Calendar

Any young lady living within 250 miles of Abilene, Texas, and a resident of Texas can enter the West Texas Fair & Rodeo Queen Scholarship Pageant. Secondly, due to the change of rules for the Miss Rodeo Texas Pageant, a contestant must have lived in Texas for at least 6 months to be in the contest. This will allow the Queen to participate in the Miss Rodeo Texas Pageant. Entry forms, along with a release formd, must be signed and received by the Expo Center office no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, August 16th. 

Hosted by Battle of the Cattle. Battle of the Cattle is a family-operated prospect steer show series, open to youth from all across the nation.

Six individuals embark on a silent retreat for the weekend. Without the ability to speak, these individuals must tell stories utilizing physical movement, creating non-verbal forms of communication, and allowing themselves to become fully immersed in this atmosphere of silence. Small Mouth Sounds encompasses real life experiences, and provides the audience with a means of journeying through their own personal silent retreat. Price includes wine and cheese reception to follow. *Suggested audience ages 16+.

Enjoy great food and comedy featuring Chad Prather.

Little League and Junior League Baseball Championships. 

Head to The Icehouse at LSDG for toasted lunch goodness every Friday!

Splash into adventure at Adventure Cove during Dive-In Movies! They will be showing a movie each month in the summer. This month they will be showing the movie Elf for Christmas in July. 

Come out for a 100 minute concert featuring Little River Band's greatest hits.

 

38th Tour de Gap on July 24 & 25 in Buffalo Gap, Texas. Three rides through the hills of south Taylor County with the 100K, 50K, and the 11 mile family fun ride. For the kids, we will have the KIDS KRIT! On Sunday, July 25, we will have our 4th annual Steamboat Mtn. Time Trial.

Come join Life of Pie Abilene as they are hosted by Pappy Slokum. Enjoy cold brews as well as great lunch options and pie by the slice!

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

What an uncertain, trying, and amazing six months it has been! Grain Theory knew they would never really get a grand opening (global pandemic and all) so instead they decided to just open the doors and see who came in. And boy, did you all show up. Big time! So they want to celebrate all the friends they have made so far and the supporters that have been behind them from the beginning.

This is your official invitation to the Grain Theory Block Party! They're shutting down the street, tapping special event-only beer releases, amazing food specials, food trucks, live music, outdoor games, local vendor's market, and more!

 

Don't miss the musical event of the summer! There will be live music from several local bands including The Fabulous Furies, The Continentals, Full House, Soul Free, The Chevelle 5 and more! Proceeds benefit New Horizons.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Matt Stapp on the patio.

Fantastic family harmony on a Saturday night!

Don't miss live music by Curtis Grimes at Firehouse Bar and Grill.

Your weekend just got better! The Abilene Public Library South Branch is hosting monthly Sunday, Fun Day! Each month they will host a different activity from crafts to experiments, and even story times. The whole family is invited to the fun, come-and-go event located in the Women's Dillard's Courtyard!

Come enjoy a pop-up shopping event featuring three local vendors. The event will include handmade jewelry, dog bandanas, repurposed clothing, scrunchies, goat milk soaps, beeswax candles, & more! 

A John Prine infused set starring Jim Sadler and Evan Christian.

Enjoy this new summer series. Every Tuesday in June & July visit the Mall of Abilene for a free interactive activity for all ages! Each week a different organization will be invited out! This week the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature will be providing fun activities. The first 300 kids in attendance will receive a special discount card.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Landon Hoffman on the patio.

Enjoy great food and live music featuring Tatum Cantu with Marcus Valencia.

Head to Doc's for their first ever Doc's Fest! Performances by The Bellamy Brothers, Cody Canada and the Departed, Kody West, Josh Ward and Dylan Wheeler. 

Head to The Icehouse at LSDG for a live performance by Christy Patton.

Enjoy great food and live music featuring Jacob Armitage.

Big Time Hoops & US Amateur Basketball are pleased to offer an exposure basketball tournament in Texas.

Enjoy great food and live music featuring Kirk House.

When Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys, loses his shadow, headstrong Wendy helps him to reattach it. In return, she is invited to Neverland, where Tinker Bell the fairy, Tiger Lily and the vengeful Captain Hook await.

