Harper VFD BBQ Benefit - 5/1

Coming together as a community to show the Harper volunteer fire department how much they are appreciated, this BBQ held at the Harper Fire Station at 4 pm benefits the department and helps them be able to purchase needed equipment. Cost is by donation. Tell a firefighter "Thank You!". Call (830) 864-4253 for more information.

Habitat for Humanity Golf Tournament - 5/1

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fredericksburg will host its Second Annual Golf Tournament. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Building & Renovation Fund of the local Habitat for Humanity organization. All funds will be used in the local area. Both golfers and sponsors are asked to reserve their spots now. The tournament will follow a Scramble Format with four-person teams. Registration is $80 per person and includes a goodie bag, lunch, social and awards party. Prizes will be awarded for the top five finishing teams, along with longest drive and closest to pin. Social, raffle, and awards ceremony will follow the event. Registration and lunch are set for 11:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies and shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. More information is available by contacting Melodi Frederick at 210-380-5275 or by emailing info@fbghabitat.org. Registration forms are also available at Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course.

Zonta Club and Cancer Support Group Relay for Life Team Fundraiser - Tonight!

Come enjoy a great night of music in support of the Zonta Club and Cancer Support Group Relay for Life Team's 8th Annual Fund-raiser this Wednesday, April 28 at Hondo's On Main at 312 W. Main, at 5:00 p.m. with the Fredericksburg High School Jazz Band. Tickets: $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Albert, Texas Branding Party - 5/1

A week before the grand reopening of the newly and extensively renovated Albert Dance Hall, the Texas-born Easley family, which purchased the historical Hill Country hamlet last fall, has invited locals to bring their branding irons to a party to make their marks on the new bar in the 88-year-old structure. Doors open to those who want to burn their brand into the bar in the Dance Hall, which has been sided with unfinished cedar and updated with sound, lights and more and its original pine floor refinished. Dances, concerts, weddings, community events and parties will bring new life to the grand old hall. Entry Saturday night is free for branders, who are invited to stay for a 7:30 p.m. show by Texas-country music artist Bill Rice
. For others, admission is $5. The following week, on Friday, May 7, the Easley's will host the Albert Dance Hall Grand Opening Concert featuring Abilene-based country music artist Aaron Watson, who just released his eighth album, ANGELS & OUTLAW. Doors open at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 through Front Gate Tickets: www.frontgatetickets.com; tickets will also be available at the door. The Easley family, led by Ed and Connie Easley and their son Brandon (elected as Town Manager), bought Albert as a fun family project, to rejuvenate its tradition of Texas hospitality for locals and Hill Country travelers, to renovate the property as a must-see destination and venue for reunions, rallies, corporate retreats and the like, and to care for and share the beauty of its pecan trees and ancient live oaks, stands of Texas wildflowers, and ever-flowing Williams Creek. Already a popular gathering spot, Albert Ice House is enjoying extended spring/summer hours, lots of live music and barbecue by Riley's BBQ of Blanco. The bar area has been expanded and Texas Star bar stools added. Outside, the patio/beer garden deck and its picnic tables, shaded by two massive 500-year-old live oaks, have been repaired and refinished; a stone fire pit built; the parking lot expanded and Iron Horse Corral (for bikers' rides) added; and the bathrooms glammed up. Albert, founded in 1892, 20 miles east of Fredericksburg, had a general store, a school that a young LBJ would attend and a post office. Despite efforts by descendants of the first residents, it had lost most of its population and a series of owner-caretakers and the school had been converted into the community center by the time the Easley family took the reins in fall 2009. The Dance Hall's grand reopening points to a future the Easley's envision, in their words, "a special place where friends and family gather and experience the simple pleasures and traditions that make the Texas Hill Country special."

Wildflower Driving Routes

Important! Please remain in your vehicle. Many areas in the Hill Country where wildflowers are abundant are on private property. You would be illegally trespassing should you go off the road. A traffic mishap or a poisonous bite or sting. If you would like to photograph the flowers, there are a number of public parks as well as attractions that you can safely take that special photograph of your family amongst the wildflowers. Enjoy our Hill Country but be safe! Gerry Gamel, Editor of the Mason County news adds:

Be aware that there ARE snakes and ants out and about. Make sure that the spot you're dropping your children isn't on top of a fire ant mound or over a snake den. Also, though the bluebonnets just across the fence are gorgeous, remember that they are also on private property. The landowner doesn't care if you're only going to be there a moment, you and the 45 other folks who have crawled through the fence have now provided a great spot for his calves to get out in the road, and he's not going to be amused.

