For lunch today, why not head over to the Center for Contemporary Arts for their mid-month movie? From noon to 1 p.m. learn how contemporary art addresses the idea of consumption by watching the documentary entitled, “21^st Century Art: Consumption,” which explores different questions through the work of such artists as Barbara Kruger, Michael Ray Charles and more. Admission is free. Call the Center at 325-677-8389 for more information.

Also starting today is the Taylor County Livestock Show and Sale. The show runs through Friday, the 20^th in the Horse Barn and Griffin Arena. Daily show times do vary. Contact the Taylor County Expo Center at 325-677-4376 with any questions.

Watch our local talent slam-dunk the completion this season! Thursday night the Hardin Simmons University Cowgirls and Cowboys will challenge Mary Hardin Baylor in basketball; game times are 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Hardin Simmons. Both teams will play again against Concordia on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3p.m. Tickets are $3 to $6. Call Kim O’Dell at 325-671-5768 for more information.

Friday through Sunday grab your little ones and head over to downtown Abilene to see the Paramount Production of Disney’s the Jungle Book Kids! Watch as this exciting stage adaption of the Disney classic is brought to life with live music, song and dance! A local cast of children aged 8 to 14 are featured in this colorful and lively production.  Show times are 7:30 p.m Friday and Saturday evenings and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for students, seniors military and children.

Need a laugh this weekend? The Abilene Community Theatre brings to Abilene the wildly funny farce, “Love, Sex and the I.R.S.” Starting Thursday and running through Saturday, watch two male and out of work musicians room together in New York City try to save money by filing their tax returns listing them as a married couple. Chaos ensues when the IRS sends an investigator to check out the happy husband and wife, a fiancée and ex-girlfriend make an appearance to stir the pot, as well as one of the gentleman’s mother. Showtime starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets for adults are $10, students, seniors and active military are $8 and children 12 and under are $5. Contact the box office at 325-673-6271 if you need more information.

The West Texas Rehab Center Telethon is back this weekend! On Saturday from 7 pm to midnight, watch your favorite television and country western stars, including headliner Summer Sweeney, perform at this annual fundraiser at the Abilene Civic Center. Tickers are $10-$15 dollars a person. Don’t forget to check out their online auctions at www.rehabauction.org to shop a tremendous variety of pieces. Auctions will close at midnight on the 21^st.  Have questions? Call the West Texas Rehab Center at 325-793-3529 to get them answered.

Post what you picked to do after the jump!

This Thursday evening the Abilene Civic Center will host the 3^rd annual “Dancing with the Abilene Stars” at 6:30 p.m. This entertaining fundraiser benefits Hendrick Home for Children. Twelve local celebrities are paired up with professional dancers to perform a variety of dances and are judged by a panel of four for the following categories: Best Male Dancer, Best Female Dancer, Best Costume/Showmanship. The overall winner is chosen by the audience who purchases votes for their favorite dancer by paying a dollar each time they vote. Seating is limited! Purchase tickets directly from Hendrick Home for Children or through one of the dancers. Call 325-692-0112 for more information.

Also this Thursday, the Center for Contemporary Arts will host the first ArtWalk of 2012 from 5 pm  to 8:30 pm! The theme is “Poetry in Motion: The Beat Generation” and will feature the readings from the Wyile Poetry Club and other area poets from 6 pm to 8 pm. ArtWalkers are encouraged to recreate the 1950’s by dressing the part! Wear your 50’s clothing and enjoy all of historic downtown Abilene. Need more information? Call 325-677-8389.

Also, until Jan. 14, you have the opportunity to visit the Grace Museum to view the “Melissa Miller: Habitat” exhibit, which features her methodical and thought-provoking paintings of the animal kingdom in their current environment conditions. Take advantage of the Grace’s museum featuring a history gallery reconstructing the story of Abilene and their interactive children’s museum! Open 10 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. If you need more information, call 325-673-4587.

The Texas Gun and Knife Show will be held at the Abilene Civic Center on the 14^th from 9 am to 5 pm and the 15^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 per person! Contact Texas Gun and Knife Show at 830-285-0575 for more information!

The Buffalo Gap Historic Village (BGHV) is hosting two valuable events this weekend! Participate in the Chautauqua Learning Series from 11 am to 1230 pm on Saturday. The Chautauqua movement spread through the rural United States in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries providing educational lectures and entertainment for the average Americans before mass mediums like television and radio were available. Cost is $7 for non-members and free to BGHV members. Call 325-572-3365 for more information. The BGHV will also hold a Military Appreciation Day for active and retired military members and their families on Sunday from 12-5 p.m. Take the short drive out to Buffalo Gap to enjoy this free event as a thank you for all that you do for our country. If you need more information on either of these events, call 325-572-3365.