 

This masterful country stylist from Houston, Texas has been thrilling audiences for more than 50 years. Gene’s very first radio single, the self-penned 'If It’s That Easy' was released in 1962. Although the song didn’t make any radio charts, it did start the career of the man now known as 'The Singer’s Singer.' Gene Watson’s tally of 75 charted titles, 23 top-10 hits and 6 number-one records has led to membership in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Radio listeners are still transfixed whenever classics like 'Farewell Party,' 'Fourteen Carat Mind' or 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' are played. The depth of emotion in his singing, his brilliant phrasing, his jaw-dropping range and the power in the lyrics he chooses are all factors in the awe he inspires in both fans and his musical peers.

This is a high school team camp. Lodging and meals are not included. 5 game guarantee. Limit 56 teams.

• Saturday Pool play
• Sunday Bracket play
• Games will be played at ACU, McMurry and Hardin Simmons.
• 8 Team - JV Division
• 32 Team - Small School Division (1A-3A)
• 16 Team - Big School Division (4A-6A)

*All completed camp forms are due at check in on July 31st; 1-hour prior to your first game.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union and Beltway Park Church Present the Family Film Series! In this animated adaptation of Ted Hughes' Cold War fable, a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel) crash-lands near the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957. Exploring the area, a local 9-year-old boy, Hogarth, discovers the robot, and soon forms an unlikely friendship with him. When a paranoid government agent, Kent Mansley, becomes determined to destroy the robot, Hogarth and beatnik Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick Jr.) must do what they can to save the misunderstood machine. 1999, Family/Adventure, 1 hours and 30 minutes, Rated PG.

Join the fun and learn how to paint a milk can bouquet on canvas, enjoy a delicious decorated sugar cookie by Sweet Hearts Bakery and explore a fun new spot at SunnHaus Brewing! 

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Mike Murray on the patio.

Enjoy great food and live music featuring September Moon.

This middle school 2-day camp is designed to prepare each athlete to be confident and ready for their school season. The emphasis will be on repetition and technique. All basic skills of volleyball will be attended to, with the most focus being placed on the serving and passing aspect of the game.

This camp will continue the journey of you building confidence in your shooting, being consistent in your mechanics and knowing how to create separation to make the best game decision possible!

If your athlete is looking for extra skill-specific training then this is the camp for them! Emphasis will be placed on repetition, technique, maximum efficient mobility, and proper mechanics.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by The Davis Brothers on the patio.

It's the music of Berlin, Gershwin, and Porter from local talent on the stage of the Paramount Theatre. Thursday-Saturday, enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres and complimentary beer and wine. For the first time, Sunday will be a 'Cabaret Brunch.' A full meal will be served. (All seating is cabaret style, you may be seated with strangers, but that's the fun part!)

McMurry University Theatre, along with The Noah Project, present the musical Carousel! This Rodgers and Hammerstein musical follows the romance of a charming carousel barker and a pretty worker from a nearby mill. When the attractive young couple gets married, they also both find themselves unemployed, which puts a strain on their relationship. When he finds out that his wife is pregnant, he resorts to extreme measures to get money, a decision that leads to tragedy.

When Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys, loses his shadow, headstrong Wendy helps him to reattach it. In return, she is invited to Neverland, where Tinker Bell the fairy, Tiger Lily and the vengeful Captain Hook await.

 

The Big Country Bash is a two-day middle school volleyball tournament to kick off the season. Come join the Abilene Youth Sports Authority for this event to highlight local 6th-8th graders.

On this special day, people with disabilities can visit Adventure Cove for free, along with a reduced rate of $4 for up to four family members! Any additional family member will incur full admission cost. For more detailed information, visit www.abilenetx.gov/parksandrec.

Originating as a one time event, Grain Theory's popular downtown brunch menu has become a monthly can't-miss. Held on the first Saturday of every month, downtown customers can feast on Frite Hash with a choice of housemade sausage, scrumptious Spent Grain Pancakes, Brunch Grain Bowl, along with their usual delicious international fare. Top it off with a sparkling mimosa, hot gourmet coffee, or one of their many tasty craft beers & enjoy the view from their sunny 2nd floor balcony.

Come shop a unique outdoor vendor market in the 'basement' of Matera Gardens, below Sockdolager Brewing Company! The lower level of this location will be filled with a variety of vendors on Saturdays from March-November. 

 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy great food and live music featuring Clay Walker with special guest, Rick Trevino.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Dayne Pack on the patio.

Seen the movie 'Cocktail'? That is the inspiration behind this event.

