MARCH

  March 14-16 - Shamrock
62nd ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION... Salute the Irish in Shamrock with the Donegal beard-growing contest, carnival rides, parade, crafts, rodeo events, Miss Irish Rose pageant, motorcycle rally, Lad / Lassie contest & dance. (806) 256-2501.

APRIL

  April 17-20 - Lubbock
LUBBOCK ARTS FESTIVAL... Enjoy this premier fine arts and crafts event in West Texas! Festival presents art, music, theater, and dance, children’s activities, and culinary events. Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. (806) 744-2787.

  April 19 - AlbanyCar show, arts show, food & craft vendors, chuckwagon breakfast, music, kid’s activities, Watt R. Matthews memories, cowboy tales & fun for all. Albany Chamber of Commerce: (325) 762-2525. Website: www.albanytexas.com. E-mail: chamberc@bitstreet.com.

  April 26-27 - Ballinger
TEXAS STATE FESTIVAL OF ETHNIC CULTURES... Join in this multicultural celebration with ethnic foods, arts and crafts, music, children’s events, biking festival and Miss Ballinger pageant at the county courthouse grounds. (325) 365-2333.

MAY

  May 16-18 - A Silver Celebration of art events is set for Midland’s downtown and Centennial Plaza. Enjoy concerts, outdoor entertainment, interactive art experiences, 70 visual artists indoors, street concert, 5K and 10K, festival refreshments, and much more! (432) 687-1149.

  May 17 - Santa Anna
FUNTIER DAYS & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BISON COOK-OFF ... Feast on buffalo-the meat of those massive beasts that roamed the Old West! The cook-off competition features Texas’ best tournament cookers on beef brisket, chicken, pork ribs & bison. Enjoy arts & crafts, games, rides, homemade pies & ice cream, cloggers, bluegrass music, street dance, and more. Civic Center (Armory). nwylie@web-access.net. (325) 348-3535 or (325) 348-3826.

JUNE

  June 6-7 - Enjoy this Premier Rock & Roll Tejano music and menudo chili & fajita cook-off com-petition at Permian Basin’s largest cultural event. (432) 682-2960. Fax (432) 687-3972.

  June 6-8 - Haskell
WILD HORSE PRAIRIE DAYS... Western musical entertainers, WRCA ranch rodeo, cowboy poetry, parade, ranch horse competition, kids’ rodeo, dance, trade show, cutting horse contest, cowboy church service, and cook-off at Haskell  Rodeo Grounds at Civic Center. (940) 864-2477.

  May 30 and June 6, 13, 20, 27 and July 11, 18, 25 and August 1, 8 - Odessa
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS WITH COOL MUSIC... From Texas Swing to bluegrass, oldies rock and roll to Celtic, Hispanic to Jazz--a different musical journey every Friday night during the summer. Free admission. Noel Heritage Park in downtown Odessa . Food & beverages available; no alcohol. Sponsored by Council for the Arts & Humanities and Main Street Odessa . (432) 337-1492. www.odessaarts.org.