Bluebonnet Trails

Ennis Welcome Center is Bluebonnet Central E

nnis Welcome Center is Bluebonnet Central - 201 NW Main St. You can pick up information and the bluebonnet trails map all April, download it from the mobile app Ennis Y’all or find it online at www.bluebonnettrail.org.

Ennis Welcome Center hours in April only are Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Easter Sunday, April 9th. www.visitennis.org for visitor information.

Bluebonnet Trails Festival April 14-16

Presented by Ennis Garden Club

EVENT SCHEDULE

Friday, April 14 Saturday, April 15 Sunday, April 16

10am-9pm Arts & Crafts Food & Vendors

8am - 12 pm: Ennis Bluebonnet Market 10am - 6pm: Arts & Crafts Food & Vendors

5:30pm: Justin Ross & Deadwood Revival 10am - 9pm: Arts & Crafts Food & Vendors

Starts 7:30pm: King George* (George Strait Tribute)

2pm & 4pm: Bubble Show at Minnie McDowal

12:45pm: Almost Jaded

2:30pm: Jesse Jennings

Starts 4:30pm: The Windbreakers

11am-6pm: Wine Wander 12pm-5pm: Wine Wander

Wine Wander Tent Entertainment: 12pm: Remy Reilly 3pm: Chaz & Q

*Fireworks after last performance on Friday & Saturday!

* Times subject

change.

Complete schedule of festival events, entertainment line-up and more information available at bluebonnettrail.org

2:30pm: Midtown Playboys Band

4:30pm: My Life (Billy Joel Tribute) 6:30pm: Chaz Marie

Starts 8:30pm: Slippery When Wet* (Bon Jovi Tribute) 11am-6pm Wine Wander

Wine Wander Tent Entertainment: 12pm: Jesse Jennings 3pm: Blurry

See page 20 for Wine Wander ticket infomation.

Wine Wander Tent Entertainment: 12pm: Chaz & Q

ADMISSION IS $5 FOR ADULTS MUST PURCHASE AT THE GATE. NO PRE-SALES.

CHILDREN AGES 12 & UNDER ARE FREE

Your 2023 Official Bluebonnet Trails Magazine is possible thanks to the advertisers in this edition. We encourage you to patronize them throughout your visit to Ennis and the Bluebonnet Trails. This magazine is a publication of The Ennis News, working in conjunction with the City of Ennis, Ennis Garden Club and Ennis Chamber of Commerce. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Bluebonnet Trails is published once a year and distributed throughout Ennis. To advertise or if you have any story ideas, call 972-875-3801 or visit ennisdailynews.com for contact info. *Cover photo from 2022 Bluebonnet Photo Contest submissions.

A Special Welcome from Ennis, the bluebonnet spirit of Texas

Welcome to Ennis, where the bluebonnets bloom in April but the bluebonnet spirit pervades all year long. We are so happy you are hear to experience our beautiful nature and enjoy a fabulous three day festival!

Ennis, designated the “Official Bluebonnet City” and the “Official Bluebonnet Trail” of Texas, is home to 40 miles of mapped Ennis Bluebonnet Trails presented by the Ennis Garden Club. The festival takes place on April 14th, 15th and 16th. Throughout the weekend, there will be unique shopping vendors and fabulous live entertainment that will have visitors dancing and singing all weekend long. Put your boots on Friday to two step the night away with King George. On Saturday sing along to “Livin’ on a Prayer”, and “Always” with Slippery When Wet, an award-winning Bon Jovi cover band. The Windbreakers will bring their high-energy yacht rock dance party on Sunday to close out the threeday event. Visitors can also enjoy tasty food, fun kids’ activities and relax in the Wine Wander tent sampling unique wines from all over Texas. We are so grateful to Pegasus Auto and WFAA along with all our sponsors for helping make this event possible.

During your stay, make sure to visit Ennis’ historic downtown where you will find wonderful shopping and dining. Stop by the Bluebonnet Spirit Shop located at 204 W. Knox St. to shop all sorts of Ennis gear including hats, water bottles, bags, coffee mugs and the official Bluebonnet Festival shirt. You can also enjoy the Bluebonnet Market featuring fresh produce, baked goods, hand spun pottery, jewelry, clothing and more. This unique shopping experience is a local favorite, and we are celebrating its 10-year anniversary! Located on N. Dallas St, the market is open every Saturday from 8am-noon April through October. In addition to the market families can also enjoy Saturday Mornings at Minnie, unique live entertainment every Saturday at 10am from April through October in Minnie McDowal Park.