Join Oak Street Arbor and Kao Lounge for an 80's themed 'Cocktails and Dreams' party. There will be a multitude of fun planned out including:

• Music and lighting by eMotion Entertainment
• 80's themed decorations
• Graze table by Cheesus Boards
• Photo Booth by The Looking Glass
• Cocktails and magic by KAO Lounge
• Door prizes
• Best dressed competition
• Dance competition

 

The Chamber's premiere business to business networking event features exhibitors showcasing their services and products. Call the Chamber of Commerce for display and sponsor opportunities.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Brett Patterson on the patio.

ArtWalk is a monthly mini arts festival downtown hosted by the Center for Contemporary Arts. Bring the entire family to historic downtown where restaurants, shops, museums, galleries and entertainment await you! The theme for August is 'All About Abstracts' and will include demonstrations from local abstract artists and an opportunity to participate in a community abstract painting. Adult Beverages available for purchase thanks to The Local. Special thanks to Lone Star Dry Goods for sponsoring live music from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

Join the American Cancer Society for the Couture for a Cure Style Show presented by United Supermarkets and Market Street. Watch local cancer survivors grace the Cattle Baron's Ball Show runway! Ticket includes hors d'oeuvres, drinks and a commemorative wine glass.

High school girls compete in this volleyball classic that honors Bev Ball, who retired from AISD and McMurry.

Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.

Longhorn Unique Catering has teamed up with the P.T. Event Center to bring you a dinner and a dance. The entree is brisket, sausage, beans, potato salad and dessert. Tickets can be purchased on ticketleap.com for a limited time. Pre-sale Dance Tickets can also be purchased on line for a limited amount of time.

Splash into adventure at Adventure Cove during Dive-In Movies! They will be showing a movie each month in the summer. This month they will be showing The Peanuts Movie.

This is a great event for both professional and amateur shooters. Open to the public, the shoot includes a delicious, catered meal and drinks at the evening Awards Dinner. It's a fun filled day of networking, shooting fun and raising money for Habitat for Humanity.

(Please note you are only eligible to win ONE gun via the Lewis Class Scoring System). Guns are awarded for the Top Shooter on each course and 1st place finishers based on the Lewis Class system. 2nd place Lewis Class will receive a flat of shotgun shells.

There are LOTS of prizes to give away, so come join the FUN and help raise money for Habitat for Humanity

**NEW** - There is a limited supply of 12ga shotgun shells available for purchase on the day of the shoot. They will be sold on a first come first served basis. $100 per flat.

**NEW** - Depending on the interest/demand, they will be offering golf cart rentals for your convenience navigating the course in the August heat. These carts will be rented on location with a third party vendor. Please have your cash or credit card handy to complete the rental process. There will be a limited supply of 6 seaters & 4 seaters and there will also be traditional 2 seaters available.

Come play competitive basketball in our brand new facility. The Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center has 4 high school regulation basketball courts, state-of-the-art amenities, technology and will be a great venue to watch basketball games in a tournament, multi-court setting. get your team together and come check this amazing place out in person. ALL GAMES LIVE-STREAMED ON PLAYSIGHT FOR FREE. 3 Game guarantee. Boys & Girls Divisions: 9-10U, 11-12U,14U, 16U, and 18U.

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Krys Campos on the patio.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Alex Aguilar on the patio.

Ages 8U and 13U and under, pool play into single elimination.

Slow pitch softball tournament. 

Military Appreciation Day at the Taylor County History Center in Buffalo Gap with free admission for current and former military members and their families.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy great food and live music featuring Pat Green with special guests Phil Hamilton and Zach Edwards & Mike Webb.

 

St. Vincent Palllotti Catholic Church is proud to present, under the direction of Alvaro Munoz, 'Mi Tierra Mexicana.' Featuring Abilene's very own St. Vincent Pallotti Catholic Ballet Folklorico. Celebrating its 58th anniversary, the ballet folklorico will presenting traditional folklore dances from Los Concheros, Nuevo Leon, Guerreo, Veracruz and Jalisco from the enchanted land of Mexico. Special guest, Mariachi Alma Mexicana of San Angelo, Texas.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Dave Stevens on the patio.

The Open Road concert series in Downtown Abilene offers music from some of the best in the Americana and roots rock music scenes. The third show of the season features Them Vibes. Them Vibes offers a unique and vintage sound inspired by country, rock ‘n’ roll, punk, and soul.

