Fritz Fest 2006 - 9/2

Enjoy great live music, dancing, arts & crafts and other vendors, and food & beverages a la carte on Fredericksburg, Texas' Marktplatz at Fritz Fest 2006.

Please note: Musical entertainment $15 at the gate for Saturday or Sunday. Advance tickets for $12 are available online.

Saturday, Sept. 2nd
10AM - 12 midnight: Gates open
1 pm – 5 pm: "Smith and Warwick"
6:30 pm: "Jon Dee Graham"
8:00 pm: "Omar and the Howlers"
9:30 pm: "Jon Dee Graham"
10:30 pm: "Omar and the Howlers"
Sunday, September 3rd
10AM - 12 midnight: Gates open
1PM - 4PM: Spank Sinatra
4:30PM: The Copy Cat Trio
8PM: Johnny Dee & the Rocket 88's

Luckenbach's Labor Day Weekend Celebration - 9/3-4

Butch Morgan and the H!X will be the featuring entertainment at Luckenbach, Texas' Labor day Celebration. Call 830-997-3224 for more information.

Becker Vineyards' Grape Stomp - 9/2-3

Stomp grapes at Becker Vineyards' annual Grape Stomp! Purchase souvenir t-shirts and "stomp" your prints on the back!

Becker Vineyards is located 10 miles east of Fredericksburg, texas, and 3 miles west of Stonewall off Hwy 290 on Jenschke Lane. Come visit! Call (830) 644-2681 for information.

Doss Volunteer Fire Dept. Annual FishFry & Prize Giveaway

The Doss Volunteer Fire Department is having their annual Fish Fry & Prize Giveaway! You won't want to miss out on fried catfish with all the trimmin's plus homemade dessert. Serving starts at 4:30PM and meal price is by donation. A prize giveaway for over 60 prizes will be held during the meal. Prize tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Call (830) 669-2353 for more information.

Quilts of Friendship - Quilt Show and Auction - 9/1-3

Come join the fun at the Vereins Quilt Guild of Fredericksburg’s Quilt Show, Auction, Boutique and Tea Room. The show will be held at the American Legion Hall, 726 Hwy. 87 South (Washington St.) on September 1-3, 2006. Friday and Saturday the time will be 10am-5pm and Sunday from 11am-4pm. Come for the show plus relax and enjoy a wonderful lunch in our Tea Room. There will be 100+ beautiful quilts, wearable art, wall hangings, vendors, and boutique with outstanding handmade items. We will also be showcasing a Trunk Show of Darlene Christopherson. Admission is $4/per person.

Vereins Quilt Guild is a non-profit organization that contributes our services and quilts to many local charities. Our guild supports Child Protective Services with quilts for children removed from their homes in four counties, Habitat for Humanity families, and many other organizations.

Hill Country Rendezvous - 9/1-3

The Hill Country Rendezvous is a MINI Cooper Rally in the heart of the beautiful Texas Hill Country, and benefits the Fredericksburg Academic Boosters. Expect scenic and windy hill country roads for the Rally ride, and all registrants are given complimentary admission to the 2006 Fritz Fest (Sat., Sept. 2 & Sun., Sept. 3).
Online registration available for your convenience.

ITINERARY
Friday, September 1
6:30 - 9:00 p.m. plus Social at Hondo's
World's Record, number to beat 63 MINIs on Main Street

Saturday, September 2
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Registration -- Corner of Crockett St. & Main St.
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Hangout on Main St.
Walking Raffle. Visit with other MINI owners, take pictures, etc...
Marktplatz - FRITZtown FEST
Great Blues live music; shopping, food and beverages a la carte
11:30 a.m. (first out) Po Po Road Trip - EATS and the Chipotle Dash
Staggered starts with map and directions - great drive! (Lunch is not included in registration fee.)
10:00 a.m. - 12 midnight FRITZtown FEST at Marktplatz
Plenty of shopping, food and beverages and great Blues live music!