There are also numerous attractions in Ennis either for this visit or the next time you join us. Watch your favorite movie under the stars at the popular 7 screen drive-in theatre, the Galaxy Drive-in Theatre. Catch

a live play at the Ennis Public Theatre or at Theatre Rocks. Check out an action packed drag car race at the Texas Motorplex or enjoy watching a race at the Big O Speedway, an oval dirt track. If you are traveling with your furry friend, stop by the new Puppy Patch dog park and dog wash located at 302 N. Dallas St.

Mark your calendars for our next festival, The National Polka Festival on Memorial Day Weekend. This unique family festival is fun for all ages with plenty of dancing, authentic Czech food, shopping and more. Trust us, you have never experienced polka like this before!

Join us for Blues on Main on June 10th-11th featuring live music and a Sunday brunch. Celebrate freedom at Ennis Freedom Fest with a charming Red, White and Bike Parade and HUGE firework display on June 24th. In October, enjoy the downtown haymaze all month long and Autumn Daze October 27th-29th. Then kick off the holiday season with the annual Christmas Parade of Lights and block party on November 30th followed by a full month of Christmas events downtown.

Don’t forget to download our free mobile app, Ennis Y’all, where you will have access to an interactive bluebonnet trail map with points of interest including a herd of longhorns and Sugar Ridge Winery, two muststop places along the trail! You can also find places to eat and shop around town and can check out upcoming events. Use the app while you are in Ennis and to plan your next trip back.

Please stop by the Ennis Welcome Center to be greeted with a “Hi Y’all” and get more information about the trails or your visit to Ennis. We are located at 201 NW Main and can be reached at 972-878-4748. Visit us at www.visitennis.org.

Welcome to Ennis Y’all!

Ashley Colunga City of Ennis Marketing and Communications Director

Full Bloom

Enjoy the beautiful art installation, "Full Bloom" by artist, Michele R. Gutlove, Design Studio GH, LLC. Photos by Zev B. Hoover, Design Studio GH, LLC. Located inside the Ennis Welcome Center, 201 NW Main St.

Ennis Garden Club presents

APRIL 14-16 | 2023

The Ennis Garden Club will host its annual Bluebonnet Trails Festival in Historic Downtown Ennis, April 14-16, 2023. You can enjoy three days of arts and crafts, obtain bluebonnet souvenirs, involve the children in activities for them, enjoy exciting live music, and take in scenic country rides featuring all of the beautiful bluebonnets along the designated trails. A map will help guide you.

10a.m.-9 p.m.- Friday, April 14 | 10a.m.-9 p.m.-Saturday, April 15 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m.-Sunday, April 16

For more information, contact the Ennis Welcome Center at 972-878-4748 or check out the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival on Facebook or visitennis.org or bluebonnettrail.org

2023 SPONSORS

Ennis Garden Club welcomes all back to spring and to the Bluebonnet Trails

Ennis Garden club welcomes you to our city where in April of each year, the rolling prairie lands to the west and southeast of Ennis and the hills of the Bristol area turn BLUE and BEAUTIFUL! A natural phenomenon where thousands of tourists have traveled on the country roads, the club started Ennis Bluebonnet Trails with a hand drawn map, handmade souvenirs and a BIG dream of sharing the natural beauty of the bluebonnets. Originally, the Garden Club’s Bluebonnet Trails headquarters was a covered booth on the grounds of the Ennis Public Library until 1990 when the city commission granted permission for the club to move its annual April headquarters to Pierce Park on Main Street.

Ennis is located 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas on Interstate Highway 45. In 1871, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad (H&TC) purchased 647 acres of land in Ellis County at a price of $5.00 per acre, establishing the line’s northern terminus. On May 8, 1872 this site was established as the City of Ennis. The namesake of the town was Cornelius Ennis. The railroad was the key to the development of Ennis as an agricultural, commercial, and later an industrial center. In 1920, a total of 152,601 bales of cotton were ginned in Ellis County, the most in any county in the United States. By 1930, Ennis was known as the place “Where Railroads and Cotton Fields Meet.”

