It’s hard to believe another Freedom Fiesta is just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday I was tagging along behind Darren Dunn and Cindy Aguirre-Herrera learning the ropes at my first one.
Time flies, but traditions keep us grounded not only in the moment, but in the past, tying what has been, with what is –– in the most beautiful way. Freedom Fiesta has become something I look forward to each year. It’s a long night of running around, snagging photos with Jarred Kindles, but it hardly feels like work. We dance our way through the night, thriving in the celebration just like everyone else.
This year’s event is going to be, without question, the biggest one we’ve had since my first three years ago –– maybe our biggest ever. We are bringing the bounce houses back for the kids and the food trucks because how could we not? We heard many people say they wanted more country music last year, so we did that too. Plus, we’ve expanded this year’s vendor list so you can shop, snack, drink and dance all night long.
Basically, I’m telling you that this year, KWED is shutting this city down for the biggest one-night party we could manage, and we want you there with us. So dive into this issue for a sneak peek of what we’re planning, and we’ll see you downtown on July 1.
Lizz Daniels Creative Director
The 2022 Freedom Fiesta saw the return of the Kiddie Parade with local children rolling through the square in their starspangled wheels.
THE HEART OF A SEGUIN TRADITION
Seguin’s non-profits back again for KWED Freedom Fiesta
REAL TEXAS COUNTRY
Jesse Raub brings the Honky-Tonk to Seguin as Freedom Fiesta headliner
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Community events & special promotions happening in the area this month.
DIY: RECIPE TO TRY
Honey and blueberry pairfait for the perfect summer snack
FIELD OF HONOR
GENERAL MANAGER
Darren Dunn
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Lizz Daniels
WRITERS
Cindy Aguirre-Herrera
Chris Austin
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Nick Spence
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
Laurie Ann Heideke
Linda Duncan
DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCER
Jarred Kindles
OFFICE MANAGER
Priscilda Rodriguez
Story by
Cindy Aguirre-HerreraCourtey Photos with additional photos by Lizz Daniels
Seguin celebrates the 4th of July better than any other small town. Each year, the community comes out decked in red, white, and blue to line the streets of downtown for the Biggest Small-Town Fourth of July Parade in Texas, but Seguin’s independence celebration doesn’t stop there. There are patriotic concerts, flag raisings, and fireworks. For four days, various 4th of July events will be going on in town, and kicking it all off this year is the KWED Freedom Fiesta.
The Seguin tradition brings the community to the downtown square, where live music echoes through the streets, and kids play while parents peruse the food trucks and enjoy a cold one. The traditions of the KWED Freedom Fiesta would not be as deeply ingrained in the community if it wasn’t for the non-profit folks who continue to come out and make themselves a part of the event.
Following COVID-19, many of the non-profit food vendors who participated in the event have since been replaced with the more convenient food trucks. Yet, those groups still continue to set up their tents and booths in hopes of raising some much-needed dollars for their respective organizations. Those who have ever operated a food booth know it’s not easy. However, if you ask members of the Order of the Eastern Star, they’ll tell you it’s much more than just a fundraiser.
In fact, member Santa Smith says she still remembers jumping at the chance of hosting a food and drink booth when the longtime tradition was put in the hands of the local radio station.
“At that time, I was driving just across your radio station going to downtown and I heard you were going to be in charge of Free-
dom Fiesta again and I just turned around and went back and Priscilda Rodriguez (KWED office manager), she was the mother of one of my students at St. James was there and so I talked to her and told her I heard you guys were going to be in charge of Freedom Fiesta and that they were looking for vendors. I said ‘we would love to be a part of it,’ and I said ‘but something we don’t have to cook. I don’t want to cook,’” Smith laughed.
In fact, Smith says the group didn’t hesitate to jump at the chance of doing something new to raise money.
“One of our fundraisers was a spaghetti dinner, so this idea came into my mind that if we do these sodas at Freedom Fiesta, we don’t have to cook our spaghetti dinner. We will put this in place of our spaghetti dinner, and everybody said, ‘Oh yes,’” Smith said.
Members of the Order of the Eastern Star are open to both men and women and are a Masonic appendant body of the Masons, the fraternal organization.
