Festival season begins with Capes & Crowns

The Neches River Festival was first envisioned in the spring of 1947 and two years later, the first festival debuted in Beaumont in May of 1949. The first Royal Court was composed of 11 Duchesses, six Princesses and following the coronation, a street dance was held surrounding City Hall. The first Neches River Festival Regatta was held at the Beaumont City Docks with 18 races, visiting yachts and hundreds of spectators lining the docks. The first festival parade, held in 1950, included 28 commercial floats as well as a colorful array of bands. Over the past seven decades, the Neches River Festival has sought to emphasize Beaumont’s greatest natural resource, the Neches River and the area’s youth.

To jumpstart the NRF season, which ends April 22 with the 75th Coronation Ball, the Neches River Festival and Mardi Gras Southeast Texas will once again partner up for the “Capes & Crowns 5K Run” on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Downtown Event Centre on the Great Lawn at 700 Crockett St. in Beaumont.

The Kids’ 1-mile will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9 a.m. This will be a flat course through downtown Beaumont and is suitable for experienced runners and kids alike. There will be light refreshments before and after the race and water stations along the race route. All participants will receive custom race medals. The overall male and female winners will receive an additional prize and the top three males and females in each age group will receive an additional winner’s medal.

Now through Feb. 17, registration fee for the 5K is $35 for those 19 years and older, and $25 for those 18 and under. Fees for the Kids 1-mile is $10. Registration can be found online at nechesriverfestival.com or runsignup.com by searching for “Capes & Crowns.” The registration fee includes a T-shirt, race bag, and ticket to enter and enjoy Mardi Gras Southeast Texas the day of the race, which is Feb. 18, at noon.

“We encourage everyone to dress up for the run,” said Amanda Heironmius, chair of the “Capes & Crowns” event. “The proceeds from the 5K fund many of our scholarships that are awarded to area seniors that we honor during the Coronation.”

The first “Capes & Crowns 5K” was organized in 2019 to go along with the 71st festival. NRF Executive Director Molly Moore wanted to create a community event that would kick off our festival season and with her love of 5Ks, she knew a race would be the perfect choice.

The festival keys in on high school seniors. In the last 16 years, the Neches River Festival has presented over 1,750 Princesses and has hosted approximately 700 visiting Duchesses and their families. When Escorts are included, over 5,000 young adults have been involved in Neches River Festival activities during this 16-year period. Because these young people are so important to the community, the Neches River Festival has generously funded two scholarships at Lamar University, open specifically to the local young men and women who participate in the festival each year. This scholarship is named in honor and memory of Otho Plummer, Jr., who played an integral part in both Lamar University and the Neches River Festival for many years. In addition, the Neches Festival Board Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship that is awarded to multiple participants.

“It’s really a fun, exciting day,” said Heironmius. “The Neches River Festival is one of the oldest festivals in the state of Texas and now that we have teamed up with Mardi Gras Southeast Texas, it’s even more amazing.”

For more information, view nechesriverfestival.com.

-Chad Cooper, Entertainment Editor