January 1, 2011 the ACVB launched a new revamped hospitality training class for hospitality employees entitled, “In Your Own Backyard.” The purpose of the class is to raise awareness about Abilene among hospitality employees, as well as teach them customer service traits so they can provide visitors with a positive experience! Participants visit Abilene attractions and learn what all there is to do in Abilene. In 2011 the ACVB educated over 75 hospitality employees in the Abilene area. This class is 4 hours and offered 6 times a year. It is free!  Contact us for dates in 2012 if interested!

Abilene was host to: Outlaws & Legends Music Fest, a first ever music fest that included over 6,000 residents and visitors in attendance on March 4-6. In addition the event was able to generate a donation of $31,810 to Disability Resources, Inc. The biggest 1 day, 1 stage event in Texas will return! The second annual Outlaws and Legends music fest will be held March 2-3, 2012. For more information check out www.outlawsandlegends.com.

Another first was our Your24 social media campaign. The premise of the contest was to video-capture, in four minutes or less, Your24: the hours that make up (or made up) your day in Abilene. Entries did not have to be professionally shot or edited, but were encouraged to be creative, energetic and include positive content about the entrant’s twenty-four hours in Abilene. All videos were professional panel and will be evaluated based on overall appeal, creativity and uniqueness to Abilene. Broken up into four categories in the Your24 Video Contest: Students, Locals, Visitors, and Businesses/Professionals. The campaign was a smashing success and we plan to continue it in 2012.

It was a banner year for the ACVB’s social media in general! Our bureau was selected as one of the 25 recipients for an Austin American-Statesman Texas Social Media Award. The Statesman reported that they received more than 358 nominations for the 2011 Statesman Texas Social Media Awards, a record. “We had a very strong lineup from which to choose the 25 winners,” said Robert Quigley, Statesman social media editor. The Abilene CVB social media strategy began a year-and-a-half ago with a simple Facebook page and it has since grown into several channels for communication to keep up with the times. The ACVB’s marketing programs promote an awareness of Abilene as a tourist destination. Social media has become an integral part of the ACVB’s overall marketing strategy, because it connects consumers to Abilene and allows us to connect with people around the world!

For the 22nd year, Abilene welcomed the Texas High School Rodeo State Finals in June. Each year the finals bring 660 contestants and over 1,200 visitors to Abilene. The event is held at the Expo Center and generates over $1.5 million into Abilene’s economy. We love having them and hope Abilene is called home for many more years!

What’s more West Texas than high school football? This year Abilene was host to 14 high school football playoff games from over 25 schools like Snyder High, Arlington High, Bronte and Windthorst. Over 42,000 people attended those games with an economic impact of over $630,000 dollars in just 4 weeks!

Through the efforts of the Abilene Sports Alliance and generosity of our community, a $1,000 college scholarship was awarded to awarded to one male and one female graduating student athlete from Abilene Christian, Abilene, Cooper and Wylie high schools. Since 2004, the ACVB Sports Alliance Committee has given out $53,000 in scholarships. We are looking forward to contributing to the futures of more deserving Abilene high school athletes.

These were just a few of our highlights from the past year. Time really does fly when you’re having fun. We look forward to new and exciting promotions and campaigns in 2012 and continuing to serve this great community!

KTXS-TV Parade of Lights in Downtown Abilene.

Mark your calendars for the 23rd Annual City Sidewalks on Nov. 29!

You might ask “What is City Sidewalks?” City Sidewalks is the Abilene Downtown Association’s Christmas Open House. It’s the Association’s gift to the City of Abilene and is sure to get you in the holiday spirit. You are invited to discover the charm of “an old-fashioned Christmas” as you shop, dine and play in historic downtown Abilene.

I have my evening nearly planned out. First, I’ll check out the Woodson Handbell Choir at the Abilene Reporter-News and Salt Kreek Bluegrass band at The Center for Contemporary Arts. Then, I kickoff my holiday shopping by purchasing myself a Christmas present (I do this every year). Next, it’s dinner with my husband at Cypress Street Station & Abilene Brewing Company. We love to watch the KTXS-TV Parade of Lights from their large windows. After that, it’s more shopping or maybe the Community Tree Lighting at the Abilene Civic Center.

