The Texas International Pop Festival occured in Lewisville, Texas over Labor day weekend in 1969. Now, some 42 years later it recieves an official Texas State historical marker.
I only recently moved to Lewisville and until a few years ago knew nothing of the events that had taken place in my new hometown. I knew Lewisville had once been a small farming town way north of Dallas, however that was about the extent of my knowledge.
I ran across an article in the Dallas Observer (local Alt-Weekly) about the event a few years ago and began to research it myself. I myself was not born until a few months after the Fest but have found myself facinated with it ever since first hearing of it.
And what an event it was, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Grand Funk Railroad, Chicago Transit Authority, (and a new unheard of band that went by the name of Led Zepplin). Over 150,000 children of the 60's came to a little town that only had a population of 9,000 at the time.
What a difference time makes. In 1969 the locals were scared spitless of these Hippie types who were invading, what is happening to our town???
Fast forward 42 years later: An official Texas State Historical Marker is now at Hebron Station (952 Lakeside Circle). Lewisville is now, for all intents and purposes no longer a small burg way out in BFE but a part of the DFW Metroplex. And several public officials were at the dedication of the Historical Marker that will inform future generations of the events that helped shape a city and a nation.(What a difference when in 1969 there were calls to shut it down because of the fear of...you know...hippie stuff)
I am so proud of my adopted Hometown. If you want to learn more about the Texas International Pop Festival you might want to check out the website www.texaspopfestival.com for a whole bunch of cool pics and stories.
Peace and Love