More than 6,500 celebrate with Gin Blossoms at Pacana Park

A record crowd estimated at more than 6,500 people attended the fourth annual Founders Day Presented by Wells Fargo today at Pacana Park. Attendees enjoyed live entertainment, games for the kids, more than 90 vendor booths and plenty of food and beverage, including barbeque and chili cook-offs.

Rudy and Dolly Echeverria, longtime Maricopa residents, were the surprise recipients of the traditional Founding Family of the Year.

The Freddie Duran Plan kicked off the live music and was followed by Anarbor and national recording artist Gin Blossoms.

Gin Blossoms guitarist and singer Jesse Valenzuela said it was a fantastic night and the band had a great time. “It was a good crowd, very hip and very young,” Valenzuela said after the show.

The night was capped off with a fireworks show, of which Marty McDonald, director of the sponsoring Maricopa Parks & Rec department, said, “I couldn’t think of a better way to end the fourth anniversary.”

Photos by Scott Bartle