To plan out your special evening, visit the Downtown Association’s website to view the complete list of restaurants, entertainment and shopping available from 5 to 8 p.m. that evening.

Hope to see you there!

Christmas Events at the Civic Center in Abilene

It is hard to believe, but it is getting to be that time of year again! The holidays have always been my favorite time, but they are especially special in Abilene because there is always something to go see, do and celebrate with your friends and family. Check it out:

Christmas Belles will open next weekend at the Abilene Community Theatre. If you’re in town and in the mood to see a show, here’s the scoop: It’s Christmas time in the small town of Fayro, Texas and the Futrelle Sisters – Frankie, Twink and Honey Raye aren’t exactly in a festive mood! Their hilarious holiday journey through a misadventure-filled Christmas Eve is guaranteed to bring joy to your world. November 10-12, 17-19, 25 and 26. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. each night. Cost: $5-10 per person.

You can also celebrate Christmas in November at the American Business Women’s Association annual arts, crafts and gifts sale at the Civic Center. 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13. No charge for admission. Info: 325-673-1142.

Stroll through stunning homes brimming with holiday décor at the Abilene Philharmonic’s annual Holiday Home Tour, Saturday, Nov. 12. Home enthusiasts are invited to tour homes in the Fairway Oaks area, while receiving a special treat from local area musicians with live Christmas music performances throughout the homes. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $20 per person. Purchase tickets here. Self-guided, map brochure included.

You can also enjoy the annual performance of the classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” performed by Abilene Ballet Theatre, Abilene’s regional ballet company, featuring special guest artists. The ballet will run at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18; on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2:30 and 8 p.m.; and on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2:30 p.m. at the Paramount. Cost: $10-$30 per person. Info: call 325-675-0303 or click here.

For even more holiday events in Abilene, click here.

Official Poster for 2011 24fps International Short Film Festival. Courtesy of the Paramount Theatre.

This weekend, the historic Paramount Theatre held their 13^th annual 24fps International Short Film Festival. This year’s festival was narrowed down to 32 films that were screened to the public and included some high profile films from this year’s circuit – including winners from SXSW in Austin, Sundance, Tribeca and SIGGRAPH, the large animation festival. The Paramount Theatre had over 900 submissions in total this year (almost double what was entered last year); Abilene is so fortunate to have a film festival and event of this caliber!

Another great and interesting thing about the Paramount is that they screen independent Texas films once a month in correlation with the Texas Independent Film Network (TIFN). Most often, the Paramount features these films on ArtWalk night (second Thursday of every month)– so you can kill two birds with one stone; come downtown and see a great film, enjoy the Abilene art scene, eat and shop even later.

The TIFN takes a different Texas film on a circuit across the state each month. The TIFN partners with respected film organizations – like the Paramount Theatre – as well as the Austin Film Society, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and many others to help spread the word and guide programming decisions. Our Paramount Theatre is not only a beautiful historical landmark that plays host to numerous wonderful local productions – but is also a major part of a statewide and even international playing field with its partnerships and projects!

This week, you can catch “MARS” on Thursday. This film was an Official Selection at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival and 2010 BFI London Film Festival. It is directed by Geoff Marslett and is about a new space race born between NASA and the ESA. 7:30 p.m. Cost: Cost: $5 for students, children, military and seniors and $6 for adults. Other recent films screened at the Paramount in partnership with the TIFN include: Dance With The One, Happiness Is, The Whole Shootin’ Match and Happy Poet. For more information about the Paramount, call 325-676-9620 or click here. For more information about the Texas Independent Film Network and upcoming films, click here.

Photo courtesy of the Abilene Reporter-News & Frontier Texas!

There’s no shortage of activities for the entire family to enjoy together this Halloween weekend in Abilene! Whether you’re looking for fall festivals, pumpkin patches or haunted houses – we’ve got it! Choose your favorite activity and take your family, friends or visitors along for the (safe and affordable) ride!

Play Faire Park will host their annual Haunted House with McMurry’s HEI Fraternity and the Abilene Derby Dames. Friday through Monday, beginning at “dark-thirty.” Cost: $8 per person; miniature golf admission reduced to $3 per person. Info: 325-672-2977.

Frontier Texas! will host a PG-13+ haunted house, Fright at the Museum, from 8 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Monday. Scenes are based on the horrors of frontier life and death, but expect surprises along the way! Cost is $10 per person. Tickets will be sold in advance at the front desk. For more information, call 325-437-2800 or visit frontiertexas.com.

