Called “The Biggest One-Stage Event in Texas,” the Outlaws & Legends festival draws huge crowds. County Waste Service is proud to have a part to play in its success.

The Outlaws and Legends Music Festival returns to the venue known as the Back Porch of Texas in Abilene, Texas, in March of 2021. County Waste Service will be the sole provider of waste collection, cleanup, and removal for this premiere festival.

The CWS team will be bringing as many as 20 of their team members. They’ll also bring some 120 poly carts to the three-day event. For them it will be more than three days because they’ll stay afterward and complete the cleanup. How big is cleanup? The event sprawls across 145 acres. Before the CWS team is finished, they will have collected and disposed of mountains of refuse.

The 10th Anniversary Celebration in 2021

Outlaws and Legends is a big and popular event, now approaching its 10th anniversary. Held on the Back Porch grounds at 3350 North Clack, Outlaws and Legends will attract about 15,000 attendees per day. The event benefits a good cause—the Ben Richey Boys Ranch.

According to Ethan Kunkel, founder of County Waste Service, his company’s volunteer work for this occasion is one of their biggest charitable efforts on their calendar.

Mark Powell, the Face of Outlaws and Legends

Mark Powell, a musician and the originator of the festival, is the face of Outlaws and Legends. He says he feels blessed by how successful the event has become.

“I didn’t come from money and my wife didn’t either at all, but we were raised on hard work though and that’s done me well in my own musical career,” Powell says. “But it also does good where the fest is concerned, because when you work hard and you do things honest, then it’s an attractant for other honest people. They come into your inner circle. When you talk to somebody like Ethan, he’s one of those.”

Ty Tyson, Powell’s partner in Backporch Productions and one of the other two key organizers of the event, feels likewise.

Outlaws and Legends: The Respect is Mutual

Tyson recently expressed his gratitude directly to Kunkel and his team with these words: “Thank you and your entire crew. You were covered in mud, [but] you and your boys never stopped, never quit, and kept the Back Porch of Texas looking as though there was never thousands of people there daily!!! I simply couldn’t be any more amazed with County Waste Service!!!

Powell, for his own part, said CWS is indispensible.

“I remember before Ethan came into the picture, it was crazy. Plus, I remember how some of my artist buddies on the Texas music circuit—they’re roll-up-your-sleeves people, too—and they were here in Year Two and our trash didn’t get done. I remember, me and some of those guys were out in the field picking up trash because it didn’t get done. That’s the thing—people see a good time and all that, but people totally forget about trash.”  – Mark Powell

Powell said that Kunkel brings the same dedication as those other friends of his. “He told me, from the outset, ‘I promise you, I’m a supporter of the fest, and no matter what, this place will be spotless. Nobody will do a better job.’ I brought him in and all my cronies, all my friends, were so excited that we had somebody that cared about the fest like we did. I’m Ethan’s biggest fan.

“CWS is phenomenal,” Powell added. “I can’t overemphasize the importance of that side of the festival. He’s a great guy and they are a great team. He understands what we’re delivering and he’s on board.”

Anyone interested in attending the Outlaws and Legends festival can find more information at outlawsandlegends.com.