Smith, who became a member thanks to her late husband’s membership as a Mason, says the group prides itself in its ability to give back.
“This year, we gave four scholarships to four high school graduates, and most of the money raised goes to our scholarship fund,” Smith said. “But we also have a Love fund, and that is for some people that we encounter -- a family in need or someone who needs help. Most of the funds we raise are for charity.”
Being out in the community during Freedom Fiesta also makes it more special to group members, especially when folks come up to them -- thanking them for awarding a scholarship to someone in their family.
“When we are at the Fourth of July Freedom Fiesta, we are helping the community, and the community is helping us, and the fellowship that the members have right there because we all help, it’s fantastic,” she said. “We just look forward to the Freedom Fiesta. It’s hard work because it can be really hot there, but it’s just wonderful the fellowship that we have around the members when we are taking care of Freedom Fiesta.”
However, the group’s participation in this year’s Freedom Fiesta will be bittersweet as they march forward without their club secretary Ethel Dammann. Smith says the loss of Dammann this past year has been difficult. Yet, she knows that she’d be right there along with them if alive.
“She had a heart of gold when it came to the Order of the Eastern Star,” Smith said. “She couldn’t do enough to keep this organization moving. We are going to miss her dearly. She was a close friend of mine besides being in Eastern Star.”
Over the years, Freedom Fiesta traditions have also equated to the aroma of hot-powered sprinkled funnel cakes. Serving them fresh one by one are members of the local chapter of Catholic Daughters of America.
DeeAnn Kypfer Jimenez was among the members who first gave fundraising a try at Freedom Fiesta.
“From the beginning, we were all in, and we rented the machine, and I think we did that for two years, so after about the third year, one of the husbands said, ‘hmm, you know you are spending money on renting the machine even though they gave us a special deal,” Jimenez said. “The people were very nice. They brought it to us, and they came and picked it up. We were blessed in that, but he was like, ‘I can make that.’ So, the machine that we have now is ours.”
When we are at the Fourth of July Freedom Fiesta, we are helping the community, and the community is helping us.
- Santa Smith -
The charitable organization raises money to help support local, state, and even national charities and projects. Local groups that have benefited include The South Texas Pregnancy Care Center, the Christian Cupboard, and the Guadalupe County Children’s Advocacy Center.
“We wanted to be in the community to let people know we are around and that we are there to help not just state but local charities as well,” Jimenez said. “We have to fundraise because we don’t make any money any other way and we’ve continued to do what we are doing because we’ve enjoyed it. It’s a way for the ladies to come together. Even though it’s work, we get to see people that maybe we have not seen in a while and we get to then bond with each other.”
Jimenez says members look forward to gathering each year and participating in the community celebration.
“I’ve been there every year since we’ve started and when it’s really hot, it’s hot. But again, I enjoy it,” she said. “It’s a time when a lot of the husbands do come not just mine and then the husbands get to bond as well as getting to know some of the ladies.”
As for this year’s event, Jimenez says the group is already gathering ingredients for another successful fundraiser.
“We’ve had an awesome experience from set up to tear down,” Jimenez said. “Again, we have good participation from the members, and we’ve got nothing but great camaraderie with KWED staff and those that are helping. Everybody has been super, and that’s part of the reason that I would say we continue because everything flows so well.”
The non-profit organizations will be serving up their best and tastiest alongside several food trucks during this year’s Fourth of July celebration. This year’s Freedom Fiesta will also include the Guadalupe County Republican Women Kiddie Parade, vendor booths, bounce houses, and live music featuring Country music singer-songwriter Jesse Raub Jr. The free event will be held Saturday, July 1, from 6 to 10 p.m. in downtown Seguin. •
Story by Chris Austin Courtesy Photos
ATexas singer-songwriter who has scored multiple hits on the Texas Music Chart and Texas Radio Report will be headlining this year’s KWED Freedom Fiesta at Seguin’s Central Park. Jesse Raub, Jr. will hit the downtown stage on Saturday, July 1.
“We are excited to be coming to Seguin. It’s always great to pick up a new market,” Raub says. “To be called on in these places is always phenomenal for us. And to be coming to Seguin, we’re super excited to even get the opportunity.”
