Annual Bois d'Arc Bash begins Today

The City of Commerce will be hosting the 25^th annual Bois d'Arc Bash in historic downtown Commerce on Sept. 23-25. The bash is a three day long celebration with live music, performances, food, and much more.

The event will tee off with the 21^st annual golf tournament from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. followed by the Commerce Leadership Institute barbecue until 8 p.m. Executive Director for the Chamber of Commerce, Doug Rohrabaugh, is excited for this year's celebration.

"I hope the university students come out and enjoy the event," Rohrabaugh said.

Some of Commerce's local businesses are sponsoring this year's event, including Ben E. Keith, Covidien, and Brookshire's. This year, the event will have live performances from artists such as Cross Trails Band, Back Road Bandits, and Clyde the Singing Dog. The headliner for the opening night of the bash will be the Paul Renna Band.

Saturday's schedule is packed with a wide range of events, including the annual Bois d'Arc Dash, which is a 5k fun run starting at the corner of Washington and Bohnam Steet. A&M-Commerce will be helping with the dash by keeping time for all of the participants. Prizes will be given out to participants later in the afternoon. Those who come out to the festivities will also be able to browse among the booths of over 100 vendors this year, selling things from food to jewelry, artwork, and various crafts.

There will also be a Miss Bois d'Arc pageant, which will be open to girls ranging from newborn to 19 years old. This year, there will also be a new category in the pageant – Miss Spirit of Commerce – which will be open to all Commerce High School females. This portion of the pageant will be judged on different criteria than the others.

"The Miss Spirit of Commerce category is open to any high school female student," Pageant Director Karen Maxwell said. "They'll be judged on their involvement in their school and community, their volunteerism, teacher recommendation, and a 150 word or less essay on what the spirit of Commerce means to them."

Saturday's celebration will come to a close around 11:30 p.m. after the John David Kent Band performs.

On the final day of the bash, there will be a car and truck show from 10 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Auto enthusiasts will be celebrating and showcasing their classic autos and will also be allowing spectators to take photos with the various cars and trucks.