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La Marque council splits over BayouFest; votes to pursue a new events plan with BTR collaboration
Summary
After hours of testimony and debate, La Marque's council on July 14 set a two‑track approach to the city's festivals: preserve a downtown October community event while directing the special events committee to negotiate a spring partnership with a private organizer that would use the BayouFest name in 2026.
La Marque council members spent more than two hours on July 14 debating the future of BayouFest (also called BioFest in materials), a long‑running fall community festival, and whether the city should partner with private organizers who proposed moving the BayouFest name to a spring event.
At the core of the debate were three competing priorities: (1) preserve the free, city‑run BayouFest in its traditional October slot and improve organization and funding; (2) allow an emerging private partner (BTR/BTR'related groups) to use the BayouFest name for a spring crawfish/barbecue event that has shown commercial appeal; or (3) reach a compromise that keeps downtown family events in October while moving a larger, ticketed spring event into March, supported by private sponsorships.
Several longtime volunteers and organizers spoke during citizen participation. Mark McGaffey described BioFest's history and urged the council to protect the event as a city tradition. Daniel Joseph Guidry, who presented on behalf of a group known as BTR or "BTR/End Zone" partners, said his organization had secured private sponsors and ticket sales and proposed collaborating with the city to expand a spring event that could raise funds for local causes such as the NIC unit at UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch).
Supporters of a city‑centered October BayouFest argued the event is a free community tradition and that the city should preserve its identity downtown. Private proponents argued a spring, ticketed model brings more outside visitors and sponsorship dollars, reducing the city's direct cost.
Council action and next steps
The council considered multiple motions. An early motion to set BayouFest for the third Friday and Saturday in October (as a city‑led event) failed to win a majority. A subsequent motion from Councilwoman Tanya Yancey proposed moving BayouFest in conjunction with the private organizer BTR to spring 2026 while holding a downtown "Fair on the Square" or similar family events on an October weekend, including a suggested Tejano night, with the events committee charged to finalize dates and logistics. That motion passed after council discussion; the special events committee was instructed to draft the detailed event plan and sponsorship agreements and to work with parks staff and community volunteers.
Council also ratified several committee appointments related to events and youth engagement. The council confirmed youth advisory committee appointments (including Jade Bailey and Vincent Mitchell) and ratified the mayoral nomination of Daniel Joseph Guidry to an events committee to assist with city‑partnered festivals.
What council asked staff to do
Council asked staff to: - Work with the newly formed special events committee on formal agreements that include insurance, termination clauses and city emblem usage. - Bring back contract language for council review; councilmembers requested the city attorney and staff mark up agreements to protect city interests, including a termination clause and final approval of promotional materials. - Provide a timeline and a calendar of local and regional events to avoid conflicts with neighboring jurisdictions.
Ending
Mayor Keith Bell and councilmembers urged cooperation among organizers, the chamber and volunteers. The panel set an initial path that aims to preserve an October community celebration downtown while partnering with private organizers to develop a larger, potentially revenue‑generating spring festival. The events committee will return proposed contracts and a schedule for council approval.