The Houston-born and Magnolia, Texas-raised singer is no stranger to traveling to new places. In the past two years, Raub and his band have been all over the country, discovering new cities and towns on a tour bus. They’ve been up to the Great Lakes, toured the Southeastern United States, and played many dates in the Lone Star State. Raub says seeing new faces relate to his songs is a thrill.
“For people to connect to our music is just awesome,” Raub said of performing to new crowds. “For people to be singing our songs when we get somewhere is the biggest compliment you can give anybody who plays a song.”
Raub has shared the stage with the likes of country stars Lee
Ann Womack and Mark Chesnutt. He’s also graced the stage countless times with his good friend Cody Johnson, whom he’s known for nearly two decades.
“Cody and I have been running the roads probably close to 20 years now, somewhere in that vicinity,” he said. “And we used to write every song together and play every show together.”
Raub and Johnson have collaborated to write several songs. For example, Raub was a co-writer on Johnson’s songs “The Way She Loves Me” and “Dance Her Home.” The latter tune scored Raub’s first gold record and reached number one on the Texas Radio chart.
Johnson has garnered a lot of mainstream success, and Raub says he’s happy to see the success his friend Johnson has had by promoting a brand of traditional country music.
“Obviously, we’re super stoked for the lift that he’s getting and just seeing him go out there and just fly the flag for the rest of us and really try to get back to our roots of country music. You know, obviously, we’ve seen it kinda steer away from that,” Raub said. “Not that’s a bad thing, but man I couldn’t do that and sell it. Cody couldn’t do some of that and sell it. We sell our channel in country music.”
Good songs are written, great songs are rewritten, and man, I’ve always taken that to heart.
- Jesse Raub -
Raub has had twelve recordings of his own chart in the top 50 of the Texas Music Chart and the Texas Radio Report. The long list includes: “Blame It on the Music,” “Bad Intentions,” “Good Man Go Wrong,” “Plead the Fifth,” “She Can Forgive,” 2017’s #1 “She’ll Put the Hurt on You,” 2018 #1’s “Mistakes” and “Sittin’ Here,” 2019 #1 “Touch the Water,” 2020 #1 singles “Good Times” and “I’d Look Good on You” and 2022 #1 “Working Man’s Woman.”
When it comes to songwriting, Raub takes a cue from a fellow songwriter.
“One of my friends Jim Collins told me, ‘Jesse, good songs are written, great songs are rewritten.’ And man, I’ve always taken that to heart,” Raub said when talking about the advice from his songwriter confidant. “So, we always battle for the greatest lines. And surrounding yourself with great songwriters like that and to actually go in a room and battle for the best song that you can possibly come out with, I love writing with those guys.” Raub added. “You just kinda gotta check your feelings at the door and say ‘hey we can beat that, we got a better line for that.”
Just three years ago, Raub was working at a lucrative construction job while pursuing a music career. He made the decision then to quit the construction business to focus solely on his music. He says it was a tough choice that he could not make without the support of his wife, Rachel.
“When I decided to do that, I came home and told my wife I was gonna quit a very well paying job.” Raub said. “And she never even batted an eye. She just said okay. And I said, ‘you’re not gonna talk me out of this?’ And she said, ‘No, I been wondering when you were gonna take the leap.’”
With his wife behind him, Raub leaped full-time into the music business in 2020. Then an unforeseen challenge came right at the beginning of that decision. I made the choice to do it and then Covid hit. That was just God I believe anyways going, ‘hey all true visions will be tested for authenticity.’ And if this is really what you want to do, here’s the first little road block.”
As the music world and everything else was shut down, Raub went back to pen and paper and began to write songs.
“I gave my manager Brian my bucket list of writers and he just started reaching out to publicists. And so, it became at that point just songwriting for a year. And then when the shows started coming back around, we just said ‘let’s figure out where this goes.’ So, we’re in a good position. We did that and now I look back at the job I quit and I’m like, ‘I’m so glad I’m not doing that anymore.’” Raub said. “I mean I always ran dozers and backhoes, track hoes, you know I could always run anything. But man, I just didn’t miss it like I thought I would. So I feel like we’re right where we’re supposed to be, doing what we’re supposed to do.”