Grab your friends and spend an evening by the creek filled with belly laughs and wine. More than a dozen New York and L.A. stand-up comedians are currently on the road, sampling the local wines and providing the finest and funniest in comedy entertainment. This stop is set to feature a lineup of 3-4 comedians whose credits include top festivals, TV and major club appearances. This comedy tour takes top comedians who you've seen on TV and sends them out on the road to perform at wineries throughout the country. Find out which wine pairs best with hysterical laughter when this tour hits The Winery at Willow Creek!

Enjoy great food and live music featuring Randy Rogers with special guest La Maquinaria Nortena.

Everyone who attends the show will receive an exclusive fashion show tote AND 10% off of all clothes that night. All 75+ styles seen in the show will be available for purchase right after the show AT THE PARAMOUNT. Come wearing that crazy outfit that’s been sitting in your closet waiting for the perfect occasion. There will be a photo op with good lighting for you! Each outfit in the show will be styled twice so you can see it worn in different ways on different ages or sizes of people. The concession stand WILL be open so bring a little extra cash to grab some treats for the show.

The items shown in this show are for an everyday look. Perfect for school, work or hanging out with friends. There will be a few fancier items; this will be something that is beneficial and fun to watch. Even if you don’t buy anything you can get some everyday outfit styling inspiration.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Head to Matera Gardens for live music featuring Zak Webb and October Moon.

Enjoy BBQ and live music by Haydn Bartlow on the patio.

Head to Homer's Bar and Music Venue to hear Crafting the Conspiracy. 

World renowned blues guitarist Carvin Jones, voted in Top 50 Guitarists by Guitarist Magazine, brings his Ultimate Guitar Experience to you!

This is a progressive, practice/play league. The first part of every evening will allow time for a team practice followed by 2 timed games. This progressive approach allows for young players to build their fundamental skills of passing, setting, attacking, serving, and defense, while also learning strategies of the game through league play. Monday evenings, Aug.30 - Oct.18. Boys and Girls--Age Groups 6-8, 9-10,11-12,13-14.

The Texas arm of the League of United Latin American Citizens will meet in Grover Nelson Park Labor Day weekend to play its 45th Annual Softball Tournament to raise funds for scholarships, enjoy fellowship and build goodwill. Men's, women's and mixed teams to compete.

Originating as a one time event, Grain Theory's popular downtown brunch menu has become a monthly can't-miss. Held on the first Saturday of every month, downtown customers can feast on Frite Hash with a choice of housemade sausage, scrumptious Spent Grain Pancakes, Brunch Grain Bowl, along with their usual delicious international fare. Top it off with a sparkling mimosa, hot gourmet coffee, or one of their many tasty craft beers & enjoy the view from their sunny 2nd floor balcony.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Disney animation of a classic tale. Beautiful princess Rapunzel has been locked away in a tower since she was captured as a baby by an old hag. Her magical long blonde hair has the power to provide eternal youth, and the evil Gothel uses this power to keep her young. At the age of 18, Rapunzel becomes curious about the outside world, and when a prince uses her tower as a refuge, she asks him to help her escape.

Thursday evenings, Sept.9 - Oct.21. Coed Divisions--A=Men's net height, and highest division of play. B=Women's net height and rec division of play. Guaranteed 2 matches per night. Matches will start as early as 5:30 pm and finish no later than 9 pm. Schedules will be posted a few days prior to the start of the season.

The powerful tycoon Auric Goldfinger has initiated Operation Grand Slam, a cataclysmic scheme to raid Fort Knox and obliterate the world economy. James Bond, armed with his specially equipped Aston Martin, must stop the plan by overcoming several outrageous adversaries.

Enjoy live music featuring the Seth Merritt Band at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy live music featuring the Elvis Impersonator, Harvey McFadden, at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring the Braden Davis Band at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring the Dayne Pack Band at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring the Garcia Brothers at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Parkside Band at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Austin Meade at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Kolby Cooper at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring the Elvis Impersonator, Harvey McFadden, at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Christy Payne at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Randy and Grant the 2 Man Show at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Jody Nix and The Texas Cowboys at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Colton Fox at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Randy and Grant the 2 Man Show at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Girl's fastpitch tournament. 4GG, 2-pool, double elimination bracket. 8,10,12,14-Open. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Every year we choose a local family or charity to donate a portion of the registration fees to. The beneficiary is always someone affected by childhood cancer.

USTA  Adult League Tennis Championship Mixed 18 & Over. Tennis competition.