Suggested driving routes for Fredericksburg-area wildflower trails:

• From Main Street, take FM 965 (N. Milam St.) 18 miles north to drive past Enchanted Rock, the second largest granite outcropping in the U.S. Continue on FM 965 to the intersection of State Hwy. 16, where you'll turn right (south) back towards Fredericksburg. This drive is approximately 50 miles.
  
• Take Main Street (US Hwy 290) east out of town towards Stonewall. In Stonewall turn left onto FM 1623 until it intersects with FM 2721. Turn left on FM 2721, and then after about 5.8 miles turn left on Jung Ln. Take Jung Ln. back to Hwy 290. Turning right on Hwy 290 will bring you back into Fredericksburg. This drive is approximately 30 miles.
• Take Main Street (US Hwy 290) east out of town towards Stonewall. In Stonewall turn left onto FM 1623 until it intersects with FM 2721. Turn left on FM 2721, and follow that until you see the intersection with FM 1631. Turn north (right) on FM 1631 and go 9 miles to intersection with FM 1323. Turn west (left) on FM 1323 and go through Willow City to Hwy. 16. Turn south (left) on Hwy. 16 and return to Fredericksburg. This drive is approximately 50 miles.
• From Main Street, take US Hwy 87 (Washington St) south all the way to the tiny town of Comfort, where it intersects with IH-10. Take IH-10 west towards Kerrville and exit at State Hwy. 16. Turn right (north) on State Hwy. 16, which will take you back to Main Street (US Hwy 290) in Fredericksburg. This drive is approximately 60-65 miles.
  
  

Wine and Wildflower Trail

Follow the "Wine & Wildflower Trail" through the Texas Wine Country in its finest hour. Enjoy the spectacular vistas along with the wines born among the bluebonnets, don't forget your camera, maybe a picnic basket and a few friends. Linger on patios overlooking vineyards while enjoying a picnic with a glass of wine and take in the scenery of vineyards and flowers. Spring in the Texas Hill Country makes one glad to be alive.

There is no charge for this trail event and no tickets are required. All the trails are self-guided driving tours to be enjoyed at leisure. Click here to see the wine trail map. Come and bring the masses preparing to experience ALL that accompanies fine wine in the Texas Hill Country.

Ducks Unlimited Recruiting Party - 4/22

Ducks Unlimited is forming a local chapter in Fredericksburg. If you are interested in helping out or participating, please attend our recruitment party at Hondo's on Main, 312 West Main Street at 6 pm.

FTC's "The Odd Couple" - 4/9-25

Join the Fredericksburg Theater Company, at The Steve W. Shepherd Theater 1668 Highway 87 South, as they celebrate another season. FTC's production will be this 4 time Tony Award winning Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple". All performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Call (830) 997-3588 for tickets.

Tea Party Grassroots Activist Training - 4/22

The Fredericksburg Tea Party will host American Majority, a candidate and activist training organization, that will present Grassroots Activist Training, Thursday April 22 at Fredericksburg Winery, 247 W. Main Street. Onsite registration begins at 5:00pm. The workshop begins at 5:30pm and ends at 8:30pm. "With the upsurge of grassroots activism, it is increasingly important to provide citizens with skills that will make them more effective," says American Majority Texas Field Representative Andrew Kerr. Sessions to be offered at this workshop include Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community, Utilizing New Media to Promote Freedom and Hardwiring Your Precinct. The seminar is $20 for those who register online by 4/21, and $25 at the door. "The Tea Party continues to move beyond rallies and picketing," states Leslie Haight of the Fredericksburg Tea Party. "Concerned citizens want to do more to ensure liberty for their children and grandchildren. We are pleased to provide grassroots training in Fredericksburg to provide citizens with skills to accomplish their goals." Attendees are encouraged to pre-register online www.fredericksburgteaparty.org or contact Andrew Kerr at Andrew@americanmajority.org or call (512) 771-2355.

2010 HILL COUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL "Bringing Independent Film to the Texas Hill Country" - 4/22-24

The Hill Country Film Festival (HCFF) kicks off its inaugural three-day celebration of independent film and filmmakers in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Centrally located near Austin and San Antonio, and with a unique heritage, Fredericksburg is the perfect cultural epicenter for this film festival. The three-day weekend will be filled with independent film, speaking engagements, parties and other special events.

Open to the public, the three-day HCFF will host more than 25 short and feature films, speaking engagements, opening and closing events - attracting media, film industry personnel and consumers from all over Texas, the U.S. and the world.

The annual HCFF is the vision of its director Chad Mathews, an actor, screenwriter, producer and native Texan. Having participated in the film festival circuit, Mathews came to love the camaraderie and shared respect of those committed to the art of independent filmmaking.

Purchase tickets on the festival website.