Sunday, September 3
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration -- Lady Bird Johnson Park Pioneer Pavillion
7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Cowboy Breakfast (included in registration fee)
9:00 a.m. (first out) "Back to School" Road Trip and Raffle -- navigator required
Staggered starts - 3+ hour drive with lots-o-Twistees! For you repeats: 4 new schools plus 1 old school.
1:00 p.m. - finish Sunday meal (by donation)
10:00 a.m. - 12 midnight FRITZtown FEST at Marktplatz
It's Rockabilly! It's Rock and Roll! Shopping, food and beverages a la carte.

Second Annual B&B and Cuisine Tour on the Horizon

Want to know what local B&Bs and guesthouses look like on the inside? The Fredericksburg Area Lodging & Hospitality Association's Second Annual B&B and Cuisine tour on Sunday, September 10, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. offers you the opportunity for a first-hand look at 12 properties. The tour is $25 per person. To purchase tickets call 997-8515 or visit www.tours.myfredericksburg.net.

4th Annual Hill Country Heroes Benefit - 9/1-3

The Hog Stop Inn & Ice Haus, 10207 E Us Highway 290, in fredericksbugr, Texas, is hosting the 4th Annual Hill Country Heroes Benefit on Labor Day Weekend 2006 - a benefit to raise money for the families of Texas soldiers lost in Operation Iraqi Freedom. There will be live music, a poker run, and auction. Admission is $25 for the weekend but day passes will also be available. Please call 830-997-6166 for more information.

42nd Annual Harper Frontier Days & Rodeo - 9/1

Harper is hosting its 42nd Annual Harper Frontier Days & Rodeo! Come out and enjoy the Rodeo, Dances, a Parade, Washers, BBQ, Pond Fishing, Mutton Busting, Calf Scramble, & Concessions at Harper Community Park, US Hwy 290 West in Harper. Call 830-864-4912 or 830-864-4050 for more information.
Fri Sept 1, 2006
Concessions - 7:00 pm
Lester Meier Rodeo - 8:00 PM ($7 adult, $3 children) includes calf scramble & mutton busting
Dance w/ Meyer Anderson - 9:00 pm ($6) (7 & under free)

Sat., Sept 2, 2006
Concessions - 10:00 am
Arts and Crafts Booths - 10:00
Domino "42" Tournament - 10:00 ($20/team)
Pond Fishing Contest - 10:00 (ages 1-12)
Washers - 1:00 ($30/team)
Horseshoes - 3:00 ($30/team)
Jam Session with local musicians - 3:00
Parade - 5:00 (Main Street)
BBQ Meal - 6:00 ($6/plate) to go available
Lester Meier Rodeo - 8:00 ($7 adult, $3 children) includes calf scramble & mutton busting
Dance (Chad Reilly) - 9:00 ($6) (7 & under free)

Lyndon Johnson Remembered in Wreath-Laying Ceremony - Aug. 27

Annual commemoration of President Lyndon B. Johnson's birthday. Short program held at the Johnson Family Cemetery. Board tour bus at the LBJ State Park Visitor Center at 10AM to attend the ceremony.

No admission - board bus at LBJ State Park and Historic Site, which is located 2 miles east of Stonewall, 14 miles west of Johnson City on US Highway 290 toward Fredericksburg. Adjacent to both Ranch Road 1 and US Highway 290; enter on Park Road 52.

Fall Creek Vineyards Grape Stomp & Harvest Festival

On Saturday, August 26, Fall Creek Vineyards in Tow, Texas, will host a classic, vineyard-style, “Bare” Foot Grape Stomp with the “I Love Lucy” Video Playing, from 11:00am – 5:00pm Rain or Shine! (All events indoors or “mist cooled” for comfort)

Complimentary Family Festivities to Include:
• Grape Stomping
• Guided Winery Tours
• Castle Bounce
• Wine Tasting
• Hayrides
• Live Music

Make Your Group Reservations Now!

