Big Texan Roadshow In Gallup

Above, the giant steer in front of the McKinley County Courthouse. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last evening, I headed into Gallup to check out the Big Texan Roadshow that is in celebration of the centennial of Route 66.

The event was held in the McKinley County Courthouse Square. There were about 100 people there. By the time I left, there were at least 300. 

The Big Texan out of Amarillo, Texas is celebrating Route 66's centennial in different cities along the "Mother Road". They will be in Albuquerque tomorrow. 

I don't know how many people signed up for the free 72 oz. steak challenge. It was getting too crowded and I was getting a bit hungry. So I left and went to Jerry's Cafe for dinner. I decided to try our their tostada and beef enchilada plate. Not bad! I will have my usual there tomorrow. 

Above, my dinner at Jerry's Cafe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Big Texan had the mayor of Gallup there to welcome the attendees and they had a booth of Big Texan souvenirs for sale. Local Native American artisans also had booths of jewelry and other goods for sale.

It was a great turnout, considering what a small town of Gallup is. 

Some photos:

Gallup Summer Indian Dances

Above, a dancer from the Zuni Pueblo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A little while ago, I received a notice about this summer's Indian dances.

I was pleased to see that they've been moved back to the Courthouse Square. 

According to the Visit Gallup Facebook page:

The Gallup Summer Indian Dances take place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from June 4, 2024 through August 29, 2024, from 6PM to 8PM in the Gallup McKinley Courthouse Square.

On those nights, dances are performed by the Indian tribes in the area such as Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and others.

I have been to many of the dances and all have been entertaining to watch.

Dinner Group: Moving Native American Dances A "Bad Idea"

Above, Ohkay Oelinge dancing at the County Courthouse Plaza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last evening, we had our monthly supper group dinner at Gallup historian/author Martin Link's home.

It was a good dinner consisting of tamales.

During the conversation at the dinner, it was the unanimous consensus of the group that moving the Native American dances to the Gallup Cultural Center from the County Courthouse Plaza was a bad idea.

The reasons cited are as follows:

• Small area not accommodating for large gatherings.
• Small "arena".
• Poor parking.
• Train noise.
• Poor seating.

Prior to when the dances were held at the Courthouse Plaza, they were held in an area now occupied by the Gallup Skateboard Park. They were moved to the Courthouse Plaza for much of the same reasons cited above. 

Above, the County Courthouse Plaza was ideal for audience participation. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 

Another reason for the Courthouse Plaza venue: audience participation. Audience participation in the dances requires a large area, which the Courthouse Plaza was ideal for.

Everyone agreed the Courthouse Plaza location was the perfect venue for the dances.

Native American Dances Moved To Gallup Cultural Center Infuriating Many

Above, a Zuni Pueblo dancer at the Courthouse Plaza in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I read that Native American dances will be held three nights a week at the Gallup Cultural Center (which houses the Amtrak station), I thought it was something else and not the traditional nightly Native American dances at the Courthouse Plaza that ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day annually.

It is not.

According to the Gallup Sun:

Nightly Native dances have been a part of Gallup’s summer tradition for years, but like many longstanding events returning from a pandemic hiatus, changes are in the works.

As part of the Gallup Cultural Center’s city-sponsored refresh, the formerly Nightly Indian Dances will return for three nights a week at a new arena under construction there.

That’s not good news for restaurant owner James Rich, who’s unhappy that the dances will leave Courthouse Plaza. For years he’s kept Camille’s Sidewalk Café open in the evenings to serve patrons who come to the plaza to watch the dances.

It’s not just that the dances are moving, he said, but that business owners around the plaza were not consulted before the change was announced to the City Council April 12.

“The lack of inclusion has led us to feel a little disappointed with the decisions that are being made with the nightly dance program,” he said. “Without the opportunity to be in that conversation to relocate it, just unilaterally make a decision to relocate it, we learned that tonight. It was a huge mistake.“

He found sympathetic ears in Gallup City Councilors Fran Palochak and Linda Garcia.

“I was very sad to see the dances were moving from courthouse plaza because it’s such a beautiful venue. It’s round and has seating,” Palochak said. “The plaza was built for this purpose… I just don’t want to see that side die to promote another side of town. The goal and focus is to make downtown vibrant. If there’s too much separation that’s not going to happen.”

Garcia agreed.

“I was also sad [...] to hear we’re not using courthouse square for dances,” she said. “It always drew the people. It was crowded and the tourists just loved it.”

The plaza will still have entertainment.

In addition to concerns about their own business operations, Rich noted that the dances moved to the plaza partly out of concerns over safety and disruptive train noise at the Cultural Center, which is in the renovated Santa Fe Depot. The arena under construction now may not even be suitable for dances, he told the City Council.

“It’s on concrete. It’s supposed to be on dirt. Some of the dancers may object to that,” he said. “There is no keyhole to enter that dance arena. Some of the ladies with the long dresses will have a challenge stepping over that wall.”

"What we have here was a failure to communicate" or, "a lack of communication."

Above, the Gallup Cultural Center in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is my suggestion to bring the dances back to the Courthouse Plaza three nights a week and hold them at the Cultural Center two nights a week since taxpayer funds were used to build the new arena there as a compromise.

To read the full article, go here.