Raub will do what he does on July 1st at Freedom Fiesta and hopes the new faces he sees will be prepared for a good time.
“We want to come down there and share our songs and party with you guys,” he said. “We’re gonna turn Seguin into a honky-tonk for a night so, I hope y’all are ready.”
Jesse Raub, Jr. will headline Freedom Fiesta on Friday, July 1st. The concert is free and open to the public. Freedom Fiesta gets underway at 6 p.m. at Central Park in downtown Seguin. •
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Saturday, July 1, 2023
June 10
Seguin Field of Honor
The Seguin Field of Honor will have opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 10 and closing ceremonies at 10 a.m. June 17 at the Faith Lutheran Church, located at 1326 E. Cedar St. in Seguin. Flag dedications are being accepted for $25 each. Proceeds benefit the American Legion Post 245. For more information, visit www.healingfield.org/ event/seguintx23/.
DEADLINE: June 19, 2023
The City of Seguin Main Street program has Fourth of July Parade Applications available online at www.seguintexas.gov/fourthofjuly or at the Seguin Visitor Center, located at 116 N. Camp St. in Seguin. The application deadline is Monday, June 19.
The Science Mill Summer Camp will be offered by the Seguin ISD for elementary students (those entering third through current fifth grade) the weeks of either June 12 or June 19 at Camp May Day. There are a limited number of spaces available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Register at www.tinyurl.com/CampSC123.
Music Camp Registration
Registration for the July 10 through July 14 Summer Strings and Choral Camps, for grades 2 through 6, runs from through Saturday, July 1. The camps will be held at the Schuech Fine Arts Center on the campus of Texas Lutheran University. The cost is $125 and discounts are available. For more details and to register, visit www.tlucma.org.
The Texas Lutheran University Service Learning & Career Development will have its Nursing Fair 2023 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 21 at the New Braunfels Campus. Register on Handshake. For more information, email pgentry@tlu.edu.
June 17
Red, White, Blue Art Show
The Seguin Art League will accept entries from veterans and members for its Red, White, Blue Art Show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 17 at 104 S. Austin St. in Seguin. The show will hang through Saturday, July 15. A prospectus can be found online at www.seguinartleague. com. For more information, call 830-3050472.
Master Naturalist Training
The Guadalupe Master Naturalist Chapter will offer a Master Naturalist Training Classes will be held every other Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 8 to Nov. 18 at the AgriLife Extension Building in Seguin. The Cost is $125. For application and class information, visit http://txmn.org/guadalupe Learn more about the program at http://txmn.org.
There are so many reasons to include blueberries in recipes. Not only are they plentiful in supermarkets and at fruit stands, blueberries often perfectly balance the sweet with the tart in flavor. These little berries also are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits you can find, plus they are very high in fiber. That makes eating blueberries — whether they’re nestled in pancakes or served atop a slice of cheesecake — a little less indulgent.
Blueberries are right at home in many different dishes.
Blueberries can make salads sing and desserts light up. They’re equally delightful in breakfasts and snacks.
“Honey-Laced Blueberry Parfaits” can be enjoyed any time of day. Made with tasty layers of blueberries, yogurt and angel food cake, these parfaits are light, flavorful and refreshing. To tailor them for patriotic celebrations, add a few red berries, such as raspberries or strawberries, to embrace a red, white and blue theme. Enjoy this recipe, courtesy of “Cooking Light® Fresh Food Superfast” (Oxmoor House) by The Cooking Light Editors.
1 6-ounce carton French vanilla lowfat yogurt
1 6-ounce carton blueberry low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
3 cups 1-inch cubed angel food cake
2 cups blueberries
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup honey-almond flax cereal, coarsely crushed
1. Combine yogurts in a bowl; gently fold in whipped topping.
2. Layer about 1/3 cup angel food cake, 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/3 cup yogurt mixture in each of four dessert glasses. Repeat procedure once. Drizzle honey evenly over parfaits. Top evenly with cereal. Serve immediately.
There's a lot of love for the Stars and Stripes. For most, it's a reminder of those who have fought to protect our freedoms. But for others, it's more than a symbol of freedom and liberty.
