Amarillo, TX

Because of the Swine Flu scare (aka H1N1), there has been discussion of cancelling the Greater Southwest Music Festival. However, the organizers of the event have decided to keep the event scheduled as planned. This is great news for many middle and high school musicians throughout the area that come for the musical competition. The festival will proceed on May 6^th, 7^th and 8^th as planned.

The organizers of the festival have decided to keep the event on schedule since so many pieces are already in place. The trophies are ready, the plane tickets have been purchased for the judges and the venues have been booked. The Amarillo Civic Center cannot be booked again for awhile, as well. It is booked until June.

Some of the smaller schools have already opted out of participating in the event. Many schools are following the UIL recommendations of postponing any travel until after May 11^th.

The organizers of the festival want to stress to everyone participating that safety precautions will be observed throughout the festival. There will be sanitizers available at all times, restrooms will remain clean and much more.

The Greater Southwest Music Festival will be held at the Amarillo Civic Center, the Center for Performing Arts and the Globe News Center, with almost 9,000 students expected to attend.

It sounds like this will be a great event for everyone attending with many health and safety precautions in the works. It will be a great event for the musicians in the Amarillo area to get together as planned and have a good time.

Visiting or relocating to Amarillo and want community information? Find it here.

Homes for Sale in Amarillo, Texas ~ Realtor® Tom Kile

This is a great opportunity to win $1,000 on your next vacation just for visiting Amarillo, Texas. And who couldn't use a little extra money after their vacation?

Now through September 30, 2009, Amarillo is holding a sweepstakes for visitors staying in their local hotels or motels. There will be 10 random drawings held between now and then; all for $1,000 each.

To enter, be sure to ask the hotel or motel clerk where you are staying for a sweepstakes application for each night of your stay. Fill out each application with your name, address, phone number and email address and attach a copy of your Amarillo hotel bill showing that you stayed between the dates of March 1, 2009 and September 30, 2009. Send the applications and the copy of your hotel bill to the Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council (1000 Polk Street, Amarillo, TX 79109). Entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Anyone may enter the sweepstakes by writing to "A Night in Amarillo" on a 3" x 5" postcard with their name, address, phone number and email address. Then, just mail it to: A Night in Amarillo, Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council, 1000 Polk Street, Amarillo, TX 79109. Any entries sent in that are incomplete will be considered void and all valid entries must be postmarked by September 30, 2009 and received by October 10, 2009.

Amarillo has been taking great care of their residents for decades and now the city is focusing on their visitors. So, on your next visit to Amarillo, don't forget to enter the "A Night in Amarillo" sweepstakes for your chance to win.

Realtor® Tom Kile - Amarillo, Texas Real Estate

Amarillo, Texas Community Information

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Everyone loves the Spring and that is evident when you begin to see more and more people around strolling the streets, parks and neighborhoods trying to enjoy the wonderful Spring weather. Therefore, I thought I would take advantage of my blog and post some of the great community events going on in Amarillo, Texas this April.

April 11 - 14 ~ Panhandle Plains Historical Museum presents Loan Star Still Lifes. Natural and man-made still life objects will be on display in an artificial setting (4^th Avenue, Canyon). For more information, call (806) 651-2244 or visit www.panhandleplains.org.

April 16 ~ Amarillo Museum of Art from 6-9 p.m. every Thursday. This month, enjoy art activities, films, tea tastings, coffee, gallery tours and live music (2200 S. Van Buren, Amarillo). For more information, call (806) 371-5050 or visit www.marilloart.org.

April 16 - 19 ~ The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming for six performances at the Amarillo Civic Center. This one-ring circus features elephants, tigers, clowns, acrobats and other circus acts. Cost: $14, $18, $29. Time: 7pm April 16^th and 17^th, 6pm April 18^th and 2pm April 19^th (401S. Buchanan, Amarillo). For more information, call (806) 378-3098 or visit www.panhandletickets.com.

April 18 ~ Wildcat Bluff Nature Center presents Earth Fest 2009. An entire day of special events is dedicated to celebrating Earth Day. Wildcat Bluff features over 600 acres of grasslands, bluffs, trees, hiking trails and much more (2301 N. Soncy Road, Amarillo). For more information, call (806) 352-6007 or visit www.wildcatbluff.org.

April 18 - October 11 ~ Panhandle Plains Historical Museum presents the James D. Hamlin Collection. Hundreds of items that were donated to the museum in 1942 from the Hamlin collection will be on display. You won't want to miss this one (4^th Avenue, Canyon). For more information, call (806) 651-2244 or visit www.panhandleplains.org.

