Bluebonnet Music & Fine Arts Festival in Marble Falls
When: March 27 - 29, 2009
Where: Main Street in Marble Falls.
Music and art work in harmony to create a pleasing palette of memories for folks attending this three-day tribute to Texas artisans. An array of artists will set up their easels and capture on canvas the beauty of historic Main Street in Marble Falls.
The creativity continues throughout the weekend as artists return for a second day of "plein air" painting, their brushes keeping time with the tunes performed by the steady stream of singers who take the stage. After tapping your feet to the beat all afternoon, get ready to move to the groove of the songs played during the evening street dance.
Looking for a souvenir of your stay in Marble Falls? Bid on the artwork on display during the silent auction.
Where: Chisholm Trail Winery at 2367 Usener Road, nine miles west of Fredericksburg.
Drink in the beauty of the Texas Hill Country at Fredericksburg's annual ode to the grape, the Spring Fling! Held at the Chisholm Trail Winery, the sounds of vintage rock 'n' roll from a live band will provide a soundtrack to each visitor's stay.
Wine connoisseurs can spread a blanket on the banks of Spring Creek and enjoy a picnic and watch Texas longhorns graze in the grass nearby, nibble an amuse bouche on the patio or sample selections from the vineyard in the wineries' tasting room.
Where: The parade runs through Heritage Oak Park, while the festival takes place at Elizabeth Milburn Park, located at 1901 Sun Chase Blvd. in Cedar Park.
Take a sentimental journey to the Central Texas town of Cedar Park as its citizens celebrate the community's forefathers and look forward to a promising future.
The clip clop of horses' hooves blend with the beat of drums and the blast of trumpets as as array of marching bands, floats and equestrians mark the start of a day of fun. Held at the Heritage Oak Park, the action soon shifts to the Elizabeth Milburn Park for the remainder of the festival.
In a harmonious mixture between the past and the present, historical re-enactors demonstrate life in the era when Cedar Park was known as Running Brushy while live music from Texas tunesmiths echo throughout the park. Visitors are encouraged to participate in a plethora of competitions, including a washer tournament, pony hop races and sack races, or find out who will be the king of the grill during a hamburger cook-off. For a souvenir of your stay in Cedar Park, pose for a photo with a true symbol of Texas, a longhorn.
Children's Activities: Kids can chug along on a choo choo, saddle up for a saunter on a pint-sized pony or circle around a storyteller telling tall tales. Brave little buckaroos ages 3 - 8 can giddy up and go in a stick horse barrel racing competition or a saddle bronc contest, while children ages 6 - 12 test their skill at corn shucking. Teens on the scene can try to be the first to nibble off all the niblets in a corn on the cob eating contest. Shopping: Peruse for purchases among the bevy of booths brimming with arts and crafts items, take home a tasty treat found at a bake sale.
Where: Walker County Fairgrounds in Huntsville, Texas
Corral the kids in the car and head to Huntsville for a week-long round up of rodeo activities and carnival fun that has been a Texas tradition since 1978.
Events
If the excitement of barrel racing doesn't rope you in to the stands at the rodeo arena, the steer roping and team roping events will. Cheer on the participants in the youth edition or thrill at the skill of PRCA members.
Let your fantasies of fame become reality by signing up to perform in the Country Music Star competition. Held at the fair's main stage, the winner will receive a cash prize, a recording demo and the chance for a recoding contract.
If you're hankering for some tried and true Texas fare, let the savory smell of brisket lead you to the BBQ/Chili Cook-Off, just one of the many contests held during the fair. Competitors will also battle for a blue ribbon in the following: canned and baked goods contest, clothing, photography, quilts and horticulture.
A staple at southern festivals, pageants play a prominent role at the Walker County Fair. A fair prince, princess and queen will be crowned during the festivities. Children's Activities
Brave little buckaroos can rustle up the gumption to get into the arena for the Little Tyke Rodeo. Competitions include stick horse barrel racing, dummy roping, hay hauling and goat typing.
For the little animal lover in your family, there's a children's barnyard petting zoo complete with cuddly chicks, bunnies, ducks, and a bottle-fed calf.