Ennis Garden Club’s Bluebonnet Trails began when Mrs. C.M. Roller, club president appointed a trails committee. The first “annual” Ennis Bluebonnet Trails of 1951 included three routes, which remain today, having a combined mileage of 41.8 miles of all weather or paved county roads. Members marked the trails on these roads with handmade cardboard signs. Rough hand drawn maps were available at the information booth on Ennis Library property. An estimated 1,000 visitors traveled the Bluebonnet Trails on the first day in 1951. Some 400 cars were registered at the booth. However, the original idea for a trail was not new to Ennis even in 1951. In

1939, J. Louie Clarke had roads cut and signs made along the country club lake in north Ennis. The farsighted gentleman was to live to see his dream brought into full realization through the efforts of the Ennis Garden Club women. Going back even further in history, the selection of the state flower dates back to 1901 when the 27th Texas legislature chose the Bluebonnet (Lupinus Subcarnosus) as the official State Flower of Texas. At the request of Texas Good Will Ambassadors, Mrs. Robert Ward Cutler, Honorary Ennis Citizen, with the cooperation of the Colonial Dames, the 62nd Legislature declared “Lupinus texensis and any other variety of bluebonnet” as State Flower along with the Subcarnosus specie. The resolution (HCR44) was signed by Governor Preston Smith on March 8, 1971.

In 1997, with Sandy Anderson as Ennis Garden Club president, Ennis became the official Bluebonnet City and Bluebonnet Trail of Texas. Governor George W. Bush signed House Concurrent Resolution No. 116 on June 19, 1997. The proclamation of the state legislature recognized the 46 years of effort by the Ennis Garden Club including that the club’s efforts made Ennis the first city in the state to have mapped bluebonnet trails.

The original trail at country club lake was set aside in 1985 as a protectorate of the Natural Area Preservation Association, Inc. known as Kachina Prairie. According to experts in the field of botany and agronomy, these 30 acres of Black Land Prairie is part of approximately 600 acres remaining in the United States that has never been cultivated. Kachina Prairie is an ongoing project for the Ennis Garden Club. There are approximately 280 species of grasses, wildflowers and trees in this uncultivated Kachina Prairie. Guided tours are available during the annual Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival weekend. There are walking paths for visitors.

The variety of the bluebonnet flowers in the Ennis area is “lupinus texensis” and are in full bloom on or

Pat Warren, President Ennis Garden Club

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around April 21 (San Jacinto Day). The lupinus texensis bluebonnet is the largest sized variety of bluebonnets and has a deep, bright, blue blossom with white petals at the top. When the bees pollinate the blooms, the white top becomes a bright purplish -blue. One legend has it that the wildflower received its common name because it resembles the blue bonnets worn by pioneer women of Texas. It is interesting to note that cattle will not eat the bluebonnet plant.

For seventy one years, the Ennis Garden Club has sold all types of bluebonnet memorabilia, including cookbooks, artistic-one-of-a-kind throws, postcards, T-shirts, aprons, bonnets, bluebonnet seeds, notepads, candles, etc., etc. For 30+ years, Nancy Swindell has served as chairman of the souvenir committee. Our latest endeavor, with Jeannette Patak as chairman of the committee, is the “Celebrating 70 Years of Bluebonnet Trails” cookbook. From the profits of the sales of these items, the Ennis Garden Club has used the proceeds to fund flower and tree beautification projects in the City of Ennis, seeding projects in the Bluebonnet Park, Veterans Memorial Park, and Meadow View Nature area. Proceeds are also used in maintaining the Katherine Bozek Memorial Garden/Cerf Park-Butterfly Garden

located at the Ennis Public Library, providing flower arrangement sessions and celebration of holiday activities at the five senior living facilities, offering scholarships to Ennis High School Seniors, planting trees on Arbor Day, assisting with gardening projects throughout the city and our veterans at the Ennis Memorial Park and other worthwhile projects.

The Ennis Garden Club wishes to thank the Ennis Welcome Center (Tourism Department), Ennis Main Street, Ennis Economic Development Corporation, the Ennis Chamber of Commerce, the City of Ennis, Precinct 2 County Commissioner/staff, sponsors, and the merchants and citizens of Ennis who support our effort and assist in making the BLUEBONNET FESTIVAL one of the most highly attended attractions in the state of Texas. From 1951 to 2023 we have grown tremendously and it truly takes “the village” to plan, conduct and oversee the complexities that come with successful growth. The Texas Downtown Association presented the Ennis Garden Club with two prestigious awards in 2021: The People’s Choice Best Promotion Traditional and The People’s Choice Best Downtown Partner.

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As president of the Ennis Garden Club and on behalf of the current members, I would like to pay homage to the many women and the forty-two presidents over the past 71 years who devoted their time and effort toward making the Bluebonnet Trails, which started with hand drawn maps a BIG dream of sharing the natural beauty of the Bluebonnets surrounding Ennis. Thousands of visitors have driven the trails during the month of April and attended the Bluebonnet Festival commonly held the 3rd weekend in April. If, Easter falls on that weekend, the festival moves to the 2nd weekend in April. In 2021, approximately 20,000 people visited the Ennis Welcome Center to get information and maps of the trails. It is estimated that approximately 100,000 visitors traveled the Bluebonnet Trails in April 2021 and 35,000 people attended the 3-day Bluebonnet Festival. This shows the commitment of those who came before us and those who are currently giving of their time.

