From: Hammond, Ken [Ken.Hammond@chron.com] Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 2:11 PM To: guy@cybersquad.com Subject: February festivals, Texas -----Original Message----- From: unknown@libsrv01.magichron [mailto:unknown@libsrv01.magichron] Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 1:45 PM To: Hammond, Ken Subject: 5900 -ACCESS- 3621396 -UPD- 20030127 -UPT- 1404 -STAT- A -PAPER- Houston Chronicle -HEAD- FEBRUARY FESTIVALS / Rodeo, whoopers and Mardi Gras -DAY- SUN -DATE- 20030126 -SECTION- TEXAS MAGAZINE -PAGE- 6 -EDITION- 2 STAR -ZONE- -BYLINE- -CREDIT- Staff -WHONOTE- -ENOTE- A listing of Texas festivals appears monthly in Texas Magazine. Festival information and color photographs for March festivals must be received by Jan. 31. Information must include a phone number for the public and admission costs. Send to Festivals, Texas Magazine, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210. Fax 713-354-3051. Or e-mail information and high-resolution photos to festivals.features@chron.com. -DATELINE- -CAPTION- -ART- Photos: 1. Jordan Gutierrez, left, and Jackie Ozuna arrive ready for a Mardi Gras! Galveston krewe parade in 2002 (color); 2. Riders and a wagon from the Arcenciel Riding Club take part in last year'sHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo parade downtown. (color); 3. San Antonio's Institute of Texan Cultures will host the Asian New Year Festival Saturday (color); 4. Brownsville schoolchildren ride the brim of a sombrero on a float in the 2002 Charro Days parade (color); 5. American flags held high, the Catalena Cowgirls help open last year's Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (p. 2, color) -PHOTOG- 1., 2. Carlos Antonio Rios / Chronicle, 4. Associated Press, 5. Karl Stolleis / Chronicle -CORRECT- -COLUMN- SPECIAL AFFECTIONS -CATEGORY- -TYPE- -KEYS- Texas Events -EKEYS- -PROC- libsam -ELECTION- -RSEC- 0 -SLUG- 1.26 festivals -LENGTH- 22 -LEAD- ASIAN NEW YEAR FESTIVAL When: Feb. 1. Where: San Antonio. Contact: 210-458-2300; www.texancultures.utsa.edu/events/asian. Admission: $5 adults, $2 ages 3-12, $3 ages 65 and older and military personnel with ID, free ages 2 and younger. -TEXT- ASIAN NEW YEAR FESTIVAL When: Feb. 1. Where: San Antonio. Contact: 210-458-2300; www.texancultures.utsa.edu/events/asian. Admission:$5 adults, $2 ages 3-12, $3 ages 65 and older and military personnel with ID, free ages 2 and younger. Events celebrating the Year of the Ram at the Institute of Texan Cultures (11 a.m.-5 p.m.) include a Korean fashion show, Filipino and Indian customs, Japanese calligraphy and sword demonstrations, Chinese puzzles and traditional foods. MARRIAGE OF THE PORT When: Feb. 2-16. Where: Bryan. Contact: Messina Hof Wine Cellars, 800-736-9463; www.messinahof.com. Admission: Cost varies by event. Texas winery Messina Hof celebrates the traditional method of making port wine by blending wine and brandy. Daily public tours ($5) include wine tasting, marriage of the port ceremony, wedding cake and souvenir wine glass. Final events on Feb. 16 include wine and food-pairing luncheon ($29.95), port-blending lab ($25) and wedding feast ($70). SWEETHEART STAGECOACH DAY When: Feb. 8. Where: Anderson. Contact: Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site, 936-873-2633;www.tpwd.state.tx.us. Admission: $4 adults, $2.50 ages 12 and younger. Fanthorp Inn gives a nod to Valentine's Day by offering a ride on a bright red stagecoach, followed by a reading by cowboy poet Kenny Lewis, music by the Star of Texas Dulcimers and a tour of the inn. EIGHTH ANNUAL EAGLE FEST When: Feb. 8-9. Where: Rains County Fairgrounds, Emory. Contact: Rains County Chamber of Commerce, 800-561-1182; www.eaglefest.org. Admission: free (donations accepted). Rains County, named the "Eagle Capital of Texas" by the 74th Texas Legislature, celebrates the return of a national symbol with live bird demonstrations, guided bus ($5) and barge ($10) tours for eagle viewing, American Indian dancers, music, lectures, a "Rural American Idol" competition and children's games. NEW WAVERLY ANTIQUES FESTIVAL When: Feb. 8-9. Where: New Waverly. Contact: 979-865-5618. Admission: $4. The festival will feature 35 antiques dealers offering furniture, glass, china and collectibles. Also, food, refreshments and a farmers market. WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION When: Feb. 8-23. Where: Loredo. Contact: 956-722-0589. Admission: Cost varies by event. In 1898 this bicultural town wanted an American holiday to celebrate, and George Washington's birthday (Feb. 22) was chosen because he was admired on both sides of the border. Events include a youth dance and band festival, a wine tasting, a pops concert, a carnival, a Jam for George concert featuring Cheap Trick, an international soccer exhibition, a