Calendar

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 spend around 2 1/2 hours walking, 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, McKay's Bakery, Candies by Vletas, and The Hallows Coffee + Cocktails.

Watch junior golfers compete at the annual AJGA - Bob Estes Tournament at the Abilene Country Club North and South Course. 

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 July ArtWalk returns full swing with vendors, music, and ART during July’s Pop Art and Pop Culture themed event. There will be a Pop UP Pop Art show on Cypress Street! Also, embrace and support your favorite fandom or pop culture icons through cosplay! Artist demonstrations and 4 fantastic exhibits are on display inside the Center. Adult Beverages available for purchase thanks to The Local. Special thanks to Lone Star Dry Goods for sponsoring live music by Taylor Ochs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

Enjoy live music safely on the patio featuring Mason Kerby and Zach New at Heff's.

Concerned with a group of gossipy southern ladies in a small-town beauty parlor, Steel Magnolias is alternately hilarious and touching—and, in the end, deeply revealing of the strength and purposefulness which underlies the antic banter of its characters.

***This performance will be produced in the form of a dynamic stage reading. We recommend patrons to bring a lawn chair or a blanket the performance. Chairs will not be provided in the McMurry University Quad.***

Put on your dancing shoes and pack the house for a live performance by Last Dance Band. This dance is specifically for those 55 years and older. 

The world’s most famous Brass group comes to Abilene! Renowned for genre-bending versatility and joyous performances, the award-winning Canadian Brass is almost single-handedly responsible for elevating the art of the brass quintet to what it is today. They will be joining your Abilene Philharmonic in a performance of New York cityscapes by Jeff Tyzik. Also on the program is Overture to the School for Scandal by Barber and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.

Enjoy live music safely on the patio featuring James Tuff and The Southern Trouble at Heff's.

After witnessing a Mafia murder, musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) improvise a quick plan to escape from Chicago. Disguising as women, they join an all-female jazz band and hop a train bound for sunny Florida. While Joe pretends to be a millionaire to win the band's sexy singer, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), Jerry finds himself pursued by a real millionaire (Joe E. Brown) as things heat up and the mobsters close in. 1959. comedy/romance, 2 hours and 22 minutes (with intermission). PG

Austin singer/songwriter Joe McDermott gets little ones singing and dancing at the Children's Art & Literacy Festival every year. See him perform in the Storybook Garden. Four performances with limited number of families allowed for each 45-minute show: 6 & 7:30 pm Friday, 9 & 10:30 am Saturday. Bring a blanket and spread out on the garden lawn. Masks encouraged. Price includes a make-and-take craft. Hosted by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council and Young Audiences of Abilene.

Texas West State Little League Baseball ages 9-11, Intermediate & Senior divisions. Watch as 12 baseball teams compete to become the State Champions in their division.

Texas West State Little League Softball Championships. Watch as 19 Little League Softball teams compete for State Championships.

USTA sanctioned Championship Junior Major Zone tennis tournament. Youth Championships return to Abilene! Tournament will be held at several Abilene tennis courts. Rose Park, Abilene Country Club, Wylie High School, East Junior High and Wylie West.

The safe way to get out and play!

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge. (Including some complimentary food and drink samples). A great way to spend a slow morning with family and friends or solo. 7% of each ticket and merchandise sales go towards Work Again West Texas. (A non profit that works with neighbors experiencing homelessness).

The Parade of Homes is a showcase of new and remodeled homes in the Abilene area. This event features homes that will be open for viewing over two weekends. For information about the homes visit http://www.bigcountryhomebuilders.com/parade-of-homes.

Enjoy live music safely on the patio featuring Parkside at Heff's.

Join in for an evening of fun featuring K.T. and the Blues Scientists, Mr. Happy and The Groove Kids, Max Alan and The VooDoo Brothers, and Jackson Hatch and The EastLake Band. 

This event will include a five judge American Quarter Horse Association show, plus a pending SE show, and several APHA shows (pending).