Thank you for purchasing the “Celebrating 70 Years of Bluebonnet Trails” Cookbook. It was compiled in an effort to share our history and favorite recipes, and we hope you will enjoy for years to come.

May each of your days be as beautiful as the bluebonnets that bloom in the fields during April in Ennis, Texas.

Pat Warren, President

ENNIS GARDEN CLUB OFFICERS

Pat Cody Warren President

Annie Wartsbaugh 1st VP/Programs Chair

Carol Blaha 2nd VP/Membership Chair

Shirley Martinez 3rd VP/Yearbook Chair

Dianne Frossard Treasurer

Tish Bouska Corresponding Secretary

Jeannette Patak Recording Secretary

Chris Cook Parliamentarian

Celia Yowell Historian

RECENT EGC PRESIDENTS

Pat Cody Warren, 2021-2023

Dianne Frossard, 2019- 2021

Julie Hejny, 2015- 2019

Anne Anderson, 2013-2015

Nancy Swindell, 2009-2013

Laurie Hicks, 2007-2009

Celia Yowell, 2003-2005

The Celebrating 70 Years of Bluebonnet Trails Cookbook will be available at the Ennis Garden Club tent at the festival April 14-16 and at Apple Annie’s. The cost is $20 and it includes 650 recipes.

Ennis Garden Club

Ennis Garden Club reaps what they sow

Investing in today to build promise for tomorrow, the Ennis Garden Club is a committed steward of the bluebonnet, the state flower of Texas.

To widen the blooming swath that flourishes in the area, members of the EGC distribute bluebonnet seeds annually at the Veterans Memorial Park. The EGC strives to promote the conservation of the bluebonnet for this area. They are eager to bring awareness of the bluebonnet to the general public.

This year, they are educating visitors about the special relationship between the bee and the bluebonnet. With the average spring temperatures in March and the unique shape and color of the bluebonnet blooms, they are ideal

conditions for the bees to gather nectar. Bees are the number one pollinator of the bluebonnet. Bluebonnets do not self-pollinate. The buebonnet species relies on the bees to survive for the next generation.

Cultivating a land that produces the perennial bonnets assures more for the coming season. It reverses the lesson of Aesop’s Fable; killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. The short-sighted action destroyed the profitability of an asset.

The actions of the EGC reflect another idiom – you reap what you sow, only their behavior is for the benefit of others. Stocking the soil with the seeds of the Lupinus texensis results in the world’s top natural wildflower show.

Fun Facts about Ennis Bluebonnet Trails

• Ennis Bluebonnet Festival is #16 of the 30 Gorgeous Travel Locations: Most Pinned Places on Earth on Mashable.com. How fun! See link on www.visitennis.org on the bluebonnet trails page.

• Celebrities visit us each year and TV shows are filmed here. Morgan Fairchild has made several visits to the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails and is always a delight!! Little Women Dallas, a Lifetime Show, was filmed here. Norman Reedus from Walking Dead Fame, filmed part of his show, Ride with Norman Reedus, here in 2018. Ennis bluebonnets are featured in Flight of the Butterflies, a wonderful IMAX movie. Ennis was the only area in 2011 that had flowers across the state so they filmed here.

• Ennis Bluebonnet Trails attracts professional photographers from all over the United States.

• The trails are mostly driving trails but we do have designated areas for photos and areas you can get out and walk. We suggest contacting the Ennis Welcome Center for

information and to see the map for points of interest.

• Ennis Bluebonnet Trails have many animals to view on the drive. Donkeys, horses, sheep, goats, etc... and they are part of the attraction, too - but please do not pet the animals on the trails.

• Speaking of animals - Cows will not eat the bluebonnet plants.

• Ennis Bluebonnet Trails attract national and international visitors. Texas Wildflowers are popular!! The month of April is the busiest tourism month for Ennis as visitors come in all month to see the wildflowers and is great for the economy.

• There are many other flowers on the trail, too such as verbena, Texas Yellow Start, Indian Paintbrush, etc.

• The Ennis area bluebonnets are the Texas Bluebonnet, Lupinus Texensis, and are natural to Ellis County. There are Ennis parks that are seeded by the Ennis Garden Club, City of Ennis and Keep Ennis Beautiful.

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• The Ennis Welcome Center is open 7 days a week in April for bluebonnet season, except Easter Sunday, April 9th. Trail maps are distributed from the Ennis Welcome Center each day.

