89S10963 KRT-D     By: Leo Wilson H.R. No. 56       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Residents of Winnie are gathering at the Texas Rice   Festival in Winnie-Stowell Park on October 4, 2025, for the   dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker from the Texas   Historical Commission recognizing this venerable annual event; and          WHEREAS, First cultivated locally around 1900, rice has long   been essential to the regional economy; in 1968, farmers from   Chambers, Liberty, and Jefferson Counties joined together to   celebrate the rice harvest with a festival, and they obtained a   charter for the event in October 1969; the inaugural Rice Festival   was held in Winnie on October 3, 1970, and the event has taken place   nearly every year since, interrupted only by three hurricanes and   the COVID-19 pandemic; and          WHEREAS, Over the decades, the festival has become a   tremendous success, promoting the industry by drawing thousands of   attendees with attractions that include parades, street dances,   rice cooking contests, youth pageants, livestock shows, carnivals,   art displays, and the recognition of area Farmers of the Year; in   addition, crowds have been entertained by the likes of Jerry Jeff   Walker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wayne Toups, Blake Shelton, Lee Greenwood,   Mickey Gilley, and the U.S. Navy Band, and the event has hosted such   notable guests as Governors Mark White and William P. Clements Jr.   and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd M. Bentsen; moreover, the   festival has demonstrated its support of the community by   contributing more than $1 million in scholarships, donations, and   other investments to the area; and          WHEREAS, For 55 years, the Texas Rice Festival has brought   together residents and visitors alike for a fun-filled weekend of   food, music, and entertainment, and the placement of a marker will   allow future attendees to further appreciate the community's rich   heritage of rice farming; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commemorate the dedication   of an Official Texas Historical Marker for the Texas Rice Festival   and commend all those involved in securing this designation for   their efforts; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for the festival organizers as an expression of high   regard by the Texas House of Representatives.