Longview news diary and sports
Longview is actually a city spread between Harrison County and Gregg County in Texas. This city is regarded as the commercial hub for the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area and it is considered one of its principle cities. Having a population of approximately 77,000 people, Longview has a majority population led by Whites, Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans, Pacific Islanders and Asians respectively.
The Longview sports scene is fairly different and unusual. Apart from the regular college sports of football, volleyball, Baseball, golf, softball, soccer as well as other varsity games, they host a number of yearly events that range from boat races, balloon races, motorcycle rallies, athletic events. Each one of these events happen through the year and celebrate some facet of sports coupled with their culture.
From the month of January the East Texas Boat, RV and Camping Expo occurs. This 3 day event is held around the last week of January every year. The foundation of the event was laid by way of the owners of Longview Marines, Gene Brady and Dale Clark and has been active since 1982. This expo brings RVs, yachts, boats and motorcycles, ATVs from all across East Texas in one location drawing almost over 10,000 attendees each year.
Yet another major attraction in this region is the Annual Memorial Day Motorcycle rally. This rally brings individual bikers and motorcycle riders and such clubs from all over Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. This event began in 2006 and it has been a major attraction in this area. The event includes many bike games, a bikers show, music and parades and the big attraction known as the Teresi Dyno-Drag. During this interactive event, bikers test their abilities in racing to see how quickly they can really go in a quarter mile stretch.
Probably the most exciting festivals that take place in Longview would be the Alley Fest which is held in the onset of summer. This fest began in 1978 and hosts an art show, a music festival, a food contest and a marathon run which is a 1 mile, 5K and 10K course. The newest introduction to the fest is the Kids Marathon run where children between 5 to 12 participate in a 25.2 miles run.
The most famous among every one of these could be the Great Texas Balloon race that is held in the month of July every year at the East Texas Regional Airport. This event is considered as the “longest running hot-air balloon race in Texas”. This race began in 1978 over the launch of the Longview Mall as being a giant celebration. It carried on thereafter and it has grown into a competitive event of first class standards. This event is said to draw in world-class hot air balloon pilots from all across the world and comprises of balloon fights and balloon glows. The added attraction in this event is always to observe how these balloons get inflated and handled. This is an event that is held in association with the North American Balloon Association and invites eighty special sport balloons.
The Longview News Journal is the major newspaper publication of this area and dates back to 187. This publication carries all the local news, sports and community details.