From bumper cars to the tilt-a-whirl, the fair offers over 25 classic carnival rides and attractions for both the young and the young at heart. Try to win a stuffed toy for your sweetheart, look out on the fairgrounds from the top of the Ferris wheel, and saddle up for a ride back to your childhood as a menagerie of merry-go-round horses "gallop" in time to a playful tune.
Where: The starting line is located at Barton Springs Road and Congress Avenue in downtown Austin.
A Texas tradition since 1978, the stomp of sneakers on asphalt herald the arrival of spring as a steady stream of runners wind their way through the streets of Austin during the Statesman Capitol 10,000.
The largest 10k in the state and the 5th largest in the US features a virtual potpourri of participants ranging from avid athletes to cut-ups in quirky costumes, who gather at the juncture of Barton Springs Road and Congress Avenue for the start of the 6.2-mile trek. Wheelchair contestants are the first to leave the starting line, followed by those in the timed category, then walkers and joggers in the Fun Run. Crossing Lady Bird Lake, participants pound the pavement from Congress Avenue to the finish line at Riverside.
Children's Activities: An annual event since 1998, one day prior to the big race little sprinters can lace up their sneakers for the Junior 'Dillo Kids Run. Designed for youngsters age 15 and under, boys and girls compete with their own age group as they run on a one-mile loop on Auditorium Shores and Riverside Drive. Tiny trotters can also get in on the action by signing up with a parent for the Junior 'Dillo Kids 1/2 Mile Family Fun Run and Walk.
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the Town of Shamrock
St. Patrick's Day Festival
When: March 13 - 15, 2009
Where: Events take place throughout the town of Shamrock.
St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate the wearing of the green than with a trip to the Texas Panhandle town of Shamrock for an annual three-day salute to the Emerald Isle. Here are a few of the events listed on the Irish-themed itinerary:
Do you have the luck of the Irish? Find out as you try to win a stuffed animal at one of the midway games at the carnival after waving at the procession of floats and marching bands that promenade down Main Street during the parade.
Fans of anything on four wheels will get revved up over the Motorcycle Rally at the Shamrock Area Community Center and the Antique, Classic Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show at the Route 66 landmark U-Drop Inn.
From jigs to jams, adolescents can move feet to the beat at Area Youth Night at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center while grown ups get down at the Adult Dance, which lasts until midnight.
Irish eyes will be smiling on stage as a lineup of cute contestants participate in the Lad 'n' Lass Beauty Pageant at the Shamrock High School Auditorium. Spectators can also cheer for the winner of the Miss Irish Rose title as the beauty queen is crowned.
No festival is complete without a roster of rocking tunes. Live acts will make the kickoff banquet and the dances even more lively.
Sightseers hoping to find a souvenir of their stay in Shamrock should stroll among the vendor booths at the Arts and Crafts Show.
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, called the world's largest livestock show, is set for March 3-22, 2009 this year (sometimes the rodeo begins in late February) although the event's World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest is scheduled for Feb. 26-28.
Along with the barbecue cookoff, a carnival, parade and wine competition, the event includes many headliners in the music world. Scheduled concerts include:
March 3: Rascal Flatts March 4: Alan Jackson March 5: Clay Walker March 6: Gladys Knight & Solange March 7: Trace Adkins March 8: Jonas Brothers March 9: Lady Antebellum March 10: Toby Keith March 11: Reba McEntire March 12: Brad Paisley March 13: Clint Black March 14: Josh Turner March 16: Darius Rucker March 17: Keith Urban March 19: Pat Green March 20: Taylor Swift March 22: ZZ Top
Preparations are underway for Rodeo Austin, the sixth-largest indoor, regular season ProRodeo in the country. The rodeo has announced its lineup of performers for the event which is scheduled for March 13-28, 2009:
March 14- Randy Rogers Band
March 15- Jimmy Wayne
March 16- Josh Turner
March 17- Jesse McCartney
March 18- Clay Walker
March 19- Akon
March 20- Kellie Pickler
March 21- Eli Young Band
March 22- Randy Travis
March 23- Carlos Mencia
March 24- Sara Bareilles
March 25- Creedence Clearwater Revisted
March 26- Jack Ingram
March 27- Craig Morgan
March 28- Kevin Fowler
For more about the Star of Texas Rodeo, which includes a livestock show, barbecue cookoff, carnival and much more, check out our TexasTripper coverage.
