Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A member of the Odd-Lab group performs during the 2023 edition of Fired Up in downtown Tucumcari. This year's Odd-Lab show will be at 8:30 p.m.
Last year's Fired Up festival was enough of a success, Tucumcari MainStreet Executive Director Connie Loveland saw no need to make big changes for this year's event on Saturday.
Back will be the perennially popular Odd-Lab group with its fire-based performance after dusk.
Back will be the the Roller Only car club, with several low rider vehicles anticipated with the car show. Last year's show drew nearly 70 entries.
And again, the festival will host about 60 vendors around the Tucumcari Railroad Plaza area.
"It's the same as last year," Loveland said last week. "Hopefully just bigger."
The festivities begin at noon Saturday and conclude after the fireworks show that begins about 9 p.m. that day.
Fired Up typically draws between 3,000 and 4,000 people into the downtown area. Loveland said she hopes to boost the number of non-residents during the event.
"We did targeted marketing with our event on Facebook and have noticed a lot of interaction from Las Vegas and Amarillo," she said. "Hopefully we'll draw in some more out-of-town people."
That same targeted marketing also reached out to potential vendors in Albuquerque, Lubbock, Clayton and Raton. That resulted in a doubling of the number of out-of-town vendors for this year's festival, she said.
Tucumcari MainStreet again will have people counters at the festival entrance areas, with a twist. This time, the counters will give away a chance to win door prizes donated by local businesses.
"When they come by, we'll give them a raffle ticket. And then we'll ask where they're from ...a few basic questions and then they'll be put in for the in for the drawing. We've got some nice stuff," Loveland said.
The schedule for Fired Up:
- Noon: Opening ceremony at the main stage
- Noon to 9 p.m.: Food court, vendors and exhibitors open
- Noon to 5 p.m.: Rollerz Only car show
- 1 p.m.: Prince Tocom and Princess Kari contest at Odeon Theatre
- 2 p.m.: Rollerz Only car hop
- 3 p.m.: Free matinee at Odeon Theatre
- 5 p.m.: Rollerz Only car show awards at the main stage
- 6 to 8 p.m.: Performance by St. Range at the main stage
- 8:30 p.m.: Odd-Lab performance at the main stage
- 9 p.m.: Fireworks show
