The community of Artesia came together Saturday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the start of the area’s prolific oil and gas production, beginning with the discovery of the Illinois No. 3 well in 1924 and continuing through today. The Permian Basin Celebration, hosted by the Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Artesia MainStreet, opened with an Oilfield Equipment Parade down Main Street, featuring floats including HF Sinclair’s inflatable dino, pictured above. The day’s events also included the Oilfield Olympics — in which a young girl participates at bottom left — and an evening of entertainment from artists such as Tell Runyan, below right, and Bart Crow, left.

Brienne Green – Daily Press