For the second year in a row, Candy 95 served as a media sponsor for Chilifest and with not even a year under its belt, Maverick 100.9 was the country radio sponsor for Chilifest 2015. To be a part of something so big so early was something very special to Maverick Program Director, Adam Drake.

“It was amazing seeing our logo everywhere and being in front of that many people so early in our run with Maverick,” says Drake. “Outside of a football game at Kyle Field, there’s no other way to be physically in front of so many people at one time. Hopefully we got ourselves a few new listeners.”

With a crowd over 30,000, maverick and Candy shared stage time with national country music headliners Eli Young Band and Chase Rice, southern rock legends the Marshall Tucker Band, and  regional acts with a lot of momentum Aaron Watson and Josh Abbott Band.  Every band put on an amazing show, but Josh Abbott one upped everyone else by renting a camel for the weekend. Before his set, Josh hopped on a camel and rode it through the festival grounds taking pictures with fans and drawing attention all over social media.

In conjunction with the announcement of the lineup back in January, Maverick 100.9 launched an online page to get listeners closer to the artists. There were specific artist pages where fans could go to have access to exclusive interview from the Maverick staff with the bands playing the festival, as well as a home to watch all of the music videos that the bands have done.

Additionally, many of the bands involved with the Friday night concert of Chilifest joined Maverick and Candy each Wednesday for a Chilifest Music Spotlight. For six weeks, The Backyard on Northgate hosted bands and give listeners a chance to win tickets to Chilifest and a spot on the Maverick/Candy Chilifest team. Each week out there offered some great music in a relaxed atmosphere with a chance to see and hear the artists just having a great time.

Chilifest tickets are always one of the most sought after prizes in the spring. Phone calls started rolling in around February, from music fans in Aggieland, pleading for tickets. Each day of giveaways, excitement grew. By the week of the event, fans calling to win were overjoyed and screaming with joy that they won entry to Chilifest.

While the music and giveaways are always great, the real pleasure for Maverick 100.9 and Candy 95 is going to come when Chilifest hands out checks to local charities throughout the Brazos Valley. From 2000-2014, Chilifest Inc. has been able to donate over 2 million dollars back to the community. Many organizations say that without the money they receive from Chilifest, they wouldn’t be able to do many of the programs that benefit those they serve. To be a small part of that is very special for Maverick 100.9 and Candy 95.

May 3, keep your eyes open for Lemonade stands across Aggieland. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding them as hundreds of area kids will take to the streets in a real life experiment in small business ownership. Candy 95 and WTAW have partnered with the organization again this year.

Lemonade Day was founded in Houston as a way of teaching kids about money, entrepreneurship, marketing, small business ownership and more. Children sign up and on Lemonade Day build a lemonade stand. They sell their lemonade and at the end of the day keep the money they earn.

“It’s one of our favorite events!,” said Candy/WTAW personality, Katy Dempsey, “The kids have to get funding for their stand, keep track of expenses, pay those expenses back and by doing that learn about business at a very young age. Besides that we all get some amazing lemonade!”

Candy 95 also sends personalities and their Street Team around town on Lemonade Day to buy as much of lemonade as they can. “Last year Frito and visited around 30 stands. That’s a lot of lemonade, and it’s also a lot of kids getting a great experience with their first small business,” Dempsey said. 

For more on Lemonade Day and how you can get involved visit lemonadedaybcs.com.

For the fifth time in six years, WTAW has been named as one of the top radio stations in America. The 80+ year old AM News/Talk outlet was named a finalist for the prestigious Crystal Radio Award from the National Association of Broadcasters.

The nominees are picked from stations in all 50 states from major markets like Washington DC and New York to micro markets such as Bemidji, North Dakota. WTAW had the extra distinction of being the only station nominated from the state of Texas. The Crystal Radio Award is based on a station’s service to their community through programming, involvement in area charity initiatives and awareness campaigns, and more. Being honored as one of the top stations in these categories is particularly special for WTAW.

“When you think of the legendary stations just in this state alone, to be the only one represented this year is an unbelievable honor”, said Bryan Broadcasting Operations Director, Tucker Young. “As a broadcaster we are responsible for using the public airways to help the community.”

Young states, “That’s job one. If we’re not doing that, than we shouldn’t be in this business. It’s something that’s very important to everyone that works at Bryan Broadcasting and it’s a special thing when that passion gets recognized.”

The winners of the Crystal Radio Awards will be announced in April at the annual NAB Show conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.