KEEP YOUR GUESTS ENTERTAINED THIS SUMMER IN ABILENE — Do you have company coming to visit you this summer? Abilene has something for everyone and there is plenty to do. Have your summer guests check out all the activities in our backyard!

Take your guests to the Abilene Zoo for a “Sunset Safari.” Sunset Safari allows you to enjoy your visit longer during the summertime with extended hours until 9 p.m. Thursday. For more information, call (325) 676-6085.

If your guests are set on seeing a show, the summer months are a great time for live theater in Abilene. See a live performance featuring Abilene’s premiere of Mel Brooks’ Broadway hit, “The Producers,” starring local talent live at the Paramount Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Call (325) 676-9620 for ticket information.
Free performances of “Henry IV, Part One” will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Abilene Shakespeare Festival at the ACU Williams Performing Arts Center, Fulks Theatre. The tone of this play alternates between very serious drama and fast-paced comedy. Call (325) 674-2787 for ticket information.

Will you be entertaining families with children? Abilene’s attractions have a place for your young guests at their summer camps! Frontier Texas! will be hosting a camp for adventurous children, grades 4-6, who want to experience the dramatic challenges of trying to survive the Texas Frontier. The children will be busy at camp creating a movie based on frontier life. The movie will premiere at the end of camp. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cost is $55 for members and $65 for non-members. The fee includes all supplies, t-shirt, snacks, activities and a DVD. For more information, call (325) 437-2800 or register online at www.frontiertexas.com. For a list of all summer camps, log-on to www.abilenevisitors.com/calendar.

For sports fans in the family, don’t forget that the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Track and Field Junior Olympic National Qualifier will be hosted at Hardin-Simmons and Abilene Christian University. Events begin at 8 a.m., today-Sunday. Cost is $5 at the gate. For more information, contact Debi Schultz at (325) 676-2556.

Outdoor adventurers, join Mayor Norm Archibald for a hike around Lake Abilene, Saturday. Have your family and leashed dogs in tow and be ready to hike as long as you like! Sponsored by the Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness. Water provided. 9 a.m. at the Abilene State Park. Free to the public. For more information, log on to www.myfitnessabilene.com or call (325) 676-6677.

Give your guests a taste of Abilene’s real western heritage! The Southwest Invitational Team Roping will be held Saturday at the Taylor County Expo Center. The Big Country Quarter Horse Association Summer Circuit will be held Friday through Sunday in the Expo Center Horse Barn. Call (325) 677-4376.

In the art and culture scene this summer is “Art After Hours” from 6:30-7:30 p.m. beginning tonight at 510 Scurry Ave in Tuscola. Take part in art activities, group activities and workshops. Fun for both beginners and experienced artists wanting to socialize with other creative people. Join others for a relaxed atmosphere with good food, friends and conversation with professional art instruction as needed. This week’s meeting will feature instruction in landscape painting. Art After Hours is organized and led by professional artist and teacher, Pamela Gilbreth Watkins. For more information, call (325) 725-8729.
For the music enthusiast, be sure to gather downtown for “Jazz @ The Center,” Friday. The Center for Contemporary Arts’ galleries open at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by The Kris Kimura Quartet from Austin 8 p.m. to midnight. Enjoy exhibits by local artists before the show. This event is for individuals 21 and older. Cash bar available. $10 at the door. For more information, call (325) 677-8389.

Venture a little further to the 71st Annual Fort Griffin Fandangle, continuing Thursday through Saturday in Albany. The outdoor musical commemorates the rich history of the area and is performed by the residents of Albany. For tickets, call (325) 762-3838.

On your way to Albany, be sure to have a Windshield History CD in your car! Windshield History: Tales of the Texas Frontier from Fort Worth to Abilene, an Audio Tour of the Immigrants Trail West tells entertaining and educational tales about Abilene, Fort Griffin, Albany and much more! This production, along with the latest audio tour, Windshield History: Tales of the Texas Frontier Audio Tour II Abilene to Fort Worth Interstate 20 are available for just $6 at the Abilene CVB, Frontier Texas!, Texas Star Trading Co.,  the Texas Store at Buffalo Gap Historic Village and www.texasstartrading.com.  

Being the top host or hostess this summer is easy—keep an events calendar on hand for ideas to keep your guests entertained. Don’t forget that you can always purchase the Roundup Pass for your guests to admit them into all of Abilene’s prominent attractions. Roundup passes are $15 for adults and $7 for children age 16 and younger. Passes can be purchased at Abilene attractions, or the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1101 N. 1st St.

For more information on Abilene’s events or for an Events Calendar, visit www.abilenevisitors.com.



Shanna Smith is the Heritage Tourism & Special Projects Coordinator at the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau. Contact at shanna@abilene.com.