BY K. MCSTAY

HERALD DEMOCRAT

WHITEWRIGHT -- The annual Grand Street Festival was a hit on Saturday. The event attracted 20 plus new vendors to the area, as well as more children's activities, and a car show.

Amy Shaw, the chairperson for the event, said the festival featured something for everyone. "There's lots of people, a variety of food," she said, and variety of activities. "That's ultimately our goal." The community turned out for the event, Shaw said, not only to check out the vendors and activities, but also to gather and reconnect. "They're getting together outside," she said.

Whitewright Chamber of Commerce president elect Kelly Collenborne said, "We have a great classic car show from Tom Bean, raising money for their organization, Students Against Destructive Decisions. It's the first time we've had that." A Fun Run was also added to the festival. "Everyone seems to be enjoying it," he said.

Collenborne said the event brought more people downtown. "They can see all the shops here," he said.

Another new addition to the festival was wine tasting. A trio of area wineries showed up, each offering tasting of their North Texas grown products. Michael Wiggens, of the Lenoir Sage Vineyards in Bells, said part of that was a new license available from the TABC allowing wineries to offer tastings at festivals. "Wineries in North Texas are fairly new," Wiggens said. As such, many of the festival-goers who imbibed on Saturday had otherwise not heard of the wineries, and Wiggens said he hoped to spread the word a bit. "We're all from within 10 miles of here," he said. "We're springing up everywhere."