• Visitor info for Ennis is available at www.visitennis.org and at www.bluebonnettrail.org for Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival. Follow Visit Ennis, Texas on Facebook, instagram and twitter and follow Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival on facebook. The Ennis Welcome Center can be reached at 972-878-4748 and is located at 201 N.W. Main St. #EnnisBluebonnets22 on instagram

• Ennis developed a city app, Ennis Y’all, that lists attractions, the bluebonnet map, dining, and lodging, etc.

• Ennis, the bluebonnet spirit of Texas is the city’s brand.

• An interesting coincidence is that the bluebonnets almost always reach their full glory on the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails on or about April 21st. This is San Jacinto Day, the day when Texas, in 1836, won its independence from Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto.

• Even though it is not illegal to pick the bluebonnets, you are encouraged not to pick the wildflowers but to let them remain to reseed in the future years.

Saturday Mornings at Minnie McDowal Park

Forget about Saturday morning cartoons! Join us every Saturday April through October for free, educational, fun programming in the heart of Historic Downtown Ennis at Minnie McDowal Park, 119 N. Dallas Street! Check Downtown Ennis Tx on Facebook for updates.

Ennis Bluebonnet MarketFind it fresh off the vine!

Back by demand, the Bluebonnet Market, formerly known as the Ennis Farmers Market, opens in April for another seven-month season. It is held from 8 a.m. until noon, every Saturday, April through October on the beautifully renovated North Dallas Street. This is the Market’s 10-year anniversary.

The future of Ennis brings a touch of yesteryear with a taste of the now in the Bluebonnet Market. It offers garden and farm fresh produce and food products picked and prepared daily.

Now a seasonal fixture in town, an average foot traffic crowd of 500 or more will shop the market. Vendors provide a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, honey, meat, nuts, cottage and prepared food, clothing, crafts and interior products.

Special events are scheduled, including cooking demonstrations, arts, crafts and activities for children at Make It at the Market, exhibitions and special music.

Get your official Bluebonnet Trails T-shirt

...and lots of other Ennis gear downtown at the Bluebonnet Spirit Shop located at 204 W. Knox St. during April and at the Ennis Garden Club Headquarters Tent, April 14-16.

https://bluebonnetspiritshop.com/-shop

Monitor Bluebonnets Online

Are you a bluebonnet lover?

There are places online that will tell you where the blooming is underway in Texas!

Check out Texas Wildflowers on Facebook for the latest information to track the bluebonnets in Texas!

The official Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival Facebook page has up-to-date information for vendors and visitors alike.

Also check out the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails website at www.bluebonnettrail.org.

Bands are sure to be a hit at Bluebonnet Trails Fest

F

resh, spring air and family fun are in season during the three-days of the Bluebonnet Festival, April 14-16 in downtown Ennis. In the middle of a wonderful month of the Texas State Flower in full bloom, the Bluebonnet City once again provides a great opportunity to safely enjoy live entertainment and family fun downtown.

King George

George Strait “King of Country” is one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time.

King George brings the music of George Strait to you with the sights and sound that make you feel like you are at one of his shows.

Slippery When Wet

Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute was formed in 2003 by Jason Morey after answering many inquiries of “Are you Jon Bon Jovi?”. Most notably comedian Dave Chappelle invited Jason backstage following one of his comedy shows thinking that he was the New Jersey icon. It was then that Jason knew he had to take advantage of the resemblance.

It’s a good thing that Jason grew up on some of the best classic rock albums such as “Slippery When Wet” and

“New Jersey.” Not to mention that he was also playing a few Bon Jovi songs in his widely successful tribute to the halcyon days of metal “The White Leppard Crue.”

Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute has taken exact live arrangements from Bon Jovi’s 2000’s Crush tour, 2002’s Bounce tour, 2005’s Have a Nice Day tour, 2008’s Lost Highway tour and 2010’s The Circle tour to form what Jason refers to as an “ArenaClub Show.” With further explanation Jason thinks that “Slippery When Wet has the power to turn a 800-2000 capacity club into a 20,000 seat arena for 2 1/2 hours.”

Bon Jovi’s career spans 35+ years and over 130 million albums sold worldwide. Another milestone that the band has achieved is that they have tracked 14 Billboard top ten singles of which 8 of those went straight to number 1. In 2018 Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Slippery When Wet believes that Bon Jovi has the right kind of song catalog that really lends itself to being

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performed live as well as fitting into a broad age range that makes for the perfect club demographic.