A yoga class on a stand up paddleboard. Come and enjoy a West Texas sunset and explore a cooler type of yoga on water. No yoga or paddleboard experience is required. Tickets include your paddle board, paddle, life jacket and yoga. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. (It is very important that they have your email address and cell phone number in your student record as classes may be canceled or rescheduled up to an hour before the session due to changing wind or weather conditions. They need to know how to reach you!) Please arrive 10-15 early so they can get waivers filled out and get set up out on the lake.

Put on your dancing shoes and pack the house for a live performance by Midnight Blue. This dance is specifically for those 55 years and older.

Enjoy great food and music by the Boone Dugan Band Live at Lytle. 

USA Softball of Texas Girls Pixie State Qualifying Tournament. This is a new tournament which is a qualifier for the state tournament in the Pixie division.

Pending weather and coronavirus concerns, Shotwell Stadium will three ceremonies on the weekend of July 17-18. Abilene High will celebrate at 8 p.m. July 17. The next day then will feature two ceremonies, as the Academy of Technology, Engineering, Math and Science will gather at 8:30 a.m. and Cooper High will graduate at 8 p.m.

The goal is to provide you with a full schedule of quality matches during the weekend, giving all participants the opportunity to improve as players, teammates, and young women of character. They will guarantee 12 matches or 24 sets to allow plenty of chances for all athletes to get ample time out on the floor.

Come dance and enjoy live music by the Kirk House Band.

Mulligans Outdoor Bash featuring Mike Ryan, Bart Crow and Matt Stapp. Gates open at 5:00 p.m.

Five high school students endure Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. The disparate group includes rebel John (Judd Nelson), princess Claire (Molly Ringwald), outcast Allison (Ally Sheedy), brainy Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) and Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the jock. When the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same. 1985, Comedy/Drama, 1 hour 47 minutes (with intermission). Rated R.

This two night special event is filled with a variety of the best local musical talent and their versions of Beatles songs. In addition to the great tunes, there will be mini golf, vendors, artists, food and more! 

Family-friendly activities include games, live music, May Farm Petting Zoo, and a living history program by the Texas Camel Corps! Chuckwagon food samples will give guests a taste of cowboy life, while desserts from Sugar Happy Eats will be available for purchase.

The Parade of Homes is a showcase of new and remodeled homes in the Abilene area. This event features homes that will be open for viewing over two weekends. For information about the homes visit http://www.bigcountryhomebuilders.com/parade-of-homes.

Bring your dog to Sweet Piggy Ceramics to paint a 6x6 tile of their paw prints!

WAPT provides a pathway for women professional golfers to the LPGA Tour. $7,500 guaranteed minimum for 1st, estimated purse: $40,000. Host Professional: Jimmy Tidwell. Format: Event will consist of 72-holes of stroke play (weather permitting). Fields will be cut after 54 holes to the top 40% of the starting field, including ties (maximum of 60 and ties). Amateurs are included in the cut number. Tournament days are Tuesday-Friday. Registration ends May 3rd.

Live at Lytle features Blan Scott on the patio. The patio opens at 5:00 p.m.

Put on your dancing shoes and pack the house for a live performance by Muddy Creek. This dance is specifically for those 55 years and older. 

Showmanship clinic and contest, educational sessions, games, buckles, trophies, banners and cash! Judges are Dan and Mark Hoge. Brought to you by Sandhills Stock Show and Battle of the Cattle.

Since Abilene was not able to enjoy the marionettes at the Children's Art & Literacy Festival this year, the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council and Young Audiences of Abilene decided to invite them down to the Storybook Capital of America for a little socially distanced entertainment! In order to stay in accordance with CDC guidelines, there will be four show times and each performance will be limited to approximately 90 people. Families will be asked to sit 6 feet apart from other families and masks are strongly encouraged. Picnic blankets are welcomed, but please no chairs. This is an outdoor event so please prepare accordingly. There will be a take-and-make craft available for the kids to do at their own pace in their own space, and hopefully there will be a food truck available on Friday night.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… The Imperial Forces—under orders from cruel Darth Vader—hold Princess Leia hostage, in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the galaxy. Rated PG. 1977. Sci-Fi. 2 hours 5 minutes NO INTERMISSION. Seating is very limited.