Check it out if you dare! Abilene Mixed Martial Arts is hosting a Haunted Graveyard with three levels of scare, Friday through Monday. Gates open at dusk; around 8 p.m. Cost is $11 for adults (13+), $6 for children. “Level One” is appropriate for younger children. Located at North 10th and Judge Ely. All proceeds will help students compete at the 2012 U.S. Open in Florida, as seen on ESPN. Info: 325-518-2261.

A unique way to experience a movie in Abilene is to see them in the fully restored, historic Paramount Theatre. The Paramount will be showing “Carrie” on Saturday at 7 and 11 p.m. and on Monday at 7:30 p.m. A great film for Halloween – it’s Brian DePalma’s horror film about a teenage girl who wreaks vengeance on her high school tormentors. Starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and Amy Irving. Cost: $6 all seats. Info: 325-676-9620.

Oakridge Church of Christ, located at 3250 Beltway South, will have their Community Trunk-Or-Treat on Saturday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. There will be plenty of free activities for children including: candy apple decorating, face painting, black-cat bowling, Halloween-Themed photo booth and more. A stew and cornbread dinner will be provided for adults. Free to the public. Info: 325-370-1327.

Also on Saturday, the Abilene State Park will host the “Toadally Not Frightening Halloween Hike” from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. You can take your child on a flashlight-lit hike through the forest to meet woodland creatures and hear about their lives. It’s a great alternative to traditional Halloween events. Each group of 15 will have a guide lead them safely on a lighted trail. Feel free to wear your costume. There will be face painting, hot cocoa and snacks available. The hike is free to the public. Info: 325-529-6599.

On Monday, the Church on the Rock, located at 1228 Grape St. will have their Harvest Festival. It’s a special event for children and their families as a safe alternative to Halloween. Enjoy games, candy and dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free to the public. Info: 325-232-5341.

Don’t forget— there is still time to stop by the Pumpkin Patch at Disability Resources, Inc., 3602 N. Clack St. Bring your cameras, family and friends and make this event a fun outing for a morning or afternoon. Thousands of photo opportunities and pumpkins to purchase! Open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to dusk, and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to dusk; through Halloween. For more information, call 325-677-6815 or visit driabilene.org.

Jessica Jackson of Betty & June prepares for the Fall Trend Show

Over the past week, we’ve had a definite drop in the temperature! It is beginning to feel more like fall across the Big Country. The change in season always inspires me to do a little cleaning and clear out my closet…to make room for more clothes of course! You can count that I’ll be heading down to Betty and June this weekend.

A few entries ago, I wrote about a new boutique in town called “Betty and June.” If you missed it, this shop’s inspiration comes from the grandmothers of owner, Jessica Jackson and her husband. “Betty” was the fashion forward of the two, while “June” was more of a tomboy. Over the past few months, Jackson has successfully lived out her mission to merge the two characters into one central style. This Friday, Jackson and her team will have a chance to show off what they’ve been striving for. Betty and June is hosting a Fall Trend Show in historic downtown! The event will be held at the One-Eighty-One Event Center next to the shop. It will begin at 8 p.m.

You will not only get to see the runway show packed with stylish must-haves for the season, you’ll also get to participate in the “Meet and Greet” with the pros from Glow Beauty Studio and Neal Parker Salon.

Tickets are $35 per person, but all proceeds go toward a great cause – Young Life Abilene. Your ticket also includes hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats and cocktails. Afterwards, the store will be open late so you can stock up on the items from the show. Ninety percent of the prices at the boutique are under $100.

For more information about Betty and June or to find out more about the Fall Trend Show, check out their Facebook page, tweet @shopbettyjune or call 325-672-1522.

Myra Dean, Center - Right

Myra is one of our most loyal board members and volunteers at the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau. Not only does she tirelessly devote her time with our group, but to many other boards around town. Needless to say, she is one of Abilene’s most colorful and vivacious characters. This week, you get to meet “Ms. Myra Dean of Abilene” and see what her must-dos around town are.

SS: 1. Give a brief bio about yourself. What brought you to Abilene?

MD: I am the Development Dir. at KACU-FM, AbilenePublicRadio. I’ve been at KACU almost five years and I served as a volunteer for many years prior to working at the station. I currently serve on the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and I’m on the Executive Board of Goodwill-West Texas. I am a graduate of Leadership Abilene, Leadership Texas, Abilene Citizen’s Police Academy and Abilene Citizen’s Fire Academy. I’ve also served on several other local boards and task forces over the years. I am also very active in Abilene’s Rotary Club. I came to Abilene approximately 32 years ago by way of Dyess AFB.

