Longview is actually a metropolis spread between Harrison County and Gregg County in Texas. This particular city is considered to be a commercial hub for the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area and is one of its principle cities. Having a human population of around 77, 000 people, Longview features a majority populace led by Whites, Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans, Pacific Islanders and Asians respectively.
The Longview sports scenario is rather diverse and unusual. Apart from the normal collegiate sports involving baseball, volleyball, Baseball, golf, softball, soccer along with other varsity games, they host several yearly events that range from boat races, balloon races, motorcycle rallies, athletic events. All these events take place through the year as well as celebrate some part of sports combined with their traditions.
During the month of January the East Texas Boat, RV and Camping Expo occurs. This 3 day affair is organised on the last week of January each year. The foundation of this event had been placed by the owners of Longview Marines, Gene Brady and Dale Clark and has been established ever since 1982. This expo brings RVs, private yachts, boats and motorbikes, ATVs from all over Eastern Texas beneath one roof attracting nearly about 10, 000 participants annually.
Another key magnet in this region is definitely the Annual Memorial Day Motorcycle rally. This rally brings individual bikers as well as motorbike riders and such clubs from throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. This particular event started in 2006 and also has been a major attraction in this area. The big event includes numerous bike games, a motorcyclists show, songs and also parades and the huge attraction called the Teresi Dyno-Drag. In this interactive event, bikers test their own abilities in racing and discover how fast they can really go in a quarter mile stretch.
Probably the most exciting fests that occur within Longview is the Alley Fest that is held in the beginning of summer. This fest started out in 1978 and hosts and art show, a fabulous music festival, a food competition and a marathon run which is a 1 mile, 5K and also 10K course. The newest arrival to the fest is the Kids Marathon run where children between ages of 5 to 12 participate in a 25. 2 miles run.
The most famous amongst every one of these is the Great Texas Balloon race that is held during the month of July each year on the East Texas Regional Airport. This affair is regarded as the “longest running hot-air balloon race inside Texas”. This competition started out in 1978 during the launch of the Longview Mall as being a giant celebration. It continued after that and it has grown into a competitive event of top notch benchmarks. This event is believed to attract world class hot air balloon pilots coming from all around the globe and includes balloon fights and balloon glows. The extra attraction with this event is usually to see how most of these balloons get inflated and also operated. This is an event that is held in colaboration with the North American Balloon Association and also invites eighty exclusive sport balloons.
The Longview News Journal stands out as the main newspaper publication in this region as well as goes back to 187. This particular journal carries all the regional information, sports and community information.