The Real. Texas. Fun.

From the Bill Hames Amusements Carnival to the 51^st season of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, there is truly something for everyone at the Real. Texas. Festival.

Festivalgoers from the young to the perhaps, well, not-so-young can experience the lights of the midway as well as take in the sights of the Taste of Mesquite Barbecue Competition sanctioned by the Lone Star Barbecue Society.

Dallas Regional Medical Center Kid Korral

There will be plenty of fun for children at the Kid Korral

Festival organizers are working toward integrating the kid korral and carnival attractions, as well as making the kid korral bigger and better for 2008.

Go Tejano
The festival has been expanded for 2008 – adding a Sunday afternoon fiesta event. We have partnered with Hispanic Forum of Mesquite to create a multi-cultural experience for festival attendees – complete with Texas music with a Tejano flair on the Dodge Real. Texas. Music. Stage. The Hispanic Forum of Mesquite will also present ballet folklorico dancers on the community stage.

Dodge Real. Texas. Music.
Real. Texas. Music. will emanate from the Dodge Real. Texas. Music stage throughout the festival, featuring Chris Cagle headlining on Friday, Keith Anderson and Stoney LaRue on Saturday and Little Joe Y La Familia on Sunday.

Real. Texas. Marketplace and Real. Texas Flavor Food Court
Don’t forget to take a stroll through the Real. Texas. Marketplace. Juried crafters and artisans will display their work with genuine "Made in Texas" flair. And, there will be plenty to eat in the Real. Texas. Flavor. Food Court.

Mesquite Police Department display and community stage presented by the U.S. Army
The Mesquite Police Department will be on hand displaying many of the vehicles used in its crime prevention activity, as well as its recruitment efforts. The MPD will also bring out its huge, inflatable video screen that will serve as the backdrop for the MPD community stage presented by the U.S. Army and featuring musical groups and entertainers from the Mesquite Independent School District, as well as to serve as the awards platform for the barbecue competition and car show.

Mesquite Fire Department adds bucket brigade
The Mesquite Fire Department will once again be displaying at the Real. Texas. Festival. This year, MFD will present Bucket Brigade races in addition to smokehouse tours, and ZERO, the miniature Fire Chief's car. Sparky the Fire Dog will be around to shake hands and say hello. Mesquite Fire Department activities will be open from 7- 9 p.m. on Friday, and 3-9 p.m. on Saturday. Also, the Mesquite Fire Department will be responsible for the Event's first aid station and area -- featuring one of the department's new vehicles.

Free Parking
There is plenty of parking – from the parking areas directly adjacent to the festival grounds, to the parking areas at West Mesquite High School, featuring free shuttle service.

New Events for 2008

Brazos River Gunslingers

The Brazos River Gunslingers will be on hand Friday and Saturday of the festival performing five old West shootout re-enactments. The group won first place at Wyatt Earp Days in Tombstone, Ariz.; and has performed shows at festivals and events all over Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and other surrounding states. The group also brings a working jail to the festival where attendees can "arrest" their friends and incarcerate them in a genuine, 1800s-style jail.

Be sure to check back later for Brazos River Gunslinger performances and for more on the group, click here.

The Dodge Real. Texas. Customs. Car Show

Cars of all types are expected - from Model T's and Edsel's to Corvettes and Mustangs – at the Dodge Real. Texas. Customs Car Show inside the Mesquite Exhibit Hall at the Real. Texas. Festival. presented by Dodge, April 25-27, 2008 at Rodeo Centre Plaza, LBJ Freeway and Military Parkway in Mesquite.

The show is being produced by well-known car show producers Gasoline Alley and will provide a great opportunity to see such classics such as the 1957 Chevy, 1955-57 T-bird and a 1932 duce coupe. You may even see a car like you or your parents used to drive "back in the good old days." The registered cars and bikes will be judged separately by class (either by decade, make or specialty group) by four independent judges with the highest total score in each class being the Class Winner.

There will be free T-Shirts and dash plaques to all entrants. Trophies will be awarded to first place and runners-up in all classes, plus six Best of Show Awards.

There will be door prizes for participants and cars of any vintage can be entered. The entry fee for car show exhibitors is $30, but admission to the car show is included with your Real. Texas. Festival. admission ticket.

Friday is set-up for all participants and vendors and the show will run from noon- 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

It will be a great family fun outing and an opportunity to re-live memories from a era gone bye.

For more information, contact Marvin at 469-337-3293 or Jeff at 214-324-1180 or email jeff@gasolinealleycarshows.com.

Entry forms will be available soon – to download an entry form click here (www.gasolinealleycarshows.com). Registration prior to April 22nd, 2008 with the applicable fee can be mailed to

G.A.Enterprises,
11525 Jupiter Rd #103,
Dallas, Texas 75218

Paintball Alley Shooting Gallery presented by Airheads

Take dead aim at the paintball shooting gallery at the festival in 2008. The Wild West Shootout is a western-themed attraction, featuring stationary, automated and even live targets. And, the best thing: it is a shooting gallery … festival goers won’t have to worry about return fire. For more information on paintball alley and for examples of the gallery at other events, log on to www.1paintballalley.com The gallery will also be part of the Airheads Summer Fun Zone..