BEN WHEELER, Texas — You may be asking yourself, "So what is this crazy motorized barstool thing anyway?"
Well, it started in 1978 at The Quiet Man Bar on Knox Street in Dallas. The original circle of six barstool creators consisted of Bill Jenkins, Thomas Spangler, Johnny Gable, John Pullman, Mike Carr and Keith Blackwell.
Each man created his own version of a motorized barstool and then they began to race them outside the bar. Soon it grew into something much bigger.
The Dallas Farmer’s Market quickly took up the event in full sponsorship along with Ben E. Keith and Budweiser to blast the race city wide.
Last seen in 1991, the barstools have resurfaced around every St. Patrick's Day in Ben Wheeler since 2015. This year, the annual festivities will be on Saturday.
Downtown Ben Wheeler roadways (FM 279) will be closed due to the barstools racing on the streets.
In addition, The Forge Bar & Grill will be hosting Green Go Grandes Birthday Bash the same day in celebration of the barstools race.
Located in the backyard of The Forge Bar & Grill, there will be live music, different variations of vendors and a variety of food.
Music includes:
- Slim Pickins
- Thayer & Good Company
- Orange Noises
- Anderson Park Lane
- Soma Sky
- The Infamitas
Vendors includes:
- Groovy Dreams Art
- Neon Hippy Charm/Tie dye
- Glowing Sun CBD
- Ashley Fox Boutiques
- East Texas CBD
- Infinity Designs
- Wired Statements
- Infinity Designs
- Souther Bliss Boutique
Music starts at noon until 11:30 p.m. and the races start at 3 p.m.
Making the barstools all possible is "The Friends of Ben Wheeler:"
- Door Controls USA
- The Forge Bar and Grill
- Ben Wheeler Volunteer Fire Department
- Turkey Creek RV Resort
- Vintage Cork 917
- Twisted Cedar Childcare Center
- LaNeis Bakehouse
- Rusty Water Revival LLC
- Quinn's Automotive
For more information, click here.