Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The annual Rattler Reunion returns on Aug. 5-7 after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still mindful of the virus, the event that typically draws hundreds of Tucumcari High School alumni instead likely will be spread out at several venues throughout the city instead of just at the convention center.
The Rattler Reunion's board of directors — meeting in person and by videoconference — voted unanimously Saturday morning to proceed with scheduling the event instead of postponing it to 2022, said event President Joseph Szaloy.
Szaloy said in a phone interview Saturday that because of COVID-19 restrictions still in place that include attendance limitations at public venues, “we as an alumni board are in the preliminary phases of possibly planning some alternatives” for the event.
“We will utilize the convention center as we can,” he added.
Szaloy said he wasn’t at liberty to reveal the alternate Rattler Reunion venues being considered but acknowledged those operators have been “very receptive” to the proposal.
“We are getting a lot of support from the community in our endeavors to make this reunion happen, make it a reality,” he added. “We think it’s very vital to continue, and we received that same sentiment from other people.”
Szaloy said this year’s reunion will be a combined event of 2020 and 2021. As a result, the Rattler Reunion hosts will be the classes of 1990 and 1991. The Golden Rattlers will be the classes of 1970 and 1971.
Szaloy said more information on the event as it approaches will be posted on rattlerreunion.com or its social media page at facebook.com/THSrattlerreunion. Some mailings also are going out this week.
He said the Rattler Reunion would request aid from the city’s Lodgers Tax Advisory Board when it meets this week to set annual funding allocations for citywide events.
“We as a board continue to feel like the Rattler Reunion continues to be a good, viable source of revenue for local businesses, local motels, local establishments, as it has been for the last 50 years,” Szaloy said of the forthcoming funding request.
The Rattler Reunion is one of the few Tucumcari festivals to apparently survive the pandemic in the 2021 calendar. Tucumcari Rawhide Days, Rockin’ Route 66, New Mexico Music Showcase, Fired Up and Wheels on Fire have canceled for a second consecutive year.
The 2019 Rattler Reunion drew a total of 310 official registrants for the event. Szaloy noted the pandemic has forced the board to be flexible in its planning.
“In changing times, some of our foundational events have made changes along with that,” he said. “We hope to see a good turnout and a lot of people to support it.”