There is fun rain or shine in Texas. Stay close to home or travel this wonderful state. As usual there are many things for all ages to choose from. Neotribune has it here for you. Take a look.

ITALY
Friday, Sept. 25 it’s time for Homecoming and you have lots of opportunities to see old friends and catch up. All the graduating classes that end with “9” will be celebrated. There’s a parade for all the students beginning at 3:00-you can’t miss that, followed by a pep rally at the dome. Students will be dismissed from school at 2:00, according to the Administration’s office. The annual George Scott Dinner starts at 5:00-only $6.00 will get you a great plate of BBQ and support the graduates of IHS. Of course, donations are accepted. The Gladiators take on the Frost Polar Bears at 7:30. Arrive early to get the best seat to see the Queen crowned at halftime. All activities are at the high school. The Lady Gladiators JV and Varsity Volleyball teams will host Covington on Saturday, Sept 26 beginning at 10:00 am at the dome.

WAXAHACHIE
Don’t forget the Farmer’s Market around the Courthouse Square every Saturday 8:00am-1:00pm. Trade Days is located at the Ellis County Expo Center at 2300 W. US Hwy 287. “Welcome Autumn” is the theme this month. Free parking and free admission. The hours are Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 9-4.

HILLSBORO
Middlefaire Renaissance Festival is open on weekends Sept 19-Oct 4. Located 5 miles north of Hillsboro on Hwy 171. Check out their website or call 254-548-6238.

Sept 25-26 is the Elm Street Rod Run features street rods, customs, classics and Cushmans with a Friday cruise in at 7:00pm, located at 212 E. Elm St. For more information go to their website or call 972-291-2958.

Go Texan Days/Cotton Pickin’ Fair which includes arts & crafts, vendors, games, kids activities, bbq cook-off, street dance and more. Located at downtown Hillsboro. Call 254-582-2481 for more information. The dates are Sept 25-26.

WACO
25th Annual Waco Wild West Century Bicycle Tour is Sept 26. Routes include 10, 26, 50, 65 and 100 miles. Pancake breakfast will be served at 6:30am at Indian Spring Park. For more details, go to their website or call 254-772-2453.

MANSFIELD
Sept 25-26 Pecan Festival. Enjoy food, arts & crafts, kids activities, entertainment, petting zoo and bounce houses. The hours are 9am-6pm at Rose Park. For more details, go to their website or call 817-473-0507.

DENISON
US National Aerobatic Competition Sept 20-26. Aerobatic pilots from all over the United States compete at the North Texas Regional Airport at Perrin Field. For more information, go to their website or call 903-465-1551.

MCKINNEY
Octoberfest is Sept. 26. The fun will include authentic German music, food, traditional costumes, dancing children’s activities and more. Located at the Historic Downtown Square. For more information, visit their website or call 972-547-2660.

ENNIS
NHRA Sept 24-27. The Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. For time and ticket prices, visit their website or call 92-878-4748.

SERBIN
Sept 27 is the date of the 21st Annual Wendish Fest which includes demonstrations, antique and classic cars, antique tractors and farm equipment, children’s contests and more. Kornelia Thor demonstrates decorating Wendish Easter eggs. Kovanda’s Czech Band and The Sieker Band perform. Located at the Texas Wendish Heritage Society Museum and St. Paul Lutheran church picnic grounds. For more details, visit their website or call 979-366-2441.

HALLETTSVILLE
Kolache Fest is Sept 25-26. This will include a domino tournament, local food vendors, parade, children’s activities, kolache baking contest, kolache eating contest, arts & crafts and polka music. Located at the Knights of Columbus hall. Please see their website or call 361-798-2662.

GRAND PRAIRIE
Beatlegras on Sept 26 at the Concert Uptown Theatre. For times and ticket prices, go to their website or call 972-237-UPTN.

LEWISVILLE
Sept. 26 is the Western Day Festival. This features country music, entertainment, arts & craft vendors, gunfight re-enactments, trick ropers, antique car show, longhorn cattle drive, children’s activities and more. Located at Old Town Lewisville. For more details, go to their website or call 972-219-3401.

Texas Monthly always has some special events highlighted for you…

AUSTIN
PECAN STREET FESTIVAL This bi-annual family affair takes over two of Austin’s most storied streets with three stages of live entertainment, hundreds of arts and crafts booths, a carnival, and more than 300,000 revelers. Sep 26 & 27. Sat 11—10, Sun 11—8. Free. For schedule, call or go to their website. Located on 6th & 7th Streets between Brazos and I-35 (512-469-6060).

DALLAS
STATE FAIR OF TEXAS In between gawking at Big Tex and chowing down on a Fletcher’s corny dog, don’t miss the following: thrill rides at the Midway, butter sculptures and award-winning quilts in the creative arts building, the Texas-OU football game at the Cotton Bowl, the epically huge auto show, all the fried food you can stomach, live music from headliners Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, the Commodores, En Vogue, and much more. In a State Fair first, the queen of daytime TV—Oprah, of course—will be taping her show at the fairgrounds on October 12. Sep 25—Oct 18. From 10 to 10. Gen adm $15, senior citizens and children under 48-inches-tall $11; 2 & under free; parking $10. For schedule & prices call or go to the website. Drive to Fair Park, Robert B Cullum Blvd between Parry & Fitzhugh (214-565-9931).

