Once again Common Threads Quilting will be a destination on the North Texas Patchwork Express.

What is the Patchwork Express? The North Texas Patchwork Express is a two day trip full of fun and shopping with a group of other quilters. The Express will visit these eight wonderful quilt shops.

Buses will take off on Saturday, May 15th at 8:00 am and return in the evening on Sunday, May 16th. You'll enjoy two days packed full of fun, friends and shopping. Registration includes your transportation in a luxury coach, hotel accommodations based on double occupancy, food, a custom printed tote bag filled with over $25 in quilting supplies and a truly fun quilting experience with your friends. All for only $129.95!

You must register no later than March 31. 2010. Passengers who register by February 15, 2010 will receive a free commemorative charm holder. But be warned...buses will fill quickly!

To register just visit Common Threads Quilting at 315 S. Rogers St. or call 972-935-0510.

The Waxahachie Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is a celebration of Hispanic heritage combining live music, food, arts & crafts,  contests, and good old fashioned family fun.

On May 1st, 2010 the Ellis County Hispanic Organization (E.C.H.O) will present the 2nd Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Downtown Waxahachie, Texas.  E.C.H.O is non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Latino culture, arts, education, economic and intercultural partnerships, and goodwill between the towns of Ellis County.

After a very successful 1st Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, we are excited to be getting ready for it again.  We are looking for entertainers, food vendors, arts/crafts vendors and anyone wanting to take part of this annual event. If you are interested please visit their site http://www.waxahachie5de5.com

Make plans to celebrate Valentine's Day this year with the Moon & the Starz at the Texas Theater. The show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $10 or $9 with a coupon from any of the participating downtown merchants.

Richard Bowden with Moon & the Starz is a Linden, Texas based band rooted in Americana and musical comedy.  Richard is probably best known for his years as half of the successful Warner Brothers Records Nashville based comedy duo Pinkard & Bowden.  First formed upon his return to Linden from Nashville in 1998, this group has evolved into a perfect blend for Richard's combined talents as a musical funny man, master of parody, comedy and serious songwriter and premiere guitarist accentuated by his use of his self-designed and patented EZ-Bender™ B Bending guitar device. Moon & the Starz combines his talent with four other songwriter/vocalists including drummer and premiere vocalist Greg "Moon" Attaway, band mate from their days with the Roger McGuinn Band, guitarist John Early, thirty year veteran and front man of the bluegrass based group Hickory Hill, bassist Pat Roberson, Texas music veteran and longtime touring band member with Mike Wiggins' band Loco and keyboardist Mark Vidito , one time touring band member of the Burrito Brothers.  The group performed for many years primarily at Music City Texas Theater in Linden and after releasing their first CD “Rising Over Texas ” in 2008, have begun appearing regionally in other popular concert venues.

The seventh annual Mardi Gras parade hosted by the College Street Pub is slated for 3 p.m. Feb. 13 to coincide with the day’s festivities taking place in and around the courthouse square in downtown Waxahachie. 

Our major sponsor again this year is the Waxahachie Downtown Merchants Association. We are hoping that we can get other businesses to donate a sponsorship. 

The stage and all of the entertainment will be in Singleton Plaza this year. Llocal talent will be used for the event such as Jim Bush and Friends and organizers hope that if enough funds are raised from sponsorships that a Cajun Zydeco band can be booked to add a bit more authentic flavor to the mix.

 From 20 to 25 floats are expected along with many people who dress up and march on foot. Last year, participants in the parade gave away about 10,000 beads to the spectators who lined the streets. This year, they're hoping to give away 20,000 beads.

There are two levels of sponsorship for the parade. The first level is at $50, which includes an automatic entry in the parade, beads to throw, company name on T-shirts, one complimentary T-shirt and the name listed on the band stand banner.

The second level is $100, which includes automatic entry in the parade, beads to throw, company name on T-shirts, two complimentary T-shirts, the name listed on the band stand banner in a bolder font and a $20 gift certificate to College Street Pub.

We also have the third annual best float and krewe award. Last year’s winner was the nik nik krewe and they are hoping to repeat,” he said. “We will have impartial judges that will look at all the entries and they will look for the most colorful, best decorated floats and the whackier the entry the better,” he said.

“We are also hoping the Friesian horses will be in the parade again,” he said. “The Shriners will have a few entries in the parade.”

