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A Perfect 20
'Mayor's Sunday is Funday' lives up to its promise in 20th anniversary event
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RIO RANCHO — If it’s Sunday, it’s Funday.
At least it was for several hours Aug. 17 at Haynes Park in Rio Rancho.
“The Mayor’s Sunday is Funday” saw food, rides, vendors and musical talent — the usual for an unusual occasion: the event’s 20th anniversary.
Abandoning his typical suit and tie for a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses, Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull noted the milestone at the event’s start as he tried to warm up the crowd.
“Good morning, everybody! Welcome to Sunday is Funday! Who’s ready to have a great time today? Let’s hear the whole park,” Hull said to applause. “This is the 20th annual Sunday is Funday, and we are so happy you are here today. We’re excited about what today is going to bring.”
He couldn’t help but single out David Heil, president of the Rio Rancho Kiwanis Club — the event’s sponsor — who is still chief organizer after founding Sunday is Funday in 2005.
“He is still going strong, making sure this is successful every year, so we are just grateful to him,” Hull said.
If Sunday was any indication, Heil, 84, was still going strong. He monitored every crevice of the four-hour event using a motorized bicycle. By day’s end, he zipped across the park to congratulate the winner of the mayor’s kickball tournament.
In an interview following Sunday is Funday, Heil called the event “especially great,” considering not only the event’s anniversary but the weather. Temperatures climbed into the low 90s and the day was mostly sunny and hot, but it did not get as hot as last year and ended with an overcast sky.
“The Good Lord couldn’t have given us a better day,” Heil said.
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What made him smile was not only did the day fail to reach 99 degrees, but “things were coming together” during the morning as far as the event’s participants.
“We did a good job of planning,” Heil said. “By 10 o’clock, we knew things were fitting.”
Sunday is Funday didn’t officially begin until noon, but even before then, it felt like festivities had already begun as families with kids of all ages, the elderly and more than 170 vendors packed the park.
Before Hull spoke, there was a presentation of colors by the Rio Rancho High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and singing of the national anthem by student Calib Solis.
For the next several hours, attendees were treated to music and artistic performances from No Limitz Band, NM Elite, Sparrow Dance, Brightburn Academy and Youth Jazz Band, Rio Elite Cheer.
No Limitz Band — made up of four musicians on guitar, bass, drums and keyboards — delighted attendees with cover songs spanning multiple genres. It was their second time playing Sunday is Funday.
“It’s been a privilege to be invited again to provide music and sound for the whole event,” Bendito Gonsales, drummer and band leader, said. “I see people enjoying themselves (and) moving their heads — and that kind of tells me what songs I should be calling out.”
Their setlist included “How Long” by Ace, “Sumbale Maria” by Delivery Band and “Memphis” by Johnny Rivers.
“It’s almost impossible to copy an original, but I have some really great players with me,” Gonsales said. “We do a real good job of doing our best to making sure the songs are close to as authentic as possible — with our flavor added to it.”
When attendees weren’t watching kickball or musical acts, they could swim in the pool, slide down a fun jump or ride a mechanical bull.
Rio Rancho resident Jasmine Romero brought her 3 1/2-year-old daughter to join in some arts and crafts at one booth.
“I enjoy watching her see things through her eyes,” Romero said, noting it was her third year at Sunday is Funday, which felt “a little bit hot.”
The event included 10 new vendors, including Sherry’s K9 Creations, a dog grooming business that opened in October.
“A lot of people have dogs, so we’re just talking to everybody — it’s fantastic,” said owner Sherry Clark.
She laughed that while people seemed to be having a good time at Sunday is Funday, the dogs needed grooming.
