” Gutierrez said. “And I grew up in the ‘80s, so it’s a good way for them to learn something and a good way for me to enjoy myself for a night.” The concert series will showcase a different artist or band every Thursday in April, Kirwin said. She said the series will feature different genres of music each week to reach every part of the community.
“The concert brings people out and together in the community,” Kirwin said. “And for each one being a different kind of concert, hopefully we’ll get a variety of people at each show, and then we’ll be able to hit different parts of the community and hopefully educate them as well.” The band’s energy attracted ‘80s fans and those who may not be familiar with the decade, Gutierrez said. “You don’t have to like cover bands or even know any of the songs they’re playing to have fun,” Gutierrez said. “Once you see everyone around you dancing and singing, you want to go ahead and be a part of the fun.” The Spazmatics are known throughout the San Marcos community, Kirwin said. In past years, local bands played during the concert series. Attendance has gone up to 1,200 participants since officials began contracting known bands like The Spazmatics.
DENISE CATHEY ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The Spazmatics perform April 9 for the KSMB Spring Concert Series in the San Marcos Plaza Park. “In the past it had been local, not-really-known bands,” Kirwin said. “But we decided to turn it up a notch in the last couple of years, and it definitely brought out a greater part of the community.”
Hannah Andrews, audience member and San Marcos resident, said the message of keeping San Marcos clean remained prevalent throughout the night. “The Spazmatics is probably the best way to get ev-
eryone out here,” Andrews said. “But you still get educated about the environment. San Marcos is beautiful, and at the end of the day it is up to the community to maintain it.”
Community festival celebrates San Marcos talent, involvement By Jonathan Hamilton LIFESTYLE REPORTER @Jonodashham1 The San Marcos community came together to celebrate local businesses and artists at the Wine and Art Weekend. The three-day arts and entertainment festival kicked off April 10 and concluded April 12 with a jazz brunch. Mackenzie Falcon, recreational administration senior, said the main focus of the Wine and Art Weekend is promoting economic growth throughout the community. “The objective of the Wine and Art Weekend is to enhance the businesses downtown, to bring foot traffic and really to boost the local business here,” Falcon said. Kayli Head, Main Street coordinator and event organizer, said Wine and Art Weekend is designed to showcase local businesses and artists’ talents. “(The Main Street Program) facilitates events in the downtown district and is responsible for the look and feel of downtown,” Head said. Head said a variety of local businesses, including salons, retail shops and res-
taurants, joined to support the festival. “We have such a fantastic art community, but a lot of the times it is underground,” Head said. “A lot of artists are so busy in their craft that marketing and advertisement is not always their strong suit. (The festival) is a way to let them be very visible in the community.” Head said local business owners downtown appreciated the wave of traffic caused by the festival. She said they tried to make the crowds feel as welcome as possible. “Our businesses are ready to party no matter what,” Head said. “They make our job so much easier because they are so warm and inviting.” Falcon said members of her recreation program development class helped with the Main Street Program to host the Wine and Art Walk. She said her professor assigned planning the event as the course’s main project in an effort to teach students to promote positivity and wellness in the community. “Our teacher created this project for us for the most real-life experience possible,” Falcon said. “This is what we would do in therapeutic recreation, so this gives us the most real-life
experience.” Samantha Rodriguez, recreational administration junior, said she is in the same programming class as Falcon. Rodriguez said the event’s success was worth the hours of work and dedication spent coordinating the weekend. “It was kind of stressful, and we were kind of hesitant at first because we have never done anything like this,” Rodriguez said. “But in all, it was worth it. I would definitely do it again.” Head said Wine and Art Weekend served its purpose despite the chance for gloomy weather in downtown San Marcos for the majority of the event. “The community needs more of these events, and it LARA DIETRICH STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER is really showcasing the flavor and culture of the city,” Liz Ferguson and Caroline Walsh look at art April 11 during the Wine and Art Weekend at the LBJ MuHead said. seum of San Marcos. Head said she was walking through the Square on Friday when a visitor thanked her for the effort and expressed the hope of seeing similar events in San Marcos. Community appreciation is the reason Head dedicated time and effort toward making Wine and Art Weekend a reality for the town. “That in itself is why I love my job,” she said.
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