By Summer Crawford
Staff Writer
After being claimed in 1832 as the “Grapevine Springs” community, the plot of land where over 40,000 people reside was deemed to be The City of Coppell in 1890. Through the years that have passed, Old Town Coppell remains a symbol of the history of Coppell, and its importance was celebrated Friday night with a live band performance.
Old Town Coppell held a live, free concert for all citizens of the city, starring famed Emerald City Band. ECB performs more than 300 times a year and has been singing together since 1983.
Friday they owned the stage with no spotlight needed; the beautiful, sunny weather was the perfect backdrop to a night filled with tasty food, excited cheers and family intermixing. To start the crowd off, the first song they picked was “Drift Away,” by Dobie Gray. ECB may have began the night with a look back in into the 1900s, but it worked its way into modern music, with songs such as “Roar” by Katy Perry and “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake.
The concert was at the town square in Old Town Coppell, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., giving families plenty of time to socialize and celebrate the “new and improved” Old Town Coppell. Children, teenagers and adults walked down to enjoy tunes and tastes.
“We come here every Saturday for the farmer’s market, and so we wanted to check out the grand opening of Old Town Coppell. It brings us all out to a central location, kind of like July 4. This is always a big deal, and the nice weather makes us want to come next year,” Coppell mother Sandra Tepera said.
Members of ECB showed Coppell residents the same friendly, warm welcome that most Texans give. The band all shared portions of the night, keeping the good times rolling with song after song. The square lit up like a typical New York City night, offering games for young children and elegant food for all.
The Coppell City Council had planned for this celebration for a long time, and members of the council came out to see their hard work in action. Terry Phillips, wife of City Manager Clay Phillips, and secretary at Coppell High School, listened to the music and celebrated Coppell with hundreds of residents.
“This celebration is a long range dream and plan for the city. We built a park and have such a unique atmosphere because there is no place like this in the community. This has been a dream of the council from past years, and it is fun to see all this and their memories still here,” Terry said.
It is clear this celebration hit spot on with its level of excitement and a variety of fun activities to partake in. Mixed among the crowd were Coppell Independent School District teachers tapping their feet to the beat.
“We came out for fun, music, people, the community interaction and to just celebrate the new area. It is amazing for families, it is free and interactive, because through this we can rally behind the identity of Coppell. This is all part of building a community,” CHS history teacher and Academic Decathlon coach Tim Dixon said.
The community bond grew stronger on this night of festivities and dazzling smiles. People gathered together on one night, with some not even having to leave their front porch to enjoy a public concert. From popcorn and treats to political campaign booths for the upcoming City Council Board elections, May 3 was a success, followed by a fun day of activities.