Enjoy live music featuring Randy and Grant the 2 Man Show at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

It’s the opening night of The Golden Egg on Broadway, and the wealthy producer Julia Budder is throwing a lavish party in her Manhattan townhouse. Downstairs the celebrities are pouring in, but the real action is upstairs in the bedroom, where a group of insiders have staked themselves out to await the reviews. CONTENT WARNING: It's Only a Play contains mature language and subject matter and is recommended for audience members 18 years of age and older.

Enjoy live music featuring Curtis Grimes at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Mike Ryan at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Karate competitions in many different divisions.

Military Appreciation Day at the Taylor County History Center in Buffalo Gap with free admission for current and former military members and their families.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Mark your calendar for Grain Theory's first Oktoberfest party. Stay tuned for details!

Enjoy live music featuring Randy and Grant the 2 Man Show at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Come enjoy a concert featuring the  Abilene Philharmonic as they perform outdoors. It is highly encouraged to bring your own chair or blanket to sit on the lawn and spread out.

Enjoy live music featuring Ariel Hutchins at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Enjoy live music featuring Brandon Rhyder at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.

Now in its 30th amazing year, the 'World's Most Successful Rock 'n' Roll Musical' continues to thrill audiences around the world. Viewed by more than 22 million people worldwide, BUDDY opened in London's West End in 1989, and has been seen on Broadway, throughout Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Scandinavia, South Africa, the Netherlands and Singapore; winning numerous awards along the way.  Buddy tells the story of Buddy Holly through his short yet spectacular career, and features the classic songs, That'll Be The Day, Not Fade Away, Oh Boy, Ritchie Valens' La Bamba, The Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace and many more! This show is just Peggy Sue-perb!

This Hospice of the Big Country fundraiser honors Dev Ohre. Limited to the first 36- 4 man/woman teams. For team sponsorship information, contact Karla at 325-793-3507.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Festivities include ten floats, one marching band, horses from the Dallas Gay Rodeo Association, Grand Marshal, viewing stand in Vera Minter Park for dignitaries, young adults art show, face paintings, vendor booths and food trucks. 

The Open Road concert series in Downtown Abilene offers music from some of the best in the Americana and roots rock music scenes. The third show of the season features The Texas Gentlemen. This quintet has a variety of sounds and has backed for artists like Kris Kristofferson, George Strait and Leon Bridges.

Slow pitch softball tournament.

Originating as a one time event, Grain Theory's popular downtown brunch menu has become a monthly can't-miss. Held on the first Saturday of every month, downtown customers can feast on Frite Hash with a choice of housemade sausage, scrumptious Spent Grain Pancakes, Brunch Grain Bowl, along with their usual delicious international fare. Top it off with a sparkling mimosa, hot gourmet coffee, or one of their many tasty craft beers & enjoy the view from their sunny 2nd floor balcony.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

A unique, al fresco culinary celebration of spectacular cuisine and fine wine in the heart of downtown Abilene. Abilene StrEATS is a premier community event that brings awareness to the work of United Way of Abilene. All proceeds support United Way of Abilene’s vital programs that positively impact the education, financial stability, health, and basic needs of everyone in the community.

 

Come enjoy a concert featuring the  Abilene Philharmonic as they perform outdoors. It is highly encouraged to bring your own chair or blanket to sit on the lawn and spread out.

Join Cancer Services Network and watch cancer warriors model the latest styles from local Abilene Boutiques. Participate in the silent auction and the big raffle drawing.

Enjoy wine, food, conversation and a silent auction that will benefit local beautification projects, community cleanups; as well as, support teachers and students with educational opportunities and grants.

This is a double elimination bracket tournament held at the Lake Kirby Softball Complex benefitting Hope for a Cure.

The intrepid explorer Indiana Jones sets out to rescue his father, a medievalist who has vanished while searching for the Holy Grail. Following clues in the old man's notebook, Indy arrives in Venice, where he enlists the help of a beautiful academic, but they are not the only ones who are on the trail, and some sinister old enemies soon come out of the woodwork.

Walk to End Alzheimer's raises awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. The plan is to host Walk to End Alzheimer's® in person this fall. The health and safety of participants, staff and volunteers remain the top priority as decisions are made about event details in the community, and they will continue to offer options to participate online and in your neighborhood. Register today and be the first to know about this year's Walk in Abilene!

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge.

Celebrating 20 years of being open to the public, the 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum will host a 'Victory Celebration' honoring the Museum. Festivities will include live entertainment, vehicle displays, weapon talks, food trucks and museum tours!