Reserved Seating & Pre-Ordered Box Lunch
Prepared by TCA Chefs/Students: BBQ Chicken with potato salad, and cookie ($7)
*Fall Creek Wine purchased, in addition*

Cooking Demonstration Lunch - 11:30 am or 1:30 pm - will be offered on both Saturdays. Make your reservation NOW for the demonstration and lunch paired with a glass of wine for each course at $22/person. Featured Texas Culinary Academy Chef Marc Dunham will be preparing Grilled Hanger Steak with Roasted Corn Cakes and Avocado Crème on both Saturdays. Chef Mark Schmidt from Café 909 in Marble Falls will also be preparing a delicious entrée on August 19th to accompany Chef Marc Dunham’s course. On August 26th Chef Alma Alcocer of Jeffrey’s Restaurant in Austin will be preparing Blue Prawns with Three Tomato Gazpacho to accompany Chef Marc Dunham’s course. Award-winning Fall Creek Vineyard wines will be paired with each of the courses at the demonstration luncheons.

No admission fee. Groups of 15 or more may take advantage of group tour times & special offerings. Free Parking is adjacent to the vineyards. The winery offers tours, tastings and gift shop daily with the exception of major holidays. Monday – Friday, 11am – 4 pm; Saturday, 11 am – 5pm; and Sunday, 12 noon – 4 pm

ARTS Encounters with the Benini's - 8/26-27

ARTS Encounters at The Benini Foundation Galleries & Sculpture Ranch in Johnson City is a fun & unique artsy-thing to do, and happens on a monthly basis! All events are free of charge and EVERYONE's welcome!

ARTS Encounters Hours: Saturday, August 26th, the event runs from 10AM - 6PM, while on Sunday, August 27th, the event runs from 1PM - 6PM. Presentations begin at 1:30 p.m.

Wildlife - lions, parrots, orangutans and his trademark ostriches - all are captured on canvas and paper by D. Arthur Wilson, the featured artist at August's ARTS Encounters.

Art Birdhouses on Exhibit at Fredericksburg Winery

Twenty-four artists have designed birdhouses for Habitat for Humanity, which will be part of a silent and live auction on Thursday, September 7, at the organization’s fall fund raising dinner. The art birdhouses are now on display at Fredericksburg Winery, 247 West Main, on Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays noon to 5:30 p.m. through September 6th. Tickets for the dinner are on sale at Cuvee, 342 West Main Street, or by calling Habitat for Humanity at (830)990-8585.

August Harvest Wine Trail - Aug 25-27

Head out for a leisurely drive through the Texas Hill Country and explore the August Harvest Wine Trail! This event will take you through newly picked vineyards to wineries filled with the smells of new wine and the excitement of the harvest season.

Sixteen wineries in the Hill Country will be participating and joining together to showcase beautiful vineyards, wineries and wines. Harvest is such a wonderful time of year it seems only natural to share it with other wine lovers and how better than grape stomps, barrel tasting, and vertical tasting of different years vintages! Purchase a ticket and at each winery you visit, and enter their drawing for wines, dinners, and stays at local B&B's.

Tickets are $25. Please call (866) 621-9463 for more info.

Country Music Showdown - Thursday 8/24 8pm

Sponsored by Texas Rebel Radio, the "Showdown" is a local contest for upcoming entertainers to go up the ladder to State, Regional, and then National. No admission.
For more information, please contact Rick Star or Amanda Jung at (830) 997-2197.

Gillespie County Implements Lodging Occupancy Tax

On Monday, August 14, the County Commissioners passed a resolution implementing a 7% lodging occupancy tax in the county, effective January 1, 2007. This resolution does not affect any accommodations currently collecting the city’s 7% occupancy tax.