Sept 24-Oct 18 at the Music Hall at Fair Park is Mary Poppins. Check out their website or call 214-421-5678.

Sept 1-Dec 31 are the dates of the Storybook Playhouse Exhibition at the Arboretum. There are fourteen interactive playhouses based on classic children’s stories on display. For more details, go to their website or call 214-515-6500.

Sept 1-Jan 4 are the dates of Science of Spying. You can experience the latest spy gadgets and techniques. Learn how to detect liars, crack safes and find hidden clues. Located at the Museum of Nature & Science at 1218 S. Second Ave. Check out their website or call 214-428-5555.

The George Washington Carver Exhibit is Sept 1-Oct 25. Discover the life and work of an extraordinary man, born into slavery, who used his gifts to become a groundbreaking scientist, educator and humanitarian. Located at the African America Museum at Fair Park. More details can be seen on their website or call 214-565-9026.

EL PASO
EL PASO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The EPSO kicks off its Classical Concert series with a Russian Spectacular. Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major. Prokofiev: Symphony No 5 in B-flat Major. Jennifer Koh, violin. Sarah Ioannides, conductor. For detailed program notes, go to the website. The dates are Sep 25 & 26 at 7:30. For ticket prices, call or go to this website. Located at the Plaza Theatre, 125 Pioneer Plaza (915-532-3776).

FORT WORTH
CIRCLE THEATRE Picasso at the Lapin Agile—before their talent made them household names, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein met for the first time at a Paris café. Or so playwright Steve Martin (yes, that one) would have you believe in this “what if?” play about two icons on the verge of amazing ideas. Sep 24—Oct 24. Thur at 7:30, Fri at 8, Sat at 3 & 8. For prices, call or go to their website. Located at 230 W. 4th (817-877-3040).

Randy Travis will be singing with the Fort Worth Symphony orchestra on Sept. 26. Go to their website for all the information.

GALVESTON
ISLAND ETC Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?—Edward Albee’s first (and some would say best) full-length work is a no-holds-barred look at the volatile relationship between Martha and her professor husband, George, who invite an unwitting young couple over for a drink and some verbal fireworks. Sep 25—Oct 17. Thur—Sat at 8, Sun at 2:30. Gen adm $25, senior citizens & students $20. You can see details on their website. Their address is 2317 Mechanic (888-762-3556).

HOUSTON
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON Sep 27—Jan 10: The Moon: “Houston, Tranquility Base Here. The Eagle Has Landed”—to mark the fortieth anniversary of that first stroll on the moon, the MFAH chronicles 500 years of fascination with Earth’s natural satellite in this exhibit. On view are seventeenth-century telescopes, Galileo Galilei’s Sidereus Nuncius treatise, and numerous art works featuring the lunar wonder. Open Tue & Wed 10—5, Thur 10—9, Fri & Sat 10—7, Sun 12:15—7. Gen adm $7; senior citizens, students & youths 6—18 $3.50; 5 & under free (Thur everybody free and Sat & Sun youths 18 & under free with public library card). The museum’s sculpture garden (across the street on Bissonnet) is open daily 9 a.m.—10 p.m., free. To see details, go to their website. Located at Caroline Wiess Law Bldg, 1001 Bissonnet, and the adjacent Audrey Jones Beck Bldg, 5601 Main (713-639-7300).

SAN ANTONIO
MCNAY ART MUSEUM Sep 23—Jan 7: The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper—after seeing an exhibit of African American art in San Antonio in the eighties, the Kelleys vowed to learn more about the legacy of such artists as Elizabeth Catlett, Charles White, Whitfield Lovell, and Margo Humphrey. From block prints and lithographs to watercolors and pen and ink drawings, the more than fifty works on view here date back to the late 1800’s and are a representative slice of the couple’s collection, one of the most esteemed assemblages of African American art in the country. Open Tue & Wed 10—4, Thur 10—9, Fri 10—4, Sat 10—5, Sun noon—5. Gen adm $8; senior citizens, students with ID & active military $5; children 12 & under free (Thur 4—9 & first Sun of the month everybody free). Check out their website. Located at 6000 N. New Braunfels (210-824-5368).

CORPUS CHRISTI
BAYFEST Enjoy the sights and sounds of the bay at this annual shindig: Play games, browse local arts and crafts, and get down and boogie to the sounds of Tone Loc, Young MC, Coolio, Tracy Lawrence, Vertical Horizon, and others. Sep 25—27. Fri 6 p.m.—midnight, Sat noon—midnight, Sun noon—10. Gen adm $7; senior citizens, military & children 7—12 $3; 6 & under free. Go to their website for more details. Located Along Shoreline Blvd from Kinney to Park Ave (361-887-0868).