Out and about in Texas this weekend? Check out these upcoming events.

Italy

The Gladiators will travel to Dawson for football, Friday, October 31. Lady Gladiators basketball begins with a scrimmage on Saturday, November 1 at 10 a.m. in the dome.

Necroplex is open. Found on North Hwy 77 in Italy. For more information call 469-245-8044 or go to http://www.necroplexhauntedhouse.com/information

Gruene

25th Annual Tour de Gruene Bicycle Classic, November 1-2. Participants enjoy a leisurely ride through the Texas Hill Country along the banks of the Guadalupe River or competitive individual and team time trials. www.tourdegruene.com or call 210-828-6856.

Texas Monthly suggests:

Austin

Texas Book Festival With more than 190 authors participating in a glut of discussions, panels, readings, and signings, the TBF is a book lover’s dream. Robert Caro, who has written not one but three LBJ biographies, is the recipient of this year’s Bookend Award. Other headliners include Christopher Buckley (Supreme Courtship), Susan Orlean (Lazy Little Loafers), T. Boone Pickens (The First Billion Is the Hardest), Laurent de Brunhoff (author of the Babar series), Rick Riordan (Battle of the Labyrinth), Bud Shrake (Land of the Permanent Wave), and so many more that we don’t have the space to list them all here. November 1 and 2. For schedule call go to texasbookfestival.org. At the Capitol (11th and Congress) and various locations (512-477-4055).

Dallas

Theatre Three The Light In the Piazza This story of star-crossed lovers, set in fifties Italy, follows a youthful Italian lad and a beautiful American tourist as love at first sight turns complicated. Through November 23. Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $25-$40. theatre3dallas.com The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh (214-871-3300).

El Paso

Franklin Mountains State Park With more than 24,000 acres, this is the largest urban park in the U.S. The Tom Mays Area contains hike-and-bike trails, camping sites, rock-climbing areas, and picnic shelters. Call to make reservations for the first and third weekend of every month, when park rangers lead tours to two caves and a lookout area with a view of the extinct volcanoes in the Mesilla Valley (Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. General admission $3, children 12-and-under free; reservations suggested). Open daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Park admission $4, children 12-and-under free. Camping $8 a site per night. tpwd.state.tx.us 1331 McKelligon Canyon Rd., from downtown, go west on I-10, take Canutillo-Transmountain exit and go east for 3.8 miles to park entrance (915-566-6441).

Fort Worth

Dia De Los Muertos Festival Honor the dead and celebrate life with folkloric music, dance, pan de muertos, ofrendas, and a large puppet procession from Marine Park to the Rose Marine Plaza, which is led by a group of musicians. November 1 at 7 p.m. Free. rosemarinetheater.com 1440 N. Main (817-624-8333).

Houston

Lightning At Our Feet Synthesizing music, theater, and dance, this multimedia song cycle, composed by Michael Gordon and performed by members of New York’s Ridge Theater, incorporates the poems and letters of American poet Emily Dickinson. Four women channel the legendary wordsmith as she would have appeared in her Amherst, Massachusetts home (re-imagined here as projections on moving translucent screens) and reinterpret her words for a modern audience. October 29-November 1. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 8 p.m. $10-$15. mitchellcenterforarts.org University of Houston campus, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, Wortham Theater, entrance 16 off Cullen Blvd (713-743-5548).

San Antonio

San Antonio Symphony Doc Severinsen ~ El Ritmo de la Vida Severinsen, Johnny Carson’s longtime Tonight Show maestro, is back with an all-new show featuring classical Spanish music with a jazz flair, American and Latino ballads, and great movie music. October 31-November 2. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. $10-$60. sasymphony.org Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston (210-554-1010).

Richardson

The Intergalactic Nemesis In a close encounter of the radio kind, actors and sound artists share the stage with a tableful of bizarre accoutrements that are used to punctuate the sci-fi storyline with sound effects. November 1 and 2. Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. $33-$39. eisemanncenter.com Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts, 2351 Performance Dr (972-744-4650).

South Padre Island

South Padre International Music Festival Enjoy a stacked musical lineup — Willie Nelson, Foghat, Ghostland Observatory, Los Lonely Boys, Blue Oyster Cult, Alejandro Escovedo, and Grupo Fantasma, to name a few — at this second annual melodic happening, which features more than 50 musicians and bands from three continents. And the best part? There’ll be nary a spring breaker in sight. October 31-November 2. Call for schedule. $48.50; three-day pass $93. spimusicfest.com Various locations (800-767-2373).