Texas West State Little League Baseball - Ages 8-10, Little League and Junior League Baseball Championships. Watch as 12 teams compete for State Championships.

USA Softball of Texas qualifying tournament.

Ride through the rolling hills just a few minutes south of Abilene, relax at the pavilion area and enjoy the food and raffles. All proceeds from this event benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters.Three race distances to choose from Saturday:11 miles, 31 miles (50K) and 100K.

Exposure Basketball Tournament in Texas is open to all AAU and High School Basketball Teams. Event will showcase the top programs from TX, OK, LA and MS. Pool play on Saturday followed by bracket play on Sunday. Boys & Girls ages 13U-18U. A, B or C Skill Level Teams. 

In the 23rd century, a New York City cabbie, Korben Dallas, finds the fate of the world in his hands when Leeloo falls into his cab. As the embodiment of the fifth element, Leeloo needs to combine with the other four to keep the approaching Great Evil from destroying the world. Together with Father Vito Cornelius and zany broadcaster Ruby Rhod, Dallas must race against time and the wicked industrialist Zorg to save humanity. PG-13. 1997. Action/Sci-fi. 2hr 7m NO INTERMISSION. Seating is limited.

Live at Lytle features Jim Sadler on the patio. The patio opens at 5:00 p.m.

Put on your dancing shoes and pack the house for a live performance by Exit 277. This dance is specifically for those 55 years and older. 

Anime Sekai is a three day convention that celebrates Japanese culture, geek culture, anime & manga, cosplay, tabletop & video gaming, comics, TV shows, and movies. There will also be special guest appearances, artists, vendors, exciting panels, contests, giveaways, events, and collectibles.

Intercollegiate Tennis Association Summer Circuit - Collegiate tennis competition held at ACU and Rose Park Tennis Center.

The Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union & Beltway Park Church Summer Family Film Series is back! Kicking off with 'The Princess and The Frog'. Please see Paramount website for reopening details.

Two of your West Texas favorites, Aaron Watson & dinner by Perini Ranch Steakhouse! Tickets featuring two of Buffalo Gap's favorite personalities. You don't want to miss this intimate evening.

A yoga class on a stand up paddleboard. Come and enjoy a West Texas sunset and explore a cooler type of yoga on water. No yoga or paddleboard experience is required. Tickets include your paddle board, paddle, life jacket and yoga. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. (It is very important that they have your email address and cell phone number in your student record as classes may be canceled or rescheduled up to an hour before the session due to changing wind or weather conditions. They need to know how to reach you!) Please arrive 10-15 early so they can get waivers filled out and get set up out on the lake.

The Farm to Table Dinner will highlight a three course meal provided by local culinary experts, using fresh and local farm grown ingredients. Each course will be paired with locally crafted beer and wine, giving guests the opportunity to explore the taste of divine flavors and exceptional cuisine. Funds from this event are used to support our local youth livestock show.

'Try To Remember' a time when this romantic charmer wasn't enchanting audiences around the world. The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in the world and with good reason: at the heart of its breathtaking poetry and subtle theatrical sophistication is a purity and simplicity that transcends cultural barriers. The result is a timeless fable of love that manages to be nostalgic and universal at the same time.

***This performance will be produced in the form of a dynamic stage reading/concert. We recommend patrons to bring a lawn chair or a blanket the performance. Chairs will not be provided in the McMurry University Quad.***

Put on your dancing shoes and pack the house for a live performance by Moonlight Bandits. This dance is specifically for those 55 years and older. 

Dr. Ben McKenna (James Stewart) is on vacation with his wife (Doris Day) and son in Morocco when a stranger, killed in front of the family in the marketplace, reveals an assassination plot to the Americans. The couple's son is abducted in order to ensure the plot is kept secret, and suddenly the mother and father, with no help from the police, must figure out a way to get their child back. 1956, drama/mystery, 2 hours and 10 minutes (with intermission). Rated PG.