Seguin has planted a patriotic sea of red, white, and blue across a large open grassy field for the last few years. This patriotic display of nearly 1,000 American Flags returns this summer during the city's annual Field of Honor hosting. Each flag flies atop a 7.5-foot flagstaff, honoring all military, veterans, and The Fallen.
Although first organized to be a display of patriotism, the field has since become a place of healing, remembrance, and simply a safe space to provide comfort to those who need it.
Just ask Connie Ramirez. After all, Ramirez introduced the Field of Honor tradition four years ago to Seguin. Although initially designed to bring patriotism, Ramirez says her initial efforts were much more personal.
"Back in 2019, we attended a Field of Honor in Nixon, and we purchased a flag for my daughter who is a Marine and at that time, I met Chris Aviles who was a city council member at that time, and we started talking and said 'Wow, if the community of Nixon can do this, why can't Seguin have this," Ramirez said. "At that time, I found out my daughter was going to be deployed and so I needed a project to keep my mind occupied and to keep me from going insane, so I told Chris, you know what? Let's do this. We can do it. We started researching it. I reached out to the Colonial Flag Foundation. They sent in the paperwork, and we just ran with it from there. We started getting sponsors and the community was very excited for it and welcoming the event."
210-749-7793
She worked tirelessly to host the event, all while her daughter, now Sgt. Kaylyn Ramirez was away at work. Ramirez says she couldn't help but quickly realize there was a bigger picture to what she was doing.
"It's opened my eyes to the patriotism for the military," she said. "It helped me understand how some of these families feel or what they go through when their son or daughter puts on that uniform. It's something totally different. I can't even hear the Star-Spangled Banner anymore without tearing up. Just meeting so many veterans and so many military people that have shared their stories along the way and it brings a true understanding of their real sacrifice that these people that put-on uniforms go through along with their family and it's just been very touching along the years. We have met so many people and heard so many stories."
Over these last few years, Ramirez says the Field of Honor has become a destination – a single point where in this world, like families who all understand can come together.
"There was a couple from New Braunfels that would come and sit with us every evening and he would just talk about his time in the Air Force," Ramirez said. "Then, we had a lady whose husband was in Vietnam and unfortunately never made it back so she would sit out there on her walker and would just sit there and look at his flag and cry. Then we have some funny stories of medics that would just do crazy things in the field because they had to. There are so many different stories that we've heard."
Only a few of these Field of Honors are hosted annually throughout the state. Ramirez says that's why it's even more important that, for whatever reason, folks come to Seguin, that the flags are there to welcome them.
"We encourage the people that come out to visit the field, we encourage them to get on the mic because we have a little speaker there and bring their flag to life and tell us a story behind them," she said. "We actually had a couple from Kerrville who drove in last year to help us stake the flags in honor of their son who was a Marine and we talked over Facebook, and we finally met. Her name is Jan Pieraccini. We finally met in person that day and never having met, we just embraced and just cried. She had just lost her son and when we were tagging the flags, we did an impromptu ceremony, and I had all the veterans that were there line up. They were called to attention, and we announced her son's name Ryan Pieraccini and tagged his flag first and then everyone went and offered their condolences and gave them their support. So that was so moving as well. It was just a few of us on the field that day. Like I said, it was nothing planned. We just did it."
The patriotic field will again return next door to Faith Lutheran Church located along State Highway 123 Bypass. The flags will be on display from June 10 to June 17.
Volunteers describe The Field of Honor as a gift to the community made possible through donations and sponsorships. The dedication of flags is $25 and can be made through the end of the display.
"The event itself helps the community anyway because we raise money for various organizations and the first two years, the SS American Memorial was our beneficiary and the last two years, the American Legion has been our beneficiary and the same sponsors that have been with us from the beginning, they are still with us today and we are so thankful to those sponsors who have stuck with us throughout the years," Ramirez said.
Ramirez says all these years later, who knew that her thirst for purpose was exactly what others also needed.
"It made me feel like I had some crazy purpose that my daughter was out there serving halfway around the world, and it gave me a sense of
purpose," Ramirez said. "It's in my heart and that's why I love this event even though it's a lot of work but that's one reason why I love it and then I see the people's faces when they come to the event. It's more than just a flag flying in the field to a lot of people." •
