The Western Heritage Classic is held each year in the city of Abilene, Texas. This popular four day event features a parade, bit and spur show and a chuck wagon cook-off. Hundreds of people attend this event that also features a ranch rodeo and nightly dances. This event is located off Highway 136 and nearby lodging is available. You will find directions and more information on their website. The festival is held during the middle of May each spring. There are a number of children’s activities during the festival.Check (more…)

Sprawled out over several miles of terrain in West Texas, Abilene is a city that has a lot to offer in the way of the arts. With a booming, historic downtown scene that features art galleries, live music opportunities, theaters and more, any lover of arts and entertainment will enjoy a visit to Abilene.

The Grace Museum is one of the cultural centers of the city. It offers exhibits of artwork, historic items, and even has a children’s area complete with hands-on displays. At the Grace Museum, you will find everything from professional photography to children’s (more…)

Contemporary Cowboy Life In Abilene, Texas

Abilene is located in west central Texas. Despite the local colleges and universities in the burgeoning city, there is enough of the cowboy life that still exists in the city and nearby or surrounding cities. You can still get a sense of the prevailing cowboy culture within the city limits. You can see cowboys herding cattle and other live stock on multi thousand acre ranches and farms. Abilene, Texas has a diverse population where the cowboy culture is mixed with tourist attractions and famous Texas cuisine. This city feels more like a big town (more…)

If you’ve been looking for a great place to take the kids this summer, take another look at Abilene! If you don’t have home internet go to http://www.wildbluedeals.com/recovery-act-pro and get it quick so you can book a car or flight and get to this tiny haven of culture in the middle of Texas
Grace Cultural Center: This three story museum right in the (more…)

Built by design as a result of the Texas & Pacific Railroad’s expansion efforts, Abilene Texas sprang up in the early 1880′s. From its beginning, Abilene was a successful railroad town becoming incorporated in 1882, and also becoming the county seat of Taylor County in the same year.

In the 1880′s the Texas & Pacific was pushing its way steadily through Texas. There was a desire for the line to extend west from Fort Worth deeper into Texas, but in order to do so, there had to be towns along the line to support the railroad with (more…)

Sate your appetite for history and culture while in Abilene, Texas; the gateway to the wide open west. Over 100,000 residences and visitors alike choose the destination because of the town’s historic and cultural appeal. You can attend one of the annual events or visit museums and music halls. Restaurants, shops and entertainment are situated in downtown Abilene.

Events that draw in travelers and locals alike include the Western Heritage Classic, the West Texas Fair and Rodeo. Both events (more…)

Some very exciting events and conventions are coming to Abilene in the not so distant future. Here are some of them. From September 8th to 17th, 2011. The West Texas Fair and Rodeo hits the Taylor County Expo Center, 1700 Hwy.36. The event will feature a PCRA rodeo. A mid-way filled with nerve curling rides, varied events for children of all ages, and a horse and livestock show. An arts and crafts exhibit will also be on display. (more…)

Abilene is a great place to live, not just for its two legged residents, but their much furrier best friends as well. The Camp Barkeley Dog Park, named after the old Civil War fort located 11 miles southwest of Abilene (since renamed Dyess Air Force Base), and in homage to every dog’s favorite word, opened in late November, giving the city a new pet-friendly resource on top of its already very walkable cityscape.

When the original Camp Barkeley was built, it was only meant to be a temporary encampment, now not only does the original structure still function in a military capacity, but the name will live in four-legged lore. The new Camp Barkeley is located next to the Abilene Zoo, but don’t worry, your pet will be neither caged nor on display, rather privy plenty of controlled walking space and an acre of leash free land on which they can run wild wild within reason, of course. In order to ensure the safety of all dogs and their owners, there are rules in place regarding proper conduct and park use. Abiding by these simple sixteen do’s and don’ts will keep the city’s newest recreational resource fun for the whole family from the ground up:

The dog park is open dawn to dusk. (more…)

While the national economy may be struggling, the West Texas Fair and Rodeo, housed at the Taylor County Expo Center, hauled in a windfall of revenue like it hasn’t seen in two full years, though it might be more related to the weekend’s perfect weather than a sign of financial recovery. Still, after two consecutive years of rain, patrons were glad to see the sun was out and spirits were high, raking in thousands more dollars than the previously dampened festivities. Rain or shine, the numbers were impressive, as the Fair improved upon its 2007 numbers as well, though the blue Texas sky was equally pristine.Fair officials aren’t ready to write off the banner weekend as the end of their problems. After all, anyone familiar with the Abilene area knows the Taylor County Expo Center is well versed on the facility’s recent history of budgetary issues. Despite the past several months of monetary shortcomings, signs of hope like the Fair and Rodeo are the direct result of a concern effort and diligent planning to drive interest in events housed at the Expo Center, especially at a time of year when college football is top dog in the state of Texas. The Fair and Rodeo’s success is particularly impressive when you consider the competition it faced on the entertainment front, highlighted by the University of Texas Longhorns squaring off against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on the event’s final Saturday night. (more…)

The southwest corner of Abilene is home to the Dyess Air Force Base where loyal American citizens dedicate their time and effort to serving our nation. The base contains the 7^th Bomb wing, which operates B-1B Bombers and is completed by the only B-1B combat crew training squadron. The facility is also equipped with two combat squadrons, a weapons school, and a B-1B test and evaluation squadron. Their mission is to “provide world class Airmen and air power for the warfighter.”Dyess AFB has also become an important part of the Abilene community. On July 3, the base hosted its 4^th annual fireworks/military appreciation show, complete with games and live music. Starting August 9, the Dyess Chapel will feature a free Vacation Bible School focusing on the story of Joseph. It’s refreshing to see a site give so much back to the community that it protects. (more…)