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Join the American Cancer Society for a one-of-a-kind evening featuring great food, dancing, a spectacular auction, and special guest, Parmalee. With your support, the American Cancer Society saves lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against cancer. 

It's the time of year where McMurry alumni come together to celebrate the past, present and future of McMurry University. McMurry's Homecoming is a tradition dating back to 1928. There will be events for students, alumni and the community including a festival on Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m.

A 'Night in the City' celebrating the programs and people that have served at the Melvin Martin Center for Children's Safety over the past 40 years.

Reconnect with old friends, rediscover old favorites and renew your relationship with ACU! From chapel to the parade to JamFest and the annual fireworks show, there's something for every member of your family.

Head out to the speedway for a weekend of exciting car racing! 

 

Shift-S3ctor Airstrip Attack is a high horsepower, 1/2 mile drag race that occurs on the airport runway! See top speeds that exceed over 200 mph by a wide variety of cars and motorcycles. Food trucks, vendor market place, and more!

Military Appreciation Day at the Taylor County History Center in Buffalo Gap with free admission for current and former military members and their families.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

This is a formal fundraising event held at The Grace Museum each year that includes a seated dinner by Perini Ranch, live music, and silent and live auctions. Guests may purchase individual tickets or tables of 10. The 2021 Gala Honoree is Kaye Price-Hawkins.

A multi-facted celebration bringing the HSU community together from across the world.

Calling all knights, princesses and friendly dragons to downtown for a special celebration and 3D storybook mural unveiling! Several events are planned to celebrate new railway tunnel underpass lighting, a dragon-and-castle-themed mural in the pedestrian tunnel behind the T&P Depot, and a new 20-foot kinetic sculpture at the Abilene Convention Center, 'In Cloud Light IV.' 

Register for a private breakfast with costumed characters and a crowning and knighting ceremony. Take your photo atop the mural dragon. Make crafts and enjoy live music from Abilene ISD performance groups. 

Prince, princess, knight and other storybook costumes encouraged! 

Scarecrows inspired by Cartoon Characters and created by local students will be installed on the grounds of the Taylor County History Center this October! The opening event on Saturday, October 23rd from 10:00am-5:00pm is free and open to the public and will include a variety of family friendly fall activities and games. Scarecrows will be on view throughout the grounds of the Taylor County History Center until Saturday, November 6, 2021.

Enjoy this craft show, bake sale and ministry fair featuring over 60 local vendors. There is something for everyone including handmade soaps, embroidery, jewelry, home-baked goodies, wood crafts, unique gifts, and much more. There will be a silent acution to benefit FCN music ministry. Be sure to get there early!

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Abilene Independent School District Halloween Classic Girls Golf Tournament. High school girls golf competition. 

This is a double elimination tournament held at the Red Bud Softball Complex.

Summit ET Bracket Racing SERIE/SUMMIT Jr. Drag Racing at Big Country Raceway.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Come trick-or-treat through the campsites, learn about creatures of the night, and have a few screams on the haunted trail. Help support the Friends of Abilene State Park at their annual Halloween event! There will be educational programs, candy, and lots of screams! Bring flashlights as it will be dark and wear comfortable shoes for walking.

Now that Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate with Missy and Dean. At first, Chris reads the family's overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.

This is a progressive, practice/play league. The first 20-30 minutes of each Monday will allow time for a team practice followed by games. This progressive approach allows for young players to build their fundamental skills of passing, shooting, rebounding and defense, while also learning strategies of the game through league play. Players will register as individuals and will be placed on teams by AYSA staff. Monday evenings, Nov.1 - Dec. 6. Boys and Girls: Age Groups 5-6, 7-8, 9-10,11-12.

Support high school golf players from the region at this annual Abilene High School Bill Wallace Invitational Boys Golf Tournament.

Originating as a one time event, Grain Theory's popular downtown brunch menu has become a monthly can't-miss. Held on the first Saturday of every month, downtown customers can feast on Frite Hash with a choice of housemade sausage, scrumptious Spent Grain Pancakes, Brunch Grain Bowl, along with their usual delicious international fare. Top it off with a sparkling mimosa, hot gourmet coffee, or one of their many tasty craft beers & enjoy the view from their sunny 2nd floor balcony.

Parade given and directed by the Taylor County Veterans Office. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

This is a double elimination seeded bracket tournament held at Red Bud Softball Complex.

