East Texas Convention - 153rd anniversary

I will probably cut back on my blog posting for the next two or three weeks. I am having a book printed, preparing some history for Smyrna Baptist Church's 135th anniversary and several other things happening at once that are occupying more of time. One of these is the:

East Texas Sacred Harp Convention - 153rd anniversary

This August 9 & 10 we will celebrate the 153rd anniversary of the East Texas Sacred Harp Convention. This Convention was organized in 1855, is the second oldest continuous Sacred Harp singing convention in the United States, and the oldest singing convention in Texas.

Festivities include: Singing, singing and more singing! Eating Bar-B-Q! We will meet in the Henderson Community Center, located at 302 Fairpark Ave - this is at the corner of Fairpark and South High St. in Henderson, Texas. The Chamber of Commerce provides continental breakfast/refreshments, and the convention will provide lunch both days. Singing will kick off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning. We use the Cooper Revision. On Saturday night we will have a Mexican dish "social" at the Rusk County Expo Center.

NOTE: The social will be an informal get together, eat, visit, and sing if you want to. If you want to sing we encourage you to bring copies of songs in the shape note tradition. You might need as many as 100 copies. That's about the size crowd that was present last year.

Some hotels/motels in the area are:

Henderson
Best Western - Hwy 259 S (903)-657-9561
Hilltop/Comfort Inn - Hwy 79 N (903)-657-8789 (This is what was the Holiday Inn Express)
Woodlawn Hills - Hwy 79 N (903)-657-2511

Kilgore
Delux Inn - N Henderson Blvd (903)-984-5501
Holiday Inn Express - Hwy 259 N (903)-986-3533
Best Western of Kilgore - Hwy 259 N (903)-986-1195

Longview
Raintree Motel - W Marshall Ave (903)-757-9119
Ramada Limited Suites - N Spur 63 (903)-757-0500
Homewood Suites - N Spur 63 (903)-234-0214
http://www.longviewtx.com/LODGING.HTML

The Henderson motels are all within a few minutes drive of the community center. Kilgore is about 15 to 20 miles away, and Longview is about 30. Longview is a large town, and has many more motels and hotels. Kilgore & Longview are generally cheaper than Henderson.

Campgrounds & RV Parks

Henderson
Cross and Sons RV Park
903-854-2997

H & H RV Park
903-836-2006

Mt. Enterprise (about 12 miles south on Hwy 259)
Whispering Pines RV Park
903-530-4755

Tatum (about 20 miles)
Martin Creek Lake State Park
903-836-4336

Carthage (about 30 miles)
Carthage RV Campground
903-693-6640
Murvaul Campgrounds & RV Park
903-693-6562
River Ridge Campground & RV Park
903-693-4441

NOTE: 2 new motels are being built in Henderson, but they will not be open in time for the convention.

Make plans to sing with us. Your presence will make it better.
http://www.texasfasola.org