Wildflower Celebration at Wildseed Farms - 4/3-18

Celebrate the beauty of the wildflowers in the perfect setting: Wildseed Farms, East of Fredericksburg on Highway 290. Please call 830/990-8080 for more information.

Kinky Friedman Book Signing - 4/17

Welcome Kinky to town with a cigar. He'll be signing his book Heroes of a Texas Childhoodat Texas Vineyards and Beyond, 329 1/2 E. Main Street on Saturday from 3-5 pm. They will be offering the Governor, Willie, Kinkycristo, Texas Jewboy, Utopian, Bundles of Toro, Robusto and Churchill cigars. Browse the largest selection of Texas wines and accessories in the Hill Country. To complement Kinky's fine cigars, enjoy a glass of wine, port or beer, plus local Texas wine tastings. What an afternoon!

Berkman Books to Close This Month With 50% Off Sale

From the Berkman Books blog:

Dear Gentle Readers,


We will close the store sometime this month. We have not been able to recover from 2009, but we fought the good fight. Few book lovers get an opportunity to have their own shop and we have been so blessed.


Our philosophy is that when one door closes another opens.


If you have gift certificates or book credit, remember to stop in and use it soon.


We are having a %50 off sale with a minimum $50 purchase beginning TODAY. You can snatch up those titles you have had you eye on!


Thank you for all the lovely memories. We have many wonderful stories to take with us.

Lucy, David, Jessica and Emily.

Fredericksburg Music Club Concert - 4/17

Hear Joel Fan, classical pianist, Sunday at Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, 1800 N. Llano Highway 3 pm. This concert is free and the public is welcome, with donations gladly accepted. Call (830) 997-5413 for more information.

Eco-Mixer Meet the Candidates - 4/17

This month’s Eco-Mixer hosted by Green Living for the Hill Country and FBG CARES will focus on our upcoming election and conservation/environment. All 10 Local candidates for city council, mayor, and county judge, will be giving us their views on conservation, ecological issues, and solutions for Fredericksburg and Gillespie Country. The event will be held Saturday, April 17th, from 9-10:30 a.m. in Fredericksburg, Texas at Holy Ghost Lutheran Fellowship Hall (corner of San Antonio and Hwy 16), which will offer refreshments, including Fair Trade Coffee. Fbg CARES will be co-sponsoring this event. Bjorn Kirchdorfer, president of FBG CARES, will serve as moderator.

UT Scholarship Banquet - 4/11

One of the primary functions of the Texas Exes Fredericksburg Chapter is fund-raising to award scholarships to local high school seniors that have been accepted to the University of Texas. Silent Auction and Mixer starting at 6:00, with dinner catered by Delicious Details at 7:00 at Inn on Barons Creek Spa & Conference Center, 308 S. Washington Street . Guest speaker is Adam Jones, author of Rose Bowl Dreams and Jones Top Ten web site & college football blog (see www.rosebowldreams.com). Autographed books available @ $20 each; 10% of book sales to Chapter's scholarship fund. Tickets are $50 for members, $53 for non-members, with proceeds going to the Chapter's scholarship fund. Please RSVP by April 1, 2010 with a check payable to Fredericksburg Texas Exes, P.O. Box 509, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Please call 830/990-9198 or 830/990-4523 for more information. Attire is Coat and Tie.

Nimitz "Old Texas Roundup BBQ" - 4/10

The Admiral Nimitz Foundation is proud to revive the long-standing tradition of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz by hosting the Nimitz "Old Texas Roundup BBQ" at 340 East Main Street of Saturday from 5 to 10 pm. Nimitz would hold his barbecue during peacetime as well as during war for those Texans serving in his command - and those wishing they were Texans. It was a chance for a few hours or food and recreation without thinking about the military responsibilities of the day. Barbecue is being provided and prepared by the famed Corpus Christi Mustangs - along with all the fixins'. Dessert, iced tea and lemonade will be served. Beer and wine will be available. The fabulous Almost Patsy Cline Band will provide music for dancing and listening. Other activities will include a horseshoe pit, a silent auction, and the raffle drawing for the Bayou 250 ATV. BBQ tickets are $20/adults (including two drink tickets) and $10 for children 6-12. Raffle tickets are $5/each or 5 for $20. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Bush Gallery Museum Store and the Nimitz Bookstore on Main. The evening will benefit the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund - "Build the Center." The National Museum of the Pacific War is a Texas Historical property and is operated by the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. Call 830-997-8600 for more information.

Reserve Spots now for Habitat For Humanity Golf Tourney

Golfers and sponsors can reserve their spots for the Second Annual Golf Tournament sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fredericksburg on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course.