Slippery When Wet has played over 1800 shows throughout the U.S. alone and has traveled to Africa, Mexico, Singapore, Puerto Rico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. They have headlined on over 60 cruises on the Royal Caribbean cruise line and played the pre game of Super Bowl 48 in East Rutherford NJ. The bands shows are the most attended and highest grossing of any Bon Jovi Tribute in the country.

Slippery When Wet is the most searched Bon Jovi tribute band on Google as well it has the most views of any Bon Jovi tribute band on Youtube. In 2007 the band was officially authorized by Bon Jovi to perform their highly entertaining show.

In 2018 Jason Morey was chosen to perform as their only impersonator to Jon Bon Jovi in the Legends in Concert show in Las Vegas. In 2019 Slippery When Wet was handpicked to perform on both Runaway to Paradise Cruises with Jon Bon Jovi In 2021 Slippery When Wet was a Finalist after competing on Jimmy Fallon’s Clash of the Cover Bands on E!.

Their drive, musical ability, showmanship and dedication to duplicating the Bon Jovi live experience simply cannot be outdone. Band Members Include: Jason Morey (vocals), Adin Stickle (guitar), Anthony CeCe (bass) and Jay Monseur (drums).

The Windbreakers

Come on…admit it, you love those Time-Life infomercials with the soft rock sounds from the 70’s and early 80’s. These are the songs you secretly sing along with at the grocery store and crank up in your rented convertible while cruising the PCH. It’s time to release yourself of those daily pressures and join The Windbreakers while you Drift Away down memory lane. Splash on that Old Spice, grab a Pina Colada and come Sailing into the experience of a lifetime. The band takes to the high seas with Captain Anton Neil (sax/vocals) at the helm of your yacht rock experience. Joining him on deck are Christopher Craft (guitar/vocals), Kenny Lager (bass/vocals) and powering the ship is Mr. Harvey Willbangher (drums).

The Winbreakers promise you’ll be saying Baby Come Back when you awake onboard the next morning thinking Oh, What A Night!

The Winbreakers Ultimate Yacht Rock Experience: Sailing the smooth waves of soft rock!

G Shop, Sip and Wander

et ready to sip, shop, and wander the festival in historic downtown Ennis, Texas. Tickets to the Wine Wander are $30 and include a souvenir wine glass, event bag, map of the downtown festival, live musical entertainment and the opportunity to taste some of the finest wines in Texas. Bottles and glasses of wine will also be available for purchase on site. A limited amount of tickets will be sold, so purchase today to secure your glass!

The Wine Wander will be open on Friday from 11am to 6pm, Saturday from 11 am to 6pm and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. During the ticket purchase process, a day needs to be selected, but you are free to pick up your glass and begin the Wine Wander during any part of the selected day.

Proceeds benefit the Ennis ISD Education Foundation, so buy your tickets today to support a good cause and make plans for a memorable time in historic downtown Ennis. Wine, shopping, and music are a guaranteed good time!

*Festival admission of $5 is not included with Wine Wander purchase.

https://muradbid.com/tickets/winewander/tix

Ennis ISD Education Foundation: Organizer of Wine Wander at the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival - April 14-16, 2023. The Ennis ISD Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to provide educational resources to Ennis ISD.

Get the App!

Everything Ennis in one location

Ennis stepped up its digital game with the launch of the mobile app Ennis Y’all. People want easy access to information and they want it to be all in one location which is exactly what the app will provide. The app features include:

• GPS enabled Bluebonnet Trail map complete with points of interest such as photo opportunities and pop-up shops

• Complete directory of restaurants, shops, attractions and hotels with photos, descriptions, GPS map, phone number, website and social media channels

• List of events by date with the ability to add the event directly to your calendar

• Ability to bookmark items so all of your favorite locations are saved in one section

• Location-based push notifications to remind people of upcoming events

This app is extremely beneficial to both visitors and locals alike. Ennis Y’all encourages

Ennis Y’all, available for iPhone or Android.

@VisitEnnisTexas

Visit Ennis, Texas

Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival

Downtown Ennis TX

Downtown Ennis Bluebonnet Market

DowntownEnnisTX

EnnisBluebonnet

VisitEnnisTexas

www.visitennis.org

www.bluebonnettrail.org

#EnnisBluebonnets23

H Bluebonnet Photo Contest

ave a camera? Enter the Bluebonnet Photo Contest! Thousands of photographs of the Ennis area’s bluebonnets are taken each year. Some are panoramic views of fields in bloom. Others are of animals and the flowers. Many people pose for a photo in the bluebonnets. Amateurs and professionals alike enjoy taking the photos. If you are one of those, then consider entering the annual Bluebonnet Photo Contest. Information is available at www.visitennis.org. Past years’ winners can be viewed online at www. visitennis.org/photocontest.htm

Some of the 2022 winning submissions are pictured here. From top to bottom, left to right, they were taken by: Carrie Rhodes (2nd scenic), Becky Escobar (1st animals), Matt Hancock (3rd families), Daryl Barilla (3rd professional), Lynnet Perez (1st professional), Kendra Hamilton (1st families), Marian Condiff (3rd scenic), Nathanael Hamilton (1st scenic), Misty Spears (3rd animals), Matt Marcussen (2nd professional), Joe West (2nd animals).

