Families, friends gather

A parade that crosses state lines, class reunions, barbecue from the Rotary Club, music in the park, and a feeling of unity could mean only one thing: The return of Border Town Days.

The 52nd annual event kicked off with a parade in Texico Saturday morning, crossing the border into Farwell and culminating in a craft fair and outdoor concert at Farwell’s city park.

With Farwell band The Shilling Girls providing a musical backdrop, Joann Walker of Fort Worth explained what brings her to Border Town Days year after year.

“My family came here in 1942, when I was 3 years old. This is a family-oriented town. You don’t see that much in America anymore. You come where the family supports you, and where the town supports you,” she said.

Though Melissa Weeston may live significantly closer to Farwell (Clovis) than Fort Worth, she still sees Border Town Days as a special event.

A Texico native, she said she comes because of the event’s “hometown” nature, which she described as “very welcoming.”

“You always feel like you can come back home. Even if I wasn’t in Clovis, I’d probably make a way to come back every year, because I take off work just so I can come to this every year,” she said.

Savannah Smith, 13, and Nicholas Smith, 11, both from Amarillo, had never attended Border Town Days, but after coming with their grandmother Vicky Bermea, they also felt the sense of togetherness lauded by others.

“I’m getting to spend time with my family, and not just hanging by myself at the house. Today’s a special day to hang out, have fun, kick back, have some soda, and just relax,” Nicholas Smith said just before running to catch candy during the parade.

Bermea has been attending the event for approximately 20 years, and came with her five grandchildren, just as she once brought their parents.

“It brings the community closer. We get to see old friends. Everybody gets to know each other. There’s less crime. Everybody’s watching out for each other,” she said.

Border Town Days chairman Rob Pomper was impressed to see a healthy turnout at both the parade and the concert in the park.

“We’ve got a good crowd. It’s a warm day, so it’s neat to see people come out. We have four or five class reunions — which is wonderful — going back to 1967,” he said. “It’s neat to see so many people come back. You look at these lines, you’re gonna see a whole lot of Texico-Farwell people from over the years that just want to take part in our community,” he said.