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Sunday, September 16, 2001
25 years of Bayfest
Memories of Elvis, pig races, live boas
By Dan Parker, Leanne Libby and Brendan Walsh
Caller-Times

Illustration by Kimiko Fieg/Caller-Times

Each year, Corpus Christi's biggest block party, Bayfest, attracts tens of thousands of revelers who eat, drink, sing and dance while also raising money for non-profit groups.
   Bayfest, to be held Sept. 21-23 this year, is celebrating its silver anniversary. Here are some of the most memorable moments in the festival's 25-year history:
   1976

The first Bayfest, held partly to celebrate the nation's 200th birthday, attracts 10,000 people.

File photo

A family competes in the ‘Anything That Floats But a Boat’ race during Bayfest 1982. The annual event begins Sept. 21.


First lady Betty Ford is in Corpus Christi, campaigning for her husband's re-election campaign, when someone gives her a packet of Bayfest goodies. Momentarily perplexed, Ford says, "Baitfest? I don't even like fish."

Pro football player Rosie Grier signs autographs, poses for photos and judges a children's costume contest.

Entertainment acts include a sledge hammer-wielding teen-age boy who breaks three cinderblocks on another boy's back.
   1977

Many gallons of Campfire Girls ice cream melt overnight when electricity is cut off.

File photo

Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse hug fans in the children’s area at Bayfest in 1984.

   1978

Corpus Christi resident Tom Hetzel is booked to swim 10 miles through Corpus Christi Bay.
   1979

Bayfest workers spend two days blowing up hundreds of helium balloons for the festival's first-ever mass balloon release.
   1980

Cell phone not invented yet: A Bayfest booth becomes a "message center" where revelers can check for messages from relatives.

Bayfest through the years

1986: First year that some activities move into Bayfront Plaza, doubling Bayfest area.
1988: Hurricane Gilbert threat causes first-ever Bayfest cancellation. Organizers try to sell Bayfest T-shirts emblazoned with “Cancelled by Gilbert” to raise money.
1985: Lightning splits a palm tree on Shoreline Boulevard in front of the festival headquarters. Bayfest closes early.
1982: First annual “Anything that Floats but a Boat” contest.
1984: Organizers choose a Disney theme to keep the focus on families “in spite of late nights and rock music.” Disney theme is credited for heaviest opening day so far. 1980: Hundreds clamor around “Little Elvis” — Brian Gregorczyk of Corpus Christi — who sings karaoke to Elvis Presley’s greatest hits.
1987: At least 21,000 turkey legs are sold.
1984: Unitarian Church buys 200 watermelons to sell by the slice, but switches to hot chocolate after a front moves in and temperatures dip to 59 degrees.
1990: Richard Blackler of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church dons a giant banana costume to boost ticket sales.
1990: Mayor Betty Turner dons plastic apron, goggles and a rain cap for a pie-throwing contest.
1991: Daily pig races are held every 90 minutes. First race on Friday night draws 600 people. Racers include Magnum P.I.G. and Hammy Swinette.
1982: Mayor Luther Jones rides a 2,000-pound Brahma bull named Buford T. Lite just before the festival’s opening.
1989: Shamu and Baby Shamu are parade grand marshalls.
1991: First wedding takes place during Bayfest in newly opened bayfront miradores.
1990: First public appearance by Mexican aerial dancers Voladores de Paplanta.
1983: “The Amazing Edward” is suspended by a crane, upside-down over Corpus Christi Bay. Under the glare of a spotlight at night, he frees himself from a straight jacket.
1985: Sen. Phil Gramm attends Bayfest parade.
1976: Sen. Lloyd Bentsen is keynote speaker for first Bayfest. In his speech, he says Corpus Christi has “started what is going to be a great tradition.”
1993: Festival books Shania Twin, a Shania Twain soundalike performer.
1985: Nueces County Jail prisoners in the pokey for weekend misdemeanors take care of cleanup.


Heavy rains cancel one night's activities.

Reveler brings pet mountain lion into children's area. Police escort the man and cat out before anyone is hurt. Pets later are banned from Bayfest.
   1981

Bayfest features an oil-spill cleanup demonstration.
   1982

Guard at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi refuses to allow marathon runners past.

After telling a group of men to get out of his way, 19-year-old Jeffery N. Bartow of Wisconsin is stabbed to death.
   1983

Police investigate disappearance of 3,200 Bayfest tickets.

Fireworks debut.

About 15 people build a 40-by-50-foot Bayfest '83 logo of sand and trash collected from a Padre Island beach.
   1984

Johnny Canales, a national Mexican-American talk show host, broadcasts live from Bayfest.

Fireworks open and close Bayfest for the first time.
   1985

U.S. Navy designates Corpus Christi a homeport. Bayfest's theme becomes "Bayfest Welcomes Homeport."

Actress Emma Samms (Holly Scorpio on General Hospital) makes appearance.
   1986

New Bayfest area for teen-agers includes dunk-a-cop booth and skateboard demonstrations.
   1987

At least 21,000 turkey legs are sold.
   1988

Hurricane Gilbert threat cancels Bayfest, marking the first time the event is cancelled. Cost: $80,000.

After Bayfest is cancelled, Delta Sigma Pi tries to return 600 pounds of flour the organization got for funnel cakes.
   1989

A singer whips off his cape, revealing a live boa constrictor that he places on a bikini-clad girl in the audience.
   1990

New at Bayfest: Tugboat piloting contests.
   1991

Trisha Yearwood performs at Bayfest and later achieves greater fame.
   1992

Bayfest introduces rodeo with 450 tons of dirt in downtown parking lot.

A fence is erected to improve safety and alcohol control.

Heavy rain and 50-mph winds damage ticket booths, canopies and food booths.

Controversy erupts when City Councilman Leo Guerrero says on radio that homosexuals "don't have any business" at Bayfest. He later said he was referring to reports of male prostitution near the festival.
   1993

Country singer Shania Twain performs at Bayfest and later goes on to national fame.

Thunderstorm forces Bayfest organizers to postpone singer Johnny Rodriguez's concert.
   1994

Vegetarian tacos debut.

Festival-goers miss out on volleyball competition when sand supply falls through.
   1995

First automatic teller machine at Bayfest.
   1996

Some 39,500 Bayfest revelers try unsuccessfully to beat record for most people doing the Macarena dance.

Admission is up to $3.
   1997

Bayfest admission reaches $5. Local lawyer Thomas J. Henry offers Bayfest organizers $10,000 to help defray admission costs. Bayfest turns him down.

Elvises of the Sky, a trio of lighted, costumed parachutists, drop into the festival several times.
   1998

Bayfest organizers bring in nationally known rock acts Steppenwolf and Blue Oyster Cult.

Bayfest organizers get $39,000 bill from city for services including police overtime. City then reduces bill by $12,000.
   1999

Organizers announce that admission prices will go up again.

Performers include M.C. Hammer, A.B. y Los Kumbia Kings and Dokken.
   2000

Aishah Covington, former vice president at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, says sorority will be lucky if able to raise $1,000 selling glasses of Jungle Juice, a non-alcoholic punch.

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