Midweek Matters — A Grand Opening, Mountain Lions, and a Fee You Need to Know About

CavernFest, the Farmers and Makers Market, and What's Coming for Downtown

Community Forum | Tuesday, June 9, 2026 There’s a lot happening in downtown Carlsbad right now, and Denise Green, director of Carlsbad Main Street, stopped by the Mountain Lion Studio to break it all down on Communnity Forum. From a beach stage headliner to a neon alley project funded by the Creative Industries Division, the organization that quietly powers much of what makes downtown worth visiting is having a big year. CavernFest — This Weekend at the Beach CavernFest, now in its ninth year, is moving to the beach area along the river this year — a shift driven by courthouse facade work and the simple reality that more trees mean more shade. It’s still a free community event, and the lineup is stacked. Friday, June 13 A local young singer opens at 1 PM. Charlie and the Rangers perform later in the afternoon. The main stage kicks off at 6 PM with Zach Wilkerson as a solo act, followed by Slade Coulter. Headliner Rae Lynn closes out the night at 8:30 PM. Food trucks will be on-site Friday. Check the CavernFest Facebook page for the complete Friday schedule. Saturday, June 14 The day starts early with a 5K at 8 AM in partnership with the local Road Runners running group. Registration is still open — sign up on the CavernFest page or through the Road Runners’ Facebook. The race runs through Lower Townsville and finishes at the new Carlsbad sign before walkers head back toward the beach. At 9 AM, Desert Days studio owner Talissa leads a free yoga class at the beach. Vendors open at 10 AM. Noisy Water and Milton’s will both be set up in a beer garden near the stage. The Chamber of Commerce will have their train on site, courtesy of Permian Resources. Title sponsor: Chevron. Stage sponsor: Bad Bass Barbecue. Main stage Saturday: Zaki returns from Las Cruces, followed by Gannon Freeman and the CC Revs opening for headliner Easton Corbin, who takes the stage at 8:30 PM. Need a cool-down break from the heat? The Cavern Theater will be showing The Patriot at 2 PM and 6 PM on Saturday. Volunteers are still needed for the weekend. Contact Carlsbad Main Street to sign up. Farmers and Makers Market — Returning June 27 After a three-week break around CavernFest, the Farmers and Makers Market returns Saturday, June 27, at a new location: Halagueno Arts Park by the Carlsbad Public Library and Museum. The market runs June through October. The schedule this season: Saturday morning markets every week except the third week of each month, when a Thursday evening market takes the Saturday slot instead. Carlsbad Main Street is also actively looking for new vendors through the rest of the season. Coming Soon: The Neon Alley Project Carlsbad Main Street received a Creative Industries Division grant to develop the alleyway between Canyon and Canal and Fox and Mermod streets — the section in front of Milton’s. Plans include murals, neon LED signage, and QR codes linking to the history behind each piece of art. RFPs for muralists will be coming out soon. All this and more on Community Forum today at noon and 11 PM. Will you be there this weekend? What is your favorite part of CavernFest? Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [http://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Car Shows, CavernFest, Summer Reading, and the Week in Eddy County | Mid-Week Matters, June 3

ICYMI due to our post-monsoon technical issues at noon: Today’s Mid-Week Matters is here! Mid-Week Matters is live for Wednesday, June 3, 2026 — covering Eddy County from Artesia to Carlsbad and everywhere in between. This week’s event calendar is stacked. The Rumble on the Pecos Car Show kicks off Friday with a cruise, a free screening of American Graffiti, and a full judging day Saturday. CavernFest returns June 12th and 13th at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park with RaeLynn Friday night and Easton Corbin Saturday — free admission both days. Plus CASA’s Project Playhouse, Kenny’s Comics pop-up shop, a seed swap, a flag day celebration, and more. The June primary is in the books, and this week we have the unofficial local results — from the governor’s race to County Clerk. Listen now for the full breakdown of who won, who ran unopposed, and what comes next. All counts remain unofficial until the canvass board certifies the results. KCCC was on the ground at Halagueno Arts Park for the launch of the Carlsbad Public Library’s Unearth a Story Summer Reading Challenge. In this week’s spotlight, you’ll hear directly from readers in the community — young and adult alike — sharing what summer reading means to them in their own words. Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Keeping Kids Safe in Eddy County: Hannah from Teens in Action on Drug Prevention, Community Events, and Why It Only Takes One

Hannah Ornelas has been doing this work long enough to know that the kids in the room might look like they’re not listening. She keeps going anyway — because if even one of them walks up to her at Walmart ten years from now and says it changed their life, that’s enough. On this episode of Community Forum, host Hattie sits down with Hannah from Teens in Action — the youth arm of the Carlsbad Anti-Gang Anti-Drug Coalition — to talk about what drug prevention looks like when it’s done with compassion instead of fear. From free cabinet locks to classroom curriculum to a community-wide scavenger hunt coming this June, the Coalition is doing more than putting up signs. This is a conversation worth sharing — especially if you have kids in Eddy County schools. Find resources, upcoming events, and a donate button at carlsbadcoalition.com [https://www.carlsbadcoalition.com/]. Please note that the after-school event mentioned in the recording has already happened. Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [http://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In Memoriam - May 31, 2026 - West Funeral Home, LLC.

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community. In this episode, the community remembers those served by West Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents. To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages: West Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obits [https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obits] Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [https://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In Memoriam - May 31, 2026 - Denton-Wood

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community. In this episode, the community remembers those served by Denton-Wood Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents. To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages. Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituaries [https://www.dentonwood.com/obituaries] Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com [http://www.kccc930am.com]). The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe [https://kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]