SS: 2. What does Abilene have that other cities don’t? / What makes Abilene unique?

MD: Abilene has such an abundance of quality activities and attractions for it’s size! There’s always something to do. What makes Abilene unique is the unexpected attractions like Frontier Texas! and the Grace Museum, the Zoo, the Paramount Theater, the NCCIL, the WWII Museum, the Center for Contemporary Arts, the artist studios downtown and all the live performances such as “The Producers”, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”, “Annie”, “The Drowsy Chaperone” and so much more. The thing that makes Abilene so unique is the way people make things happen and offer hospitality that blows folks from big cities out of the water! They are always astonished at the way they are treated in Abilene and I’ve truly had people from cities like Dallas and Houston say “How could we top this!” when they’ve attended conferences and meetings in Abilene. I’m proud to say I am from Abilene. Abilene is a unique combination of big city/small town. We have the best of both.

SS: 3. What is your favorite thing about Abilene?

MD: The unbridled hospitality, incredible talent and giving spirit of the people.

SS: 4. Do you have a favorite restaurant in Abilene?

MD: Actually several…Lytle Land and Cattle Company, Bogies, Cypress Street Station and the Hickory Street Cafe just for starters!

SS: 5. Where do you take your out-of-town guests? What is your must-do?

MD: I take my guests to Frontier Texas and The Grace Museum, but I also take them down South and North First streets and downtown to see the amazing artwork along the railroad tracks. I try to take them by the ACU campus to see Jacob’s Ladder, the amazing sculpture depicting angels climbing the ladder to Heaven. I usually ask my guests about their interests and I can assure you…we will have something here that will interest them.

SS: 6. What outdoor activities do you enjoy in Abilene?

MD: Mostly fishing. We have Fort Phantom and Kirby Lake close by and we have several reservoirs within driving distance. I used to horseback ride and play golf. I loved playing golf in Abilene and the communities nearby.

SS: 7. What about indoor activities? Do you have a favorite?

MD: I love to dance and attend plays and musicals. Amazing talent in our theater community here in Abilene.

SS: 8. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

MD: Again, we have the best of both worlds…big city/small town.

Hand stamped luggage tags and shopping bags. Love.

Okay, okay – I fibbed. I don’t actually know either of them personally, but I have been to their boutique.

If you haven’t been shopping in the downtown area lately (tisk, tisk), here’s the scoop: at the beginning of April, the historic downtown area welcomed a super cute new shop called, “Betty & June Boutique.” If you’re anything like me, I get very excited when something new (and locally owned) opens in Abilene. With the buzz surrounding this newbie, I knew I had to get down there – pronto.

Hand-painted mural behind the register. Pictured: Owner, Jessica Jackson.

What’s in a name? Owner, Jessica Jackson, said that the inspiration behind the name “Betty & June” is derived from the grandmothers of both her and her husband (an Air Force pilot). Evidently, “Betty” was the more fashion-forward of the two, while “June” was the tomboy. Her goal? To merge the two into one central style. In my opinion, she’s accomplished it. You can feel the vibe throughout the store.

One of the things that I love most about the boutique is that Betty & June’s stories live on in a hand-painted, black and white mural behind the register. If you go, take notice, dear ones. Oh and P.S. Jessica is known to have chilled champagne or mimosas on hand by the register. Another thing that I adore about the store is that she left the floor “as is” and dressed up the location with colorful furniture and interesting hardware.

Overall, I believe one of the best things about Betty & June is the sheer uniqueness of what they carry.  There are items at the boutique that you simply can’t find elsewhere – especially not in “big box” stores. Betty & June currently carries clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories by brands such as: Havaianas, AG Denim, Seychelles, Judith March and Tolani – just to name a few. The majority are under $100.

Speaking of Tolani, if you saw me at Stephan Pyles’ dinner during the Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit, the silky tunic dress I wore was Tolani from Betty & June.

Fun furniture and unique hardware jazz up the space and help display items.

If you’re ever in the Abilene area, stop by and welcome these newcomers. Betty & June is located at 189 Pine St. in historic downtown. They are open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (even later during ArtWalk and B!G Day Downtown). For more information, visit their website or call 325-672-1522. Jessica also does a great job of posting new items to the Betty & June Facebook Page, so be sure to take a look. Can you tell I am anxiously awaiting my next visit?