CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If you've been driving near the American Bank Center, you may have seen a few carnival rides as Buc Days begins this week and preparations are underway.
After having a completely different event last year Buc Days is back with a lot more in store and preparations are already underway.
“We just did a virtual Buc Days on Facebook mainly last year so to be able to do something close to what we’re used to doing is really hopefully a chance for everyone to feel some sense of normal,” said Buc Commission President and CEO Johnny Philipello.
“The two new big things are wings over South Texas May 1 and 2 so you can see the blue angels right here on the bay front as well as several other great air jets, and then also professional bull riding April 30 May 1.”
Buc Days officially kicks off Thursday starting with the dunking of the mayor and the carnival.
“The neat thing about the carnival this year, there’s a lot of new rides for you to come and check out so we’re really excited to debut that,” said Philipello.
Philipello says there will be some changes due to the pandemic.
“We don’t have the outdoor stage, but we will have the traditional petting zoo, pony rides, outdoor entertainment like that,” said Philipello.
Safety precautions will also be in place.
“We’ll have hand sanitizers at the entries, we’ll have six feet cuing between rides and being outdoors in sun light we’re feeling good about it,” said Philipello.
“We’re gonna try to just make sure people social distance and stay in their group and follow that lead of what other amusement parks have been doing.”
When it comes to the events inside the American Bank Center, capacity will be limited.
“We’re limiting our seating to about 50% capacity in the arena so about 3500 seats available for all the arena events we’re doing this year,” said Philipello.
Although Buc Days will look a bit different this year, Philipello says they want to make the event safe and fun.
“Come out enjoy Buc Days we’re gonna do our best to make it a fun safe environment for everyone to come and enjoy so we’d love to have you,” said Philipello.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- Make-A-Wish, Chick-Fil-A team up to grant wishes to a kid from Corpus Christi
- National Selena Day: Celebrating the Queen of Tejano on what would have been her 50th birthday
- US has been wracked with several mass shootings in 2021
- Joe Gazin announces he will retire from KIII-TV at the end of May
- Upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the Coastal Bend. Here's what you need to know.