Former Katy Mayor Skip Conner (far right) helps volunteers at a drink tent. The Katy Rice Festival is mostly run by volunteers with the help of city staff and consultants to ensure everything stays on track. Over the last few years, the neon shirts worn by festival volunteers have become somewhat iconic.
R. HANS MILLER
History and heritage are a tradition of the Katy Rice Festival. Organizations such as the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Katy Masonic Lodge, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars were scattered throughout the carnival.
R. HANS MILLER
Vendors lined the streets at the Katy Rice Festival with patrons roaming from one to the next like it was an outdoor mall. Crowds slowed down a bit during the hottest portions of the day but bounced back as cooler temperatures swooped in.
CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS HARRIS
The Katy Rice Festival offered a wide variety of craft items for attendees to find and take home. Home décor, woodworked items, custom knives, baked goods and a host of other options were available. This year, saw more vendors at the festival than any of the last four years with multiple rows of vendors along Second street and additional space taken up around the festival area in comparison to some of the more recent festivals.
R. HANS MILLER
Patrons fill the seats at Serene Beans in Old Town Katy. The coffee shop as well as other businesses in the festival area saw an increase in traffic throughout the festival with some of the shops having short lines to get in. Downtown Katy shops are open year-round and include antique shops, clothing boutiques, food establishments, professional services, a florist and other services.
R. HANS MILLER
The children and teens area of the festival, just east of KT Antiques included several bounce houses, a live DJ and a child-friendly booth. Throughout the festival, children could be seen playing and having a fun time with their families, including a few babies napping in strollers.
R. HANS MILLER
Avenue B in downtown Katy was set up as a sort of a food court. Attendees could enjoy steak kabobs, gyros, funnel cakes and several other tasty treats while they attended the event. Many of the booths, especially the ones serving cold beverages, kept a steady flow of traffic throughout the weekend.
R. HANS MILLER
The Keeshea Pratt Band performs on the stage set up in front of Katy City Hall on Avenue C in downtown Katy. This year’s festival included several musical acts including On the Side, Hybrid 7, Moodafaruka, Katy’s own Hayden Baker, Meagan Tubb & Shady People, Cooper Wade and Amanda Shaw. Many attendees were dancing
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Antique stores and boutiques in downtown Katy saw additional traffic throughout the festival as shoppers came in to find treasures and get a break from the heat. The Limited Edition Art and Antiques on Second Street saw increased traffic as shoppers browsed through collectible posters, records, antiques and knickknacks.
R. HANS MILLER
Katy's historic water tower which now sports several new championship years for local school athletes oversaw the festival.
CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS HARRIS
Vendors brought a variety of unique items such as these handmade drinking vessels.
R. HANS MILLER
A wide variety of treats were available throughout the festival such as these macarons from Macaron House. The desserts were very popular with younger attendees.
R. HANS MILLER