April 24 - May 10 ~ Amarillo Museum of Art presents the annual Amarillo College West Texas A&M University Student Faculty Show. This exhibit features the best art from local students and faculty (2200 S. Van Buren, Amarillo). For more information, call (806) 371-5050 or visit www.amarilloart.org.

There are so many great things going on in Amarillo, Texas this month. And if you can't get to any of these, there is always the great outdoors with many great parks and recreation the community has to offer. So get out and take advantage of it.

Realtor® Tom Kile - Amarillo, Texas Real Estate

Amarillo, Texas Community Information

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I'm always looking for something fun and inexpensive to do in Amarillo during my free time. So, when I saw that Make-A-Wish Car Show will be at the Amarillo Civic Center this weekend, I thought I would pass along the information.

The Make-A-Wish Car Show will feature hundreds of cars from the past. Therefore, you will find cars, cars and more cars filling the Amarillo Civic Center this Saturday, February 28^th. This will be the 25^th annual Make-A-Wish Car Show in Amarillo. And this year, the event is sponsored by the Panhandle Council of Car Clubs.

The car show will begin Saturday at 10am and end at 7pm. It will pick back up on Sunday beginning at 10am and end at 5pm. So far, there are around 300 classic cars featured at this year's event. The oldest car is expected to be a 1910 Hupmobile owned by a local man, David Patterson of Canyon, Texas.

Vendors will also be at the event showing off their wares and services for the two day event. Browsers can buy items such as car wax or car parts. There will also be a model car contest going on. So, if you're one of the many that are into model cars, don't forget to get in on the action.

Admission to the fun event is $5 for adults and $3 for children. All proceeds will go to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Texas Plains. This organization grants wishes for children that suffer from life-threatening medical conditions. Last year's events raised just over $58,000.

This event is a great, inexpensive way to get out and have fun with the whole family while supporting a great cause. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Car Show, call - 806-358-9900

Amarillo, Texas Community Information

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Amarillo, Texas Realtor® Connie Taylor

Everyone loves to have a good time in Amarillo, Texas and there are several events in the month of February to take advantage of. Best of all, each event will be fun for the whole family.

· The Arts of India - February 13^th - April 12^th at the Amarillo Museum of Art (2200 S. Van Buren). This great event is FREE. For more information, call 806-371-5050 or visit their website at www.amarilloar.org.

· Nights at the Museum - February 13^th from 5:50-9:30 p.m. (1600 Quarter Horse Drive). This event is for children ages 4-11 and will cost $20.00 per night for first child then $15.00 for each additional child. For more information, call 806-376-5181 or visit their website at www.aqhhalloffame.com.

· Lone Star Ballet - February 13^th & 14^th at the Globe-New Center for the Performing Arts. Friday's show will start at 8:00 p.m. Saturday's shows will be 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The show of the Little Mermaid will thrill your whole family with its energy and stunning underwater choreography. For tickets, call 806-378-3096. You can also visit their website at www.lonestarballet.org.

· The Quarter Horse Journal - February 16^th - August 1^st at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum (2601 I-40 East @ Quarter Horse Drive). The exhibit will celebrate 60 years of the Quarter Horse Journal by looking at the past, present and future. For more information, call 806-376-5181 or visit their website at www.aqhhalloffame.com.

· The Rat Pack is Back - February 17^th & 18^th at the Amarillo Civic Center (401 S. Buchanan). This musical is based on the lives of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and their Rat Pack colleagues. For more information, call 806-378-3069 or visit their website at www.amarillociviccenter.com.

· Third Thursday programs - February 19^th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Amarillo Museum of Art (2200 S. Van Buren). This program will be each third Thursday of each month all year. Enjoy live music, art, films, gallery tours, tea tasting and coffee. The cost is FREE. For more information, call 806-371-5050 or visit their website at www.amarilloart.org.

· Nights at the Museums - February 20^th from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (1200 Streit Drive). This event is for children ages 4-11 and cost is $20.00 per night for first child and $15.00 for each additional child. For more information, call 806-355-9547 or visit their website at www.dhdc.org.

· Xeriscaping - February 21^st from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center (2301 N. Soncy). Light refreshments and coffee will be served. Members are free, non-members are $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for children and seniors. For more information, call 806-352-6007.

Wow! It looks like some really great activities are happening this month. I hope you get to take advantage of them.

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Amarillo, Texas Realtor® Connie Taylor