2016 Seafair Announces 4 Days of Entertainment & Family Fun!

FOR IMMEDIATE MEDIA RELEASE: PLEASE CONTACT: Aug 15, 2016 Deborah Perry (361) 442-4538 Perry Communications

2016 SEAFAIR ANNOUNCES 4 DAYS OF ENTERTAINMENT & FAMILY FUN!

GRAMMY-AWARD-WINNING PAM TILLIS HEADLINES “HOT LADIES OF COUNTRY NIGHT” ON FRIDAY WITH “THE VOICE’S” MARY SARAH & BRI BAGWELL

SATURDAY FEATURES THE SPAZMATICS; “BATTLE OF THE BANDS” & SANCTIONED TERLINGUA CHILI COOK-OFF nd BACK FOR 2 YEAR

42nd Annual Rockport-Fulton Seafair October 6 - 9, 2016 (Columbus Day Weekend) Thursday 5 – 11 p.m.  Friday 5 – 11 p.m.  Saturday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.  Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. www.rockportseafair.com

(ROCKPORT, TX) The 42nd Annual Rockport-Fulton Seafair is bigger and better than ever before! Taking place on October 6-9, 2016 over Columbus Day weekend, the family-oriented event has become a favorite for all citizens of the Coastal Bend. An amazing trio of country crooners – from a classic legend to two bright rising stars - takes the stage on Friday night during “Hot Ladies of Country” night. Grammy-award winner Pam Tillis headlines, as well as Mary Sarah, “The Voice’s” hottest country act in 2016, and Texas Female Artist of the Year Bri Bagwell. The ever-popular Spazmatics take audiences back to the 80’s on Saturday night. In addition, audiences can enjoy local bands showcasing their talents with the return of “Battle of the Bands” on Thursday, and for the fifth time, Seafair will host the Texas state finals for the Country Music Showdown, America’s largest country music talent search, on Sunday.

“This year’s live entertainment line-up is amazing! With Pam Tillis leading the “Hot Ladies of Country” and up and coming Texas artist Bri Bagwell and “The Voice’s” Mary Sarah – not to mention the Spazmatics, Battle of the Bands, and Country Showdown, America’s #1 Country Music talent search … all of this plus local and regional talent all weekend, what more could you ask for? We will have sensational seafood, gumbo, chili and cool refreshing drinks ... this is a party you won't want to miss!” states Randy Jumper, 2016 Seafair Entertainment Chairman.

In addition, the festival will feature an old-fashioned parade, diverse arts and crafts shopping, wildly popular crab races, water activities such as Cardboard Boat races and Stand-up Paddle Board competition, festival rides and games. Salsa and Just Desserts contests will be held on Sunday, as well as a gumbo cook-off throughout the weekend. And, for the second year in a row, a sanctioned Terlingua Chili Cookers Cook-Off will take place where aspiring chefs can compete for bragging rights to the “best chili in town.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 – Battle of the Bands Local bands of all genres will compete from 7 until 11 p.m. for top honors and “People’s Choice Award.” Each band will perform two live numbers to be judged on song quality, stage presence, band enthusiasm, and audience response. “Rockin’ Karaoke” starts the night off from 5 to 7 p.m. for anyone who dares take the stage and compete. Seafair’s carnival atmosphere family fun$5 per person, 12 and under free

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 – Hot Ladies of Country

9 p.m. - Pam Tillis (www.PamTillis.com) or (www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1XxGSuOSRk) Legend Pam Tillis brings her acoustic trio to Seafair for an intimate evening of country music. She has been a formidable force in country music since her first single hit the charts in 1990. Tillis has racked up 14 Top Five hits including six that hit #1, charted more than 30 singles and has sold over 6 million records along with two Grammys, three CMA awards, including “Vocalist of the Year.” Tillis, a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2000, has had numerous top ten hits including "Maybe it was Memphis," "Spilled Perfume," and "Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)".

7 p.m. – Mary Sarah (www.marysarah.com) On her national debut ‘Bridges,’ 20-year-old singer and songwriter Mary Sarah made history by being the youngest artist to record an album of duets with some of country music’s biggest names and their iconic hits, including Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” and Merle Haggard’s “The Fightin’ Side of Me” and more. She received glowing reviews from The Associated Press and The New York Times among others. In February 2016, Mary Sarah auditioned on season 10 of The Voice when she sang the Connie Francis song "Where the Boys Are". All four coaches – Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams – turned their chairs for her, and she chose Shelton as her coach, and ultimately finished #5 in the national spotlight. Following her Grand Ole Opry debut and a week of performances and media appearances during CMA Fest, Mary Sarah is back to pen and paper writing for a new project due out in 2017.

5:30 p.m. – Bri Bagwell (www.bribagwell.com) Bri Bagwell started her band “The Banned’ in 2011 after a top 10 finish on CMT’s Next Superstar, a singing competition and reality show. The Las Cruces, New Mexico native released her first album “Banned from Santa Fe” in summer of 2011 and a self-titled EP in September of 2013. She has had success on the Texas Music Chart especially for a female and been named Texas Female Vocalist of the Year in 2013, 2014 and 2015, but says her biggest accomplishment is a full calendar of tour dates and growing fan base. With a tone of earthiness and sass, Bri’s popularity is 100% word-of-mouth, self-promotion and loyal following – especially in the Lone Star State - of her singles like “Whiskey” and “Crazy.”

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 - The Spazmatics @ 9 p.m. This ever-popular and ultimate 80's new wave cover band performs with all the awesome sounds, styles, and way cool and geeky dance steps from the decade we'd love to forget, but just can’t and won’t. This evening promises to transport audience members back to days gone by, but not forgotten!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 - Country Showdown @ 3:30 p.m. Back for the 5th year in a row is America’s largest country music talent search where Seafair will host the event’s Texas state finals. Over 6 months, more than 50,000 artists compete in a series of over 450 local, state and regional live shows produced by country music radio stations are held throughout the country.

ABOUT ROCKPORT-FULTON SEAFAIR … Seafair celebrates its 42nd Anniversary by welcoming autumn’s arrival at what we call the “Charm of the Texas Coast.” Designed with families in mind, the four-day festival features a Thursday night Battle of the Band kick-off an old- fashioned parade, Stand Up Paddleboard races and the wildly popular crab races. It also includes arts and crafts vendors as well as gumbo, chili, dessert and salsa cook-offs. Experts are on hand to provide education about the Gulf Coast as well. Throughout the weekend, live entertainment delights dance and music fans. This year’s entertainment for Friday Evening will include Texas artist Bri Bagwell and “The Voice” finalist, Mary Sarah, with two-time Grammy artist Pam Tillis as headliner. On Saturday, the always-entertaining Spazmatics will be the featured act. The festival wraps up on Sunday with America’s #1 country music talent search, Country Showdown, bringing on the State finalists from Texas vying for the title to move on to the regionals. Previous Seafair headliners have included Shania Twain, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, Restless Heart, Shenandoah, Bryan White and Mark Chesnutt. The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce oversees the festival and Seafair committee.

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