In the evening, the Odd Fellows lodge will host its annual masquerade ball that will take place from 7-11:30 p.m. The event will have live entertainment featuring the groups “Back to Blue” and “Los Pollos Palentas.” There will be a full Cajun meal, refreshments and a silent auction. Tickets to the event are $25.

“This is the lodge’s one big fundraiser activity that we do a year to support our charitable work in the community. We were fortunate enough last year to be able to increase our high school scholarship program to two deserving kids,” he said.

Strickland said the focus of the scholarship is to give a hand to students who don’t receive much of funding for college or technical schools. 

Tickets to the ball, sponsorship forms for the parade and parade entry forms are all available at College Street Pub, located at 210 N. College St. Odd Fellow brothers also have tickets available for the ball. Strickland said the parade entry fee is $10 per entry, not group. For more information, call Strickland at 972-938-2062.

Want to stay “up to date” on your favorite shops in downtown Waxahachie? Be the first to know about new products, special events and sales. Join us and our friends on Facebook!

You’ll find the following merchants on Facebook:

• After Hours Improv
• Catfish Plantation
• Common Threads Quilting
• Crafty Scrapper
• Ellis County Living Magazine
• Gifts, Etc.
• Marie Q Photography
• Mosaic Madness
• The Dove’s Nest Restaurant
• Villa Flora

Then, join our friends on Facebook:

• Waxahachie Downtown Merchants Association
• Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce
• Waxahachie Civic Center
• Waxahachie Bethlehem Revisited
• City of Waxahachie – Official Municipal Page

Choose Waxahachie is a new campaign launched by the City of Waxahachie, along with WISD and the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce. The primary goal of the campaign is to communicate to citizens the “big picture” reasons why local spending is important, and how all members of our community can benefit when we stimulate our local economy.

One of the most important reasons is that a healthy local economy enhances our quality of life. For each taxable dollar spent in Waxahachie, one and a half cents goes into the city’s general fund to help maintain our streets, public facilities, city parks and community programs.  Sales tax is the largest revenue generator for our city. In 2008, these revenues totaled over $8 million, and accounted for 39 percent of total revenues. These revenues are extremely important in helping to maintain the quality of life we all enjoy.

Sales tax also funds recreational facilities in the form of the Waxahachie Civic Center and Waxahachie Sports Complex. In May of 1997, our citizens voted to establish a 4B sales tax, which went into effect in October of the same year. With the 4B sales tax, one half cent per taxable dollar spent is designated to develop quality of life improvements, like the Civic Center and Sports Complex. Waxahachie’s healthy growth rate and economic stability over the past several years have been instrumental in adding these wonderful assets to our community. Each year over 100,000 people visit the Civic Center, and over 4,000 youth and adults participate in sporting events at the Sports Complex. In many cases, these individuals are staying in our hotels, eating in local restaurants and shopping in our stores. Without sales tax revenues, these economic generators would not be possible.

As a result of the current economic climate, sales tax revenues are down an average of ten percent from this time last year. Although this situation is not unique to Waxahachie, it is important that we all do our part to help our community through the downturn, and we will all reap the benefits. Whether through driving on better maintained streets, taking our children to play in a well manicured city park, or even enjoying a community program such as the free summer movies in downtown, these are things we all enjoy, and are reasons we have chosen Waxahachie as our home.

Choose Waxahachie. It helps our quality of life.

Looking for the perfect souvenir of  your Christmas visit to Waxahachie? Need a stocking stuffer to remind friends and family of the Courthouse at Christmas?You can find just what you're looking for in the shops in downtown Waxahachie.

At The Gingerbread Antique Mall, Mosaic Madness and Old Town Village Antiques you will find just what you need. Their Victorian Christmas Magnets feature the Ellis County Courthouse as the back drop for 2 Victorian carolers. The magnets are $5 and quantities are limited.

Prefer a Christmas ornament...Buffalo Creek Cowgirls still has a limited supply of $12.95 Victorian Christmas ornaments.

No need to drive to the crowded malls...your perfect Christmas is a quick drive to downtown Waxahachie!

"Murder At The Four Deuces" is a rip roaring, 1920's gangster murder mystery, with lots of bribery and back stabbing to be had!

Enjoy a delicious dinner and dessert catered by The Dish and become a part of the mystery in this highly interactive event where you determine your own fate. Costumes are encouraged and will help you get "in character".

Join the fun Friday, January 15th at 7:00 pm  at the After Hours Improv Theater.

Tickets: $35/per person. Seating is limited so make your reservations now!