Long before the rules of heraldry became carefully drawn, men developed emblems, signs, and standards in order to identify themselves. Several traditional symbols are combined to symbolize Festival on the Brazos. The crest consists of a capital W for our city of Waco with a crown of gold resting upon it. Below the crest, the coat of arms is composed of a white shield upon which is placed, inthe position of honor, the Waco Suspension Bridge, which was at the time of its creation the longest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi. The shield is divided with a diagonal bar of silver and gold through its center. Below is a heart appropriate for the location and symbolizing a quality beyond material consideration. Silver stallions stand as ramparts on each side of the shield to support it. The hind legs of each animal rest upon a blue scroll that bears the Festival on the Brazos motto. The phrase is an ancient Latin one, long sinificant in Western civilization with its own intangible meaning. It reads, "Sursum Corda" (Lift up your hearts).