Art Past Dark Kick-Off Reception

The Fredericksburg Alliance of Arts & Antiques (FAAA) will be holding a kick-off reception for this fall's Art Past Dark weekend on Thursday, August 24th, from 6PM - 7:30PM at Bonterra Restaurant, 1440 N US Highway 87. All artists, visual arts groups, performing arts organizations and gallery owners in the community are invited to attend and learn about Art Past Dark participation opportunities. Community members who may be interested in assisting with the Art Past Dark Gala are also invited. Call 830-997-6523 for more information.

118th Annual Gillespie County Fair

The Gillespie County Fair is the oldest county fair in Texas and features agricultural and livestock exhibits that showcase the Hill Country's best!

Wright's Amusements & Midway bring a variety of rides and games for the 4 days of the fair. Pari-mutuel live horse racing and simulcast dog & horse racing, mutton busting, horse shoes & washer pitching, arts and crafts, community exhibits, a talent show & 2 dances featuring local and national performers. See below for detailed schedule of events, as of June 5th, 2006.

Thursday, August 24th:
Fairground Gates open at 5 p.m.
Carnival and Midway open 5 p.m.
(Free admission –does not include carnival.)

Friday, August 25th:
118th Gillespie County Fair Parade – Main Street in Fbg – 10 a.m.
Fairground gates open after the parade.
2006 Gillespie County Fair Queen Contest – 7 p.m.
Dance – 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Carnival opens 12 noon to midnight
Admission: All students (Grades K through 12) are free; Kids under 6 are free; Senior citizens (65 & up) are free; Adults (General admission) is $5; Concert & Dance is $5.

Saturday, August 26th:
Fairground Gates open –10 a.m.
Carnival opens 11 a.m.
Pari-mutuel horse racing – Post time is 1 p.m.
Concert/Dance – 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Admission: Kids under 6 are free; Kids 6 - 12 years are $1; 13 - 18 years are $5; Adults (General Admission) are $5; Reserve Seats are $7; Box Seats are $9; Dance – TBA.

Sunday, August 27th:
Fairground gates open – 10 a.m.
Carnival opens 11 a.m.
Pari-mutuel horse racing – Post time 1 p.m.
Admission: Kids under 6 are free; Kids 6 - 12 years are $1; 13 - 18 years are $5; Adults (General Admission) are $5; Reserve Seats are $7; Box Seats are $9. For advance, reserve seat ticket sales, contact the Fair Grounds at (830) 997-2359.

Opera Wine Dinner - Becker Vineyards 8/20

Enjoy a wonderful Texas Hill Country evening with extravagant opera, sumptuous cuisine, and beautiful wines at Becker Vineyards with August E's Restaurant, Sunday, Aug. 20.

Becker Vineyards wines will be paired with August E's four course dinner and American-born lyric tenor, Paul Alexander Just, will perform various arias from his favorite Italian operas, such as: La boheme, Turandot, Cosi fan tutte, L'elisir d' Amore, Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, and other arias from Pucini and Verdi.

Originally hailing from South Dakota, Paul Alexander Just, 23, a graduate of St. John's University, Minnesota, is in his first year of the Masters in Opera Performance program at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He is currently under the tutelage of Dutch tenor, Roeolf Oostwoud, and studied previously with American soprano, Marcie Hagen.

The Opera Wine Dinner is $75 per person, plus tax.

Directions: Becker Vineyards is 11 miles east of Fredericksburg, 3 miles west of Stonewall off US Hwy 290 on Jenschke Lane.

Reservations: Becker Vineyards 830-644-2681.

The Hanger Hotel in Fredericksburg, Texas presents "The Flash Backs", a 14-piece big band will be providing the live entertainment, with swing dance lessons from 7PM - 8PM and followed up with a swing dance contest. The band plays from 8PM - 11:30PM, and tickets are $20 per person. Dress in military uniform and receive a free drink at the Officers' Club.

The Hanger Hotel is at 155 Airport Road. Call (830) 997-9990 for information.

