Kerrville Folk Festival

The Kerrville Folk Festival runs now through June 7 and features a wide variety of folk musicians. Held at the Quiet Valley Ranch (nine miles south of Kerrville), the festival has been in operation since 1972.

According to its website, the Festival “is the longest continuously running music festival of its kind in North America.” It promotes emerging folk artists, while also featuring established musicians.

Camping is available on the Festival grounds; you must have a festival ticket in order to camp or enter the campgrounds. There are no designated “camp sites,” but there are warm showers and clean (but primitive) toilets. The Festival suggests you bring a canopy, since you may not be able to find a tree with shade to camp under. Check the Festival website for camping rules.

Ticket prices vary by day; prices range from $20-$35 (kids under 12 are free with a paying adult). Parking is $3.

Terra Cotta Warriors Invade Texas!

Most of the time, my posts will focus on San Antonio and the Hill Country. But sometimes, an exhibit arrives nearby that’s worth exploring. (I am still vexed that I missed the Tutankhamen exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. Now I gotta go to Egypt.)

China’s famed Terra Cotta Warriors arrive today at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Built to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, each figure was individually styled and painted to resemble a different person. No two are alike. According to the museum’s website, it’s the largest display of terra cotta warriors and tomb artifacts ever in the US. The exhibit displays 14 of the warriors as well as a collection of tomb artifacts, including a suit of armor.

Given the exhibit’s probable popularity, the museum strongly advises purchasing tickets in advance (timed entry). Tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for children/seniors. You can purchase tickets on the museum’s website and pick them up at the will-call window when you arrive.

(Having grown up in Houston…..if you haven’t been to the museum in a while, it’s worth a re-visit. They’ve come a long way from the oilfield-and-dinosaur exhibits they had in the 70s.)

The exhibit moves to Washington DC after Houston, so don’t miss your chance. The show closes October 18.

Our local public television station, KLRN, sponsors a fundraising auction every summer. From June 3-12, the Blazing Gavels auction features everything from a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to room makeovers to gift cards. (Note that the website is currently under construction; should be ready soon.) There’s something for everyone. During previous events, we have purchased several pieces of art, some art glass, and wine.

The action moves quickly, although not as quickly as a “traditional” auction. Merchandise is organized by “boards;” one board is presented about every ten minutes or so. The “Trading Post” board, for example, includes lower-cost items ($50-$100 face value). The Chairman’s board holds the most valuable items, and you can also bid online. Host Steve Alwais serves as emcee and introduces guest readers, who describe each item. Jot down the number of the item on which you want to bid, and give them a call. You’ll want to call back a couple of times to see if anyone has out-bid you. Most boards open and close several times a night. Items on the Chairman’s and Special’s board stay open for several nights.

If you plan to bid, you’ll want to obtain a “speed bid” number so you don’t have to provide all your contact information every time you call in with a bid. Call 210-270-9000 to get one.
The auction airs nightly at 6:00 pm. This year’s features:

• Wine Nights, June 4-6
• Laredo vendors, June 6
• Fredericksburg B&Bs and vendors, June 3

If you’d like to make a donation (it’s great advertising for your business), call the station at 210-270-9000.

Theatre Listings at SATCO Playbill

San Antonio is blessed with many terrific community theatre programs. So where’s the one place you can go to find everything that’s playing? The SATCO Playbill website, sponsored by the San Antonio Theatre Coalition.

The site is updated frequently with auditions, current shows, and upcoming engagements. You can sign up to receive a weekly email, issued Tuesday or Wednesday.

Current shows include “Agnes of God” (Jump Start Performance Co.), “Vexed” (a musical review at the Sheldon Vexler Theatre), and “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers” (Cameo Center).

The site also publishes auditions and theatre news. Check it out!

Authentic Interior Mexican Food

Looking for some Mexican food, but ready for something different than TexMex? Try Guajillos (northwest corner of Blanco and Loop 410). Their menu features dishes from interior Mexico, such as fideo soup, chilaquiles de pollo, and enfrijoladas (for my favorite vegetarian). Their tacos are delicious and served flat, not in the traditional taco shell. They also make a fabulous mole sauce. My favorite is their tortilla soup. It's not what you're expecting and delicious, full of melty cheese and crispy tortilla strips at the bottom.

Guajillo’s features daily lunch specials and special dishes on the weekend. It gets crowded for lunch, so get there early for a good seat!

Texas Folklife Festival

One of our favorite annual festivals is the Texas Folklife Festival. This year, they celebrate their 38th year with the theme “Celebrate Everything Texas!” It’s held June 12-14 at the Institute of Texan Cultures.

Billed as the biggest cultural celebration in Texas,” the festival features more than 40 different cultural groups. Really good food abounds (we sampled our first Scotch egg here), along with all styles of music and ethnic dancing. VIA operates a park and ride service from Crossroads Mall. I highly recommend it; onsite parking is pretty much non-existent.

My only complaint: the timing. When we first moved here 11 years ago, the event was held in August. After endless complaints about the heat, they moved it to June…..but June is still pretty hot. We’ve found we really can’t enjoy it if it’s 95 degrees or more. I sure wish they’d move it to October.

TPR Cinema Tuesdays

Attention, movie buffs! If you don’t know about Texas Public Radio’s (TPR) “Cinema Tuesdays” summer movie program, you need to! The series begins May 26 at the Santikos Bijou (at Crossroads Mall) at 7:30 pm with the original “Manchurian Candidate.” Sure, you’ve already seen it, but I betcha you haven’t on the big screen.

The suggested donation is $10 for TPR members, $12 for non-members. A 14-week season pass is $100.

Nathan Cone, TPR’s Director of Programming and an obvious movie-buff, puts together a fabulous program every summer. Featured this year will be “Koyaanisqatsi" (try spelling that 10 times; thank goodness for copy/paste), “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” and Oscar-nominated shorts and short documentaries. Popular titles sell out, so make sure to make your reservations early by calling 800-622-8977, or reserve online.