O Legend of the Bluebonnet

ne of the most beautiful of many legends associated with the bluebonnets says that a long time ago, the Comanche Indian Tribe was being annihilated by starvation, cold and disease. The Great Spirit revealed to the tribe chieftains that all would be made right if their most valued and cherished possessions would be made into a burnt offering and scattered to the four winds. A little Indian princess, the daughter of the highest chief, overheard the council and immediately made ready to sacrifice her beautiful doll with a headdress from the bluejay. While all were asleep, the ritual was performed on

a hillside not far from camp. The next morning, where the ashes had fallen, there was a beautiful spread of blue flowers, the same shade as the bluejay’s feathers. These flowers, the legend says, were the bluebonnets which, until this day, bloom in Texas in the spring.

Kachina PrairieAn Ennis treasure

Please include Kachina Prairie as part of your tour of Bluebonnet Trails, and enjoy a vanishing icon of Texas – a true native prairie! There are abundant birds and wildflowers to view and photograph. Wildflowers you may see include bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, prairie verbena and Texas star daisy. You may also spot a red tailed hawk, blue heron and other birds. The Prairie is an e-bird “hot spot.”

Kachina Prairie is an Ennis treasure – a 30 acre remnant native, never-plowed prairie, now being actively conserved by a coalition of the Ennis Garden Club, Indian Trail Master Naturalists, City of Ennis and the Texas Land Conservancy.

A special note on visiting the Prairie: The Prairie is a “wildscape.” There are mowed trails but not groomed trails. There are no facilities and the ¾ mile trail, while mowed, is not suitable for open toed shoes. Despite all its beauty, the Prairie includes poison ivy, snakes, fire ants, stickers and the like.

Picnicking is available just down Baldridge Street, where there is a park with a family area, picnic table and view of the lake. At the Prairie, the basic rule is “take only photos, leave only footprints.”

Directions to Kachina Prairie: If you are starting from the downtown area of Ennis, take Ennis Avenue through town, west to the traffic light at Jeter Drive. Turn right on Jeter Drive and follow it about a mile to Baldridge Street, where there is a Church of Christ on the northwest corner. Turn left (west) on Baldridge and the Prairie entrance is on

the right, in about half a mile. 1816 W. Baldridge, Ennis, Texas 75119.

Wildflower walks during Bluebonnet Trails Festival Weekend: The Indian Trail Master Naturalists are offering wildflower walks at the Prairie at the times listed below. Meet at the entrance to the Prairie. These walks are cancelled if it’s raining and are subject to change. Please visit www.txmn.org/indiantrail/ for the latest updates.

Saturday, April 15, 2023: 10am, Noon, 2pm & 4 pm

Sunday, April 16, 2023: 1pm & 3pm

While in town, please visit the Ennis Welcome Center at 201 NW Main St., and the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival, sponsored by the Ennis Garden Club, in downtown Ennis on April 14-16, 2023.

Pick up a bluebonnet map and take a drive along the beautiful bluebonnet trails this weekend, too. For more information, please to go visitennis.org, bluebonnettrail. org or call 972-878-4748.

Cinco de MayoA Cultural Celebration

The Cinco de Mayo Cultural Celebration continues to be a huge hit. For the past two years, the heart of downtown celebrated this unique, cultural holiday with a one day festival. Smiles, dancing and more decorated Knox and Dallas Streets and this year the event will be moved to North Plaza for a larger festival footprint. We are so excited to have Bobby Pulido as our headlining entertainer as well as performers Jay Perez, Sol de la Kumbia and more to take the celebration to the next level. Local artists will still be involved as well as local food vendors and artisans. Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 7th for a cultural experience in Historic Downtown Ennis that is like no other! We’ll see you there!

Blues on Main and Ennis Freedom Fest are must-dos!

Saturday & Sunday, June 10-11, Blues on Main hits downtown Ennis, featuring live music and family fun for everyone! This annual event is presented by Unity in the Community.