Roots Music in the Texas Hill Country - Aug. 19

Presented by the Gillespie County Historical Society, Roots Music in the Texas Hill Country is a concert series (now in its 4th season) that presents concerts focusing on America's main genres of music. This weekend, it is Jazz and Texas Swing, with A Case of the Gimbles and Paris 49 Jazz Band.

The concert will be at the Historical Society,309 W Main St. in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Gates open at 5PM; music gets started at 6PM and runs until 10PM. Tickets are $10. Children 11 & under are free. A $2.00 discount coupon may be printed simply by printing this page & bringing the page with you to the concert.

Please bring your own lawn chairs. Food & beverages will be available for purchase. No coolers are allowed on the grounds. Beverages may not be removed from the premise. Pets are welcome on a leash.

PCAA Summer Concert Series - 8/20 - 6;30 pm

Sponsored by the non-profit Pedernales Creative Arts Alliance, this free summer concert series is presented as a "Thank-you" to the volunteers of the community for its support.

All concerts are held downtown at Marktplatz, in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas, from 6:30 pm until 8 pm. Bring your friends, your lawn chairs, and some snacks!

This month: Terry Cavanaugh and Alpine Express.

Rambling Rose & Summer Wine Tasting at Becker Vineyards

Participants will enjoy a perfect afternoon with rose and summer wine tasting, a tour of Becker Vineyards and a game of bocce ball! Times of event are: 12PM, 1:30PM, 3PM & 4:30PM, on Saturday Augist 19 at becker Vineyards, east of Fredericksburg, Texas.

The 275th anniversary of the arrival of Canary Island settlers in San Antonio has inspired this year's food theme: the Reign of Spain. Through sumptuous dinners, seminars, and samplings, the Festival will investigate both the Spanish influence on New World cuisine and trends in contemporary Spanish cooking. Putting it all together will be Gerry Dawes,frequently referred to as "Mr. Spain" in journalistic circles and called an "unimpeachable Spanish food and wine specialist" by the editors of Food Arts magazine.

Chefs from the Canary Islands and mainland Spain are anticipated; Spain in Mexico will be represented by Chef Bruno Oteiza of Tezka, a restaurant owned by Juan Mari Arzak of the Michelin 3-starred Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain; and notable American chefs working in the Spanish idiom have also been invited. Bolstering the theme from the wine perspective will be Miguel Torres Jr. representing his family's vast interests in both Spain and Chile. Torres will be only one of several prominent, participating wine dynasties with roots in both the Old and New World; Laurent Drouhin will also offer his family's wines from both France and Oregon.

Doss Community Fair

This is the 150th anniversary of the Doss Community! Enjoy exhibits and memorabilia, baking contests & bake sale, beard contests, a 3-act play at 8PM, and delicious barbecue will be sold by the pound at 11AM and 6PM. Visit the Doss Cimmunity Fair Saturday August 19, at the Doss, Texas community center. Call (830) 669-2353 for more information.

Billie Pride Blast-Off

On Saturday, August 19, Fredericksburg High School students come out and show what they've worked on over the summer at the various camps they've attended. The Blast Off will start at 8 pm at Fredericksburg High School Stadium. Call (830) 997-7551 for details.

August Harvest Wine Trail - Aug 18-20

Head out for a leisurely drive in the Texas Hill Country and explore the August Harvest Wine Trail! This event will take you through newly picked vineyards to wineries filled with the smells of new wine and the excitement of the harvest season.

Sixteen wineries in the Hill Country will be participating and joining together to showcase beautiful vineyards, wineries and wines. Harvest is such a wonderful time of year it seems only natural to share it with other wine lovers and how better than grape stomps, barrel tasting, and vertical tasting of different years vintages! Purchase a ticket and at each winery you visit, and enter their drawing for wines, dinners, and stays at local B&B's.

Tickets are $25. Please call(866) 621-9463 for more information.

"Shadowlands" Continues This Weekend

The Fredericksburg Theater Company presents Shadowlands, continuing this weekend at the Gillespie County Historical Society at 312 West San Antonio Street. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings and at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays for the next three weekends. For ticket information, call (830)997-3588 or visit www.fredericksburgtheater.org .