The tournament will follow a Scramble Format with four-person teams. Registration is $80 per person and includes a goodie bag, lunch, social and awards party. Prizes will be awarded for the top five finishing teams, along with longest drive and closest to pin. Social, raffle, and awards ceremony will follow the event.

More information is available by contacting Melodi Frederick at 210-380-5275 or by emailing info@fbghabitat.org. To arrange for donated items to be picked up, call 830-889-4114. Registration forms are also available at Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course.

Proceeds benefit the Building & Renovation Fund of the local Habitat for Humanity organization. All funds will be used to help build and renovate homes for local families.

Gun & Knife Show - 4/10-11

Display and sale of guns, knives, jewelry and more at Gillespie County Fairgrounds on Highway 16 South. Admission is $5 per person. Hours are Saturday 9:00AM - 5:00PM and Sunday 10:00AM - 4:00PM. Please call 830/257-5844 for more information. www.texasgunandknifeshows.com

2010 Root Music Series Lineup

Organizers have released the almost completed lineup of acts for the 9th season of the Roots Music Series held at the Pioneer Museum in Fredericksburg, Texas.

2010 Outdoor Concert Dates:

May 22 - Bluegrass/Newgrass Night

* 6pm Christy and the Plowboys

* 7pm Lonestar Bluegrass Band

* 8:40pm Rockin' Acoustic Circus

June 26 - Americana Rock Night

* 6pm Ruthie and The Wranglers

* 7pm Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles

* 8:40pm Two Tons of Steel

July 31 - Blues Night

* TBD

Aug 21 - Texas Country Night

* 6pm Brian Milson & the Short Road Band

* 7 pm Eleven Hundred Springs

* 8:50 pm Doug Moreland

Sept 25 - Latin/Conjunto Night

* 6pm Jonas Alvarez

* 7pm Los Texmaniacs

* 8:50pm Cerronato

All concerts take place on Saturdays, 6 - 10 p.m.

Soweto Gospel Choir at Rockbox Theater - 4/7

The New York Times calls them "...unstoppable ...spirited and spectacular..." and now Rockbox Theater, 109 North Llano Street, welcomes as one of our Distinguished Artists, The Soweto Gospel Choir, for one night only. In addition to winning two Grammy awards, the Soweto Gospel Choir has collaborated with some of the biggest names in rock music, including Bono, Peter Gabriel, and Robert Plant. The Soweto Gospel Choir has become a world-wide sensation, selling out concert halls worldwide, scoring two Grammy awards, and hitting the top of the Billboard World Music Chart. This one night only performance at Rockbox will showcase the Choir singing their best-loved inspirational with an infectious flourish of color and movement. "The Soweto Gospel Choir is wonderful !!! You have never seen or heard such infectious joy - guaranteed!!" Brian May of QUEEN. Call (866) 349-6688 for more information and tickets.

Pedal Power Wildflower Ride - 4/10

This 12, 23, 36 or 60 mile bike ride at LBJ State Park & Historic Site, East of Fredericksburg on Highway 290 in Stonewall, benefits the Hill Country Children's Advocacy Center. Cost is $35 pre-registered or $40 the day of the ride. Please call 512/756-2607 to register.

314 West Creek – Ahrens-Langehennig Home

After an Indian attack that killed Conrad Ahrens' father, Dorthea, his mother, moved the family from their farm into town. The oldest part of the house is on the west side, a two-room rock house. The family once used the front room as their bedroom and parlor—a common practice at the time. The kitchen was in the back room. Above the front room is an attic, with a laden, or opening, in the west wall, but there was no outside stairway. Two bedrooms were added to the old house, with a front door in each opening onto the porch and one window flanking each door in the front wall. Later owners, the Langerhennigs, remodeled these rooms to include a bathroom and a small storage and laundry area.

Turn left on Crockett street, then turn left on San Antonio Street.

Ray Wylie Hubbard's Grit 'n Groove Festival in Luckenbach - 4/3

Legendary Ray Wylie Hubbard offers a day of acoustic showcases with his friends in the world famous Luckenbach Dance Hall. General admission is $42 per person or $87 reserved seating. Tickets are limited, so don't wait.

Walking Tour 512 West Creek - Kreiger-Geyer Haus

George Geyer, a bachelor, and Adam and Eva Kreiger were both deeded these two lots in 1845. They had arrived in Texas on the same ship, the Hamilton, from Bingen Germany. But Geyer never appears in any records after this, so it is possible that he was a casualty of one of the early epidemics that hit the colony. The house sits on the dividing line of the two lots and was probably shared by the three. The oldest part of the house is the West end, and is of fachwerk construction. The east end of the house is rock. The house would have been plastered and the different construction methods hidden. Behind the house is an even older log cabin.

Continue West on Creek Street and Cross Milam Street.