Saturday, June 24, begins downtown with the annual Red, White and Bike Parade. Come see hundreds of people in patriotic garb, showcasing their decorated rides. The festival then moves west to Veterans Park, 2301 Ennis Parkway, where families will find music, vendors and fun activities.

2023 Ennis Freedom Fest culminates with a spectacular fireworks display after sundown.

Czech Out the Polka Festival

The Czech experience extends beyond the Polka Fest to the churches, civic groups and familyowned restaurants and other businesses that cater to life in Ennis. The Ennis News regularly features cultural and historical news items about Czech heritage. But the parade and accompanying activities and entertainment are the big attraction once May rolls around.

The National Polka Festival® in Ennis celebrates years of Czech heritage from Friday through Sunday, May 26-28, 2023.

Held annually on Memorial Day Weekend, the National Polka Festival offers activities for the whole family in the small town atmosphere of The Bluebonnet City.

The festival kicks off with a dance on Friday, featuring polka music and the King and Queen Dance Contest, in which participants and audiences are encouraged to wear traditional Czech kroj (costumes).

On Saturday morning, floats, bands and colorful costumes make up the famous parade that twists through

historic downtown. The festivities include attractions for visitors of all ages. Attendees can enjoy the music of polka bands on decorated floats or the sounds of the award winning Ennis High School Marching Band. The Shriners make their annual appearance, as well as celebrities, public officials, motorcyclists, horseback riders, clowns, kids and seniors. The Polkafest Run also returns in 2023.

Visitors experience Czech traditions, religious customs and dancing throughout historic downtown and at three spacious, air conditioned halls (KJT, Sokol and SPJST). Attendees will enjoy a weekend of polka dancing, Czech foods, and numerous sensational live polka bands.

Polka Festival guests can also experience authentic Czech cuisine at what has become the city’s largest festival.

Today, Polka fans from across the country come to Ennis for Memorial Day weekend. Attendance continues growing, and by some counts, as many as 50,000 people come to town each year to enjoy events associated with the National Polka Festival.

Stop by the Museum, too!

The Ennis Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum is located at 105 N.E. Main Street in Ennis. At the museum, watch a brief video of the history of Ennis, enjoy the railroad memorabilia, the dioramas, the depot replicas, china exhibit from the old rail lines, Czech dolls from the old country store and more. There are also souvenirs for purchase.

Hours of operation are: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

For more information, call 972-875-1901, go to www. visitennis.org or follow the museum on Facebook at Ennis Railroad and Cultural Heritage Museum.

2023 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

We’re glad you’re here for the Bluebonnet Trails and Festival, but there are more events to come!

April - October

April - October

April 1

April 1-30

April 14-16

April 21

May 7

May 26-28

June 10-11

June 24

June 25

Bluebonnet Market (formerly Farmers Market), 100 N Dallas St., Sat. 8am – noon Saturday Mornings at Minnie, Minnie McDowal Park, 119 N Dallas St., Sat. 8am – noon

Don’t Mess with Texas Trash Off, www.KeepEnnisBeautiful.com

Ennis Bluebonnet Trails, www.bluebonnettrail.org

Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival, www.bluebonnettrail.org

Bling Bang Bash, designer bag bingo & gun raffle, SOKOL, 2622 Hwy 34, 6pm-10pm

Cinco de Mayo Cultural Celebration, downtown Ennis, www.visitennis.org

National Polka Festival, www.nationalpolkafestival.com

Blues on Main, www.visitennis.org

Main Street Midway, downtown Ennis Ennis Freedom Fest, www.visitennis.org

July 14-15

October 1-31

October 6-15

Ellis County Quilters Guild Annual Quilt Show, location TBA

Hay Maze & Pumpkin Patch - FREE!, North Plaza Parking Lot, 302 N. Dallas St. Texas Fall Nationals Stampede of Speed, Texas Motorplex, www.nhra.com, www.texasmotorplex.com, or www.stampedeofspeed.com

October 27-29

November 25

November 30

December 1-31

Ennis Autumn Daze Festival, www.visitennis.org

Small Business Saturday, downtown Ennis, Saturday after Thanksgiving Lights of Ennis Parade & Block Party, downtown Ennis, (Thurs after Thanksgiving) Lights of Ennis Events, downtown Ennis, include Cookies with Mrs. Claus, horse drawn carriage and wagon rides, Elf Seek & Find game, a giant snow hill, photo ops and more!

**Events are subject to change. Please confirm before driving long distances. Follow Visit Ennis, Texas AND Downtown Ennis TX on Facebook and Instagram. Download the mobile app Ennis Y’all. Visit the website www.VisitEnnis.org. Call 972-878-4748.