Chad Windham Photographic Exhibition and Reception

Come to Photography 414 for an exhibition featuring works by the Dallas-based photographer, Chad Winham. There will be a reception at the gallery, 414 E. Main Street, Friday night, July 7.

Regular Gallery hours are 11 am to 7pm Thursday-Saturday. Exhibition runs July 7-August 18, 2006.

Pari-mutuel Horse Racing - 2006 Season

The Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association presents pari-mutuel horse racing the whole family can enjoy, and the summer season brings four weekends of live horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the fair ground's class three track. Racing weekends include dancing, entertainment, a variety of food and drink along with all of the attractions of historic Fredericksburg, Texas. Live races feature quarter horse and thoroughbred racing as well as special races, trials and futurities, and additionally, you can also enjoy the Race Barn, a pari-mutuel simulcast building featuring greyhound, thoroughbred, and quarter horse races from all over the country in state of the art simulcast facilities. The Race Barn is pleasantly air-conditioned and includes a restaurant and full bar.

Admission for live racing is $4 for adults (except during the County Fair (Aug. 26th & 27th) when they are $5), $1 for children 6 to 12 years of age and free for children under 6. Reserve seats are $7 and box seats are $9. MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Tickets can be bought in advance and reserved by calling (830) 997-2359.

The races are Saturday, August 12, 2006 thru Sunday, August 13, 2006. Post time is 1PM. The gillespie county fairgrounds are 3 miles south of Main Street on Highway 16 South.

Free Gardening Lecture at Oma's Haus & Garten Ctr.

Stop by Oma's Haus & Garten Center at 1107 N Llano Street in Fredericksburg, Texas, for a short, free discussion on the correct planting dates for our area, what varieties to plant, how to amend your soil, and whether seeding or planting starts is the better method. Also learn organic alternatives to dealing with pests and diseases. The lecture begins at 10 am. Call (830) 997-0105 for information.

Cory Morrow - Live at Luckenbach 8/12

Cory Morrow will headline the Back to School Bash at Luckenbach on this Saturday, August 12, with entertainment starting at 3:00 p.m. For more information, call (830)997-3224 or visit www.luckenbachtexas.com .

Art Gallery & Studio Tour by Sherryl Brown Fine Art

Sponsored by Sherryl Brown Fine Art, the Art Gallery & Studio Tour will visit the following Fredericksburg, Texas destinations:

• Fredericksburg Art Gallery
• Nancy Bush Studio & Gallery (tentative)
• Artisans at Rocky Hill
• Fiesta Gallery at Rocky Hill
• Eyfells and Eyfells

Cost: $15.00 per person. Children 12 and over are welcome. Transportation is provided. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling Sherryl Brown at (830) 990-9305.

Christmas Holiday Guide Now Available

The Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau has produced its first glossy “Christmas Holiday Guide.” It describes holiday shopping, holiday events and overnight lodging in Fredericksburg from Thanksgiving weekend to New Year’s Day. Approximately 15,000 guides will be distributed over the next three to four months. Call (830) 997-6523 to get your copy.

Lonesome Dove Trading Company Now Open

Upper-end home furnishings from national suppliers are now offered at Lonesome Dove Trading Company, located at 402 East Main Street. Congratulations to all involved in the transformation of an ugly vacant lot into a beautiful new shopping experience in the heart of Fredericksburg! The phone number is (830)997-6750.

Harper Library Benefit

Annual benefit for the Harper library featuring music, readings, book signings, food, prizes, and an auction, held at Harper Community Park in Harper, TX 78631.

Please contact Peggy Ernst at (830) 864-4388 for details.

Sales Tax Holiday This Weekend

This weekend, August 4 - 6, Texans will have the opportunity to shop tax-free for clothes and shoes priced under $100. For more information on the regulations and a list of items that are tax-free, visit www.window.state.tx.us .