Blanco State Park Interpreter Kathryn Tiedemann shares information about the park’s “skins and skulls” program during Saturday’s Founders Day celebration held in Blanco. (Photo by Stefanie Wright)
The sights of dancing in the streets of downtown Blanco returned for the second straight year.
Blanco Founders Day returned Saturday to fill downtown with music, dancing, food, community groups and more to celebrate the town.
Bands played throughout the day in downtown Blanco, starting with Will Reyna & His Issues at 2 p.m. Bands rotated throughout the day, and the music ended with the Jesse Stratton Band.
Downtown streets were closed to traffic to allow people to revive the old Blanco tradition of a street dance or to gather in their chairs to listen to the music.
Community groups had booths to explain their purposes to festival-goers. There was also food and drinks for sale, fun activities for kids, and an artisan market which had only products made in Blanco County.
This was the second consecutive year that organizers have put the one-day celebration together. They’ve already set the date for the next Founder’s Day March 28, 2026.
The first Founders Day event had its origins in 2023, when Betty Jones helped to spearhead a group to revive the street dances of years ago in Blanco. The group, Blanconians and Friends, started organizing the event.
In late summer 2023, Blanco Mayor Mike Arnold declared March 23, 2024 as the first Founders Day, and preparations began to happen in earnest. The annual event is set for the fourth Saturday each March.
Wayne Munger and son Hudson shoot hoops at in downtown Blanco during Founders Day last Saturday.(Photo by Stefanie Wright)Street dancers revive a Blanco tradition of times past at the second annual Founders Day celebration held last Saturday. (Photo by Stefanie Wright)Capital Improvements and Asset Management Advisory Committee members OJ Armstrong and Brandon Carlson answer questions about the city’s upcoming bond initiative during Saturday’s second annual Founders Day celebration. Different community groups provided information at booths, in addition to the music, dancing, food and other fund that was had at the celebration. See page 12 for additional photos. (Photo by Stefanie Wright)The Peyton Colony Heritage Association provided information and cupcakes to attendees at the event. Many community groups were on hand to share their missions and goals with the public. (Photo by Stefanie Wright)Live music filled the historic district on Saturday in Blanco as bands took the “stage” on the corner of Pecan and 3rd Streets for the second annual Founders Day celebration. (Photo by Stefanie Wright)Emmie Hard squints intently into a sunscope erected as part of the information booth hosted by the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky at the Blanco Founders Day event last Saturday. Hard was able to see several sunspots and even the remnants of some solar flares. One should never look at the sun directly and only use a specialized sunscope such as this, equipped with a strong protective lens. (Photo by Wayne Gosnell)Sharon Romero shared her family’s Blanco story and roots. Her husband was born in the courthouse, and her mother was born at the family’s home. Mrs. Romero raised her four children in Blanco and volunteered at the Blanco County Historic Preservation Committee tent with a display of quilts and a vintage sewing machine. (Photo by Stefanie Wright)
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