11 a.m. Commencement: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Biblical Studies, School of Nursing

3 p.m. Commencement: College of Business Administration, College of Education and Human Services

This walking tour is a fun, poetic and informative adventure of Downtown Abilene that includes history, current creativity, local business knowledge. (Including some complimentary food and drink samples). A great way to spend a slow morning with family and friends or solo. 7% of each ticket and merchandise sales go towards Work Again West Texas. (A non profit that works with neighbors experiencing homelessness).

Commencement ceremonies for both Spring and Summer graduates below:

10 a.m. Commencement: Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics, the Parker College of Liberal Arts, the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing, the College of Health Professions, and the Logsdon School of Theology and Logsdon Seminary

2 p.m. Commencement: College of Human Sciences and Educational Studies, the Kelley College of Business, and the College of Fine Arts

Blast off into the stars for a dance that is out of this world. Sons 3-13 and moms and mother figures are welcome to join in for some dancing, food, games, and more. Register online at www.abilenetx.gov/signup - This event was originally May 18, but has been postponed to August 8! 

Abilene Bowhunters Association has been in existence for more than 40 years. The association has a history of many championship shooters. The range is 200+ acres of West Texas oak and cedar trees secluded in the hills south of Abilene. It is considered one of the finest facilities in the state.

David McManaway’s Studio Revisited is designed to recreate the experience of visiting the studio that is now gone but certainly not forgotten by those who were privileged see firsthand McManaway’s world. An artist’s studio is typically described as a creative laboratory where all the required tools and materials await the master’s creative transformation into fine art. But, David McManaway’s studio was not typical. McManaway moved to Munger Place in Dallas from Chicago in the 1959. He soon abandoned painting in favor of assemblage; a medium that required a completely different set of tools. Over the following decades McManaway covered his studio walls, ceilings and table tops with carefully selected, reclaimed, cultural castoffs that became his primary medium. After McManaway’s death in 2010, his longtime studio assistant, Robin Ragin undertook the daunting task of documenting and saving the contents of the studio. Ragin’s efforts inspired the concept and provided the contents necessary to replicate the studio at the Grace Museum. Lenders to the exhibition and many individuals who worked with McManaway enthusiastically supported this effort to recreate this one last visit to the legendary studio.

Photographer David H. Gibson met David McManaway in 1964. A long friendship followed and in 1993 Gibson began documenting McManaway’s extraordinary studio. A visit to McManaway’s studio was akin to stepping into one of McManaway’s works of art; walls, ceilings and table tops covered with carefully selected cultural castoffs silently awaiting a second chance as fine art. Gibson’s photographs of the studio, dismantled after McManaway’s death in 2010, are as close as we can get to walking into McManaway’s unique, (Mojo) Jomo themed amusement park.

The fine art of found objects defied the status quo to become a major art movement in the last decades of the 20th century. Inspired by Picasso and Braque’s 1912 experiments with paper and print and Marcel Duchamp’s “readymades”, Dada and Surrealism made anything and everything a medium for serious art making. Appropriation of images from popular culture took the form in realistic paintings of objects, collage work and printmaking. Subsequently, the appropriation of found objects into two and three-dimensional mixed media assemblage work became the bedrock of 21st century, interactive, art installations. This exhibition presents a selection of art work based on appropriated found objects in a variety of media selected from The Grace Museum permanent collection by Kirk Hayes, Robert Rauschenberg, Vernon Fisher, Linda Ridgway, Martin Delabano, William Farr, and Clint Hamilton.

Down the hall from Breed Gallery is the Bill and Alice Wright Photo Gallery, reserved for works by our Artist Members and other distinguished Texas photographers. 

Enjoy a variety of Summer Camps offered by The Grace Museum! For more information and a list of camps, please visist https://www.thegracemuseum.org/grace-academy 

The retrospective exhibition Encore: A Look Back will open June 11th from 12 to 4 pm. It will include pieces from all artists featured in CALF from years past starting in 2012 with Dr. Seuss. Relive your favorite pieces from the exhibition and see stunning work you may have missed! Come celebrate the opening of this new exhibition! Art on graphic copyright William Joyce, Peter Brown, David Shannon, Oliver Jeffers, and Mark Teague.