Saturday June 28th saw the new format HCG Independence Day Festival - organized in association with the same company that runs the downtown Pecan Street events.

 

Running from 4 pm to midnight, the vendor booths were heavily concentrated around the amphitheater area where there was constant live music. Main Street was not used as in prior years except from Barnes & Noble up to the Cinemark building.

 

Vendor turnout seemed lighter than in previous years with fewer home improvement type booths and art/craft purveyors.

 

Attendance seemed very healthy, peaking at 9pm when the smaller "kid's" firework display took place. At that time a large number of people left but a considerable crowd remained for the much larger 11 pm fireworks.

 

There was some criticism of the "split" display format - mostly about how small the 9 pm display was.

 

Generally the event met with positive response - it will be interesting to see what format the organizers go with in 2015.