Presented as originally released in 1939. Epic Civil War drama focuses on the life of petulant Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara. Starting with her idyllic life on a sprawling plantation, the film traces her survival through the tragic history of the South during the Civil War and Reconstruction, and her tangled love affairs with Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler.

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Mission Inspired dinner celebrating one million dollars of mission impact through the Alzheimer's Association's annual Steppin' Out for Memories fundraiser. This event will serve as the kickoff for the 2022 Steppin' Out for Memories season! Tickets required.

HSU began hosting this high school girls basketball tournament in 1952 and in 1975 AISD initiated the Key City Invitational. Hardin-Simmons University and Abilene ISD have since joined forces to host this long-standing Girls Basketball Classic tradition.

Military Appreciation Day at the Taylor County History Center in Buffalo Gap with free admission for current and former military members and their families.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Summit ET Bracket Racing SERIE/SUMMIT Jr. Drag Racing at Big Country Raceway. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

The Key City Classic is back after a cancellation in 2020 due to Covid. This will be one of top high school boys basketball tournaments in the state of Texas. The 2019 tournament was a huge success for the community. There were 16 teams from around the state that came and participated in the tournament for three days.

Originating as a one time event, Grain Theory's popular downtown brunch menu has become a monthly can't-miss. Held on the first Saturday of every month, downtown customers can feast on Frite Hash with a choice of housemade sausage, scrumptious Spent Grain Pancakes, Brunch Grain Bowl, along with their usual delicious international fare. Top it off with a sparkling mimosa, hot gourmet coffee, or one of their many tasty craft beers & enjoy the view from their sunny 2nd floor balcony.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy of evening of fun as the Abilene Philharmonic musicians take the stage.

When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (Catherine O'Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) plan to rob the McCallister residence, and that he alone must protect the family home.

Head to the Taylor County Coliseum and watch the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, ZZ Top, perform live for their 50th Anniversary Tour! 

Coming off of his hugely successful outdoor run, the Hot Summer Nights Tour 2020, as the first-ever stand-up comedian to embark on a drive-in comedy tour, renowned comedian, podcast host, and author Bert Kreischer announces The Berty Boy Relapse Tour.

Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), the boys' commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what's the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that's sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Campers will adorn their campsites, screened shelters, and yurts with lights and decorations. The public is invited to take a drive-through tour of the park. This year the park will return to serving as a drop-off location for Toys for Tots and we'll be accepting donations to the Abilene Food Bank on the night of the event. 

The zoo is Celebrating Christmas! Enjoy Christmas lights and festivities such as real reindeer, hot toddies, Santa, s’more stations with real fire pits, cookie decorating, and Christmas memories that will last a lifetime. Bring the whole family to enjoy the most magical time of the year at the Abilene Zoo!

Military Appreciation Day at the Taylor County History Center in Buffalo Gap with free admission for current and former military members and their families.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

High school invitational basketball tournament. 

A young Greek woman falls in love with a non-Greek and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy of evening of fun as the Abilene Philharmonic musicians take the stage.

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Take a short walk and experience some of the absolute best flavors the big country has to offer. Each tour is a unique culinary adventure that combines food with history, architecture, and culture. You’ll stroll through downtown learning and chatting while filling your belly with some delicious food from some of the top eateries in all of Abilene! Partners include Cypress Street Station, The Local, Vagabond Wood-Fired Pizza, Candies by Vletas, Grain Theory, The Ice House at Lone Star Dry Goods, Sockdolager Brewing Co., and The Mill Wine Bar. 

Enjoy of evening of fun as the Abilene Philharmonic musicians take the stage.

The story of women's suffrage is a story of voting rights, of inclusion in and exclusion from the franchise, and of our civic development as a nation. Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence, a poster exhibition from the Smithsonian, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment and explores the complexity of the women's suffrage movement and the relevance of this history to Americans' lives today.

This exhibition will highlight the early history of the State Epileptic Colony in Abilene through over 50 photographs from The Grace’s permanent history collection. 

This exhibition highlights what we now call “traditional” wedding dresses belonging to various individuals in Abilene and the surrounding areas from the late 1890s to the 1930s, most of which are in the permanent collection at The Grace Museum. 

Sherry Owens lives and works in Dallas, TX and received a BFA from Southern Methodist University. Her work has been shown throughout Texas and the southwest; in 2018, she completed a two-person site specific installation at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum in Austin, Texas, and was included in Commanding Space: Women Sculptors of Texas, at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2017, Owens mounted a solo exhibition at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, and the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University. Owens has exhibited internationally in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Greece, India, Peru, Turkey, and was recently included in The First Crosscurrent Yokohama-Texas International Artists Exchange Show 2019 at Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery in Yokohama, Japan.

Sherry Owens has completed several large public art projects, including a large-scale bronze through the Love Field Modernization Program at Love Field Airport in Dallas, TX and a monumental commission for the Ben E. Keith Company, also in Dallas. Owens is a former president of the Texas Sculpture Association, has served on various art boards and was a co-founder of the Emergency Artists’ Support League. She was the recipient of the Moss/Chumley North Texas Artist Award in 1999, was the West Texas Triangle artist in 2010 with a comprehensive survey at five west Texas museums, and received the Artist/Craftsman Award from the AIA Dallas in 2014.

The fact that the first work of art purchased by the Abilene Fine Arts Museum in 1939 was painted by a woman artist and the fact that the museum was founded through the efforts of local woman’s club members, many of whom were artists, foretell the museum’s long history of exhibiting and collecting artwork by women artists.

Paintings, fine art prints, and photographs in this exhibition featuring over 100 outstanding works of art from The Grace Museum permanent collection is a testament to the important contributions made by women artists in the 20th and 21st century.

Artwork by Lee Krasner, Alice Neel, Marion Post Wolcott, Hung Liu, Peggy Bacon, Garciella Iturbide, Melissa Miller, Beili Liu, Helen Altman, Lillian Garcia-Roig, Toni LaSelle, and Mary Ellen Mark is presented “frame to frame” with exceptional artwork by other women artists of the past and present in solidarity of purpose and achievement in the visual arts.

'Where glittering barrooms graced the night, Amid the songs of dance-hall queens; Where rugged men with boots and beards, Watched the swiftly moving scene, They bought their joy and paid in gold, When they came to Abilene.' The words of this 1936 poem by Walt Cousins still ring true, with urban development continuing to make its way into nearly every corner of Abilene. As the historic keystone of West Texas, this town has featured hundreds of unique businesses, has been home to entrepreneurs for all of its rich history, and has always welcomed many travelers to enjoy all that it has to offer.

This exhibit features a selection of early Abilene businesses that were prominent members of downtown commerce from 1900-1940. It also highlights the overall advancement, growth, and modernization of Abilene through objects and photographs from the permanent collection of The Grace Museum as well as photographs from other Texas institutions and publications.

This exhibition was curated by students Maia Bell, Kelci Campbell, and Kendyll Jacobs from Dr. Amanda Biles’s Introduction to Public History: Interpreting American Pasts course at Abilene Christian University.

Loren Long grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. He pursued graduate-level studies at the American Academy of Art in Chicago after graduating with a BA in Graphic Design/Art Studio from the University of Kentucky. After graduation, Long worked as an illustrator for a greeting card company in Cincinnati before beginning his career as a freelance illustrator.

Since then, Long has received numerous accolades for his fluid Work Progress Administration (WPA) painting style of the 1930s and 1940s. The Society of Illustrators in New York awarded him two golden medals, and he has been frequently selected for their annual exhibition and book. His work has also appeared in many other major annual exhibitions held by such prestigious journals and magazines. Long’s clients include Time, Reader’s Digest, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Boy’s Life, Land’s End, Sports Illustrated, and HBO.

Long is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book series about Otis the tractor. He is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of President Barack Obama’s picture book Of Thee I Sing, the re-illustrated edition of The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, and Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna. He illustrated Good Day, Good Night by Margaret Wise Brown, Love by Newbery Medalist Matt de la Peña, and There’s a Hole in the Log on the Bottom of the Lake.

Historian and author, Jay Moore, will present little-known stories of our hometown about Abilene in the 1920s-30s. This FREE event is open to the public and will take place at the Historic Paramount Theatre.

For this exhibition, ‘Journey’, Kate Breakey draws from several bodies of work made over a several decades of image making. Breakey has always altered her photographic images. Over her 40 year career, her techniques include hand coloring – laying the surface with pencil, oil paint or pastel, gilding images on glass (orotones) encaustic wax, and embroidering on silk, which she attributes too her early art school training in printmaking and painting.

The Center for Contemporary Arts will host its fifth annual Center for Contemporary Arts National Juried Competition (CCAN) and Exhibition opening events throughout the weekend. Join them as they welcome 2021 CCAN Juror, Liz Trosper, to Abilene and view art created by artists from all over the country!