Purcell can be proud of last Saturday’s all-day music festival that not only featured an array of bands but a varied and bountiful amount of food trucks, vendors, merchandise, goods and wares.

Head Director Serena Melton, Public Works Director Trey Phillips and Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Elisabeth Baker all earned blue ribbons.

Baker estimated some 5,500 visitors came to the event that kicked off at 11 a.m. and had the closing bell around 9 p.m. City employees were stationed at every corner of the area that clicked people coming in.

Of course the behind-the-scenes work of Purcell City Employees was key to the success of the now annual festival.

“All of our city staff was involved this year,” Phillips said. “City Hall staff with our outreach committee handled the hospitality room for the bands and all the volunteers.

“Our Police Department had outside agencies helping our officers with security. Electric, water, street, parks, fire, cemetery and outreach committee staff handled numerous jobs during the event and the hospital provided a first aid tent,” he said.

The day started off at the crack of dawn with electric department personnel setting up power boxes on Main Street at 5 a.m.

Melton was on hand to make sure the stage was delivered and setting it up began, Phillips noted.

By 6 a.m. street crews had begun the task of setting up the barriers to block off streets in the designated areas. Parks crews arrived during this time to begin their shift for trash duties.

By 7 a.m. firefighters and other volunteers were assembling for their shifts.

Food trucks were in place by 8:30 a.m. so inspections could begin.

By 10 a.m. vendors were in place.

The concert concluded and breakdown began at 9 p.m. and by 10:30 Main Street was reopened and the stage pulled out of town.

“We want to say a huge thank you to Serena for making the project her own and executing it,” Phillips said.

“A year’s worth of planning and she nailed it again,” he continued.

“As always, we appreciate our volunteers that help make the event possible. But the biggest thank you is to the people of the Purcell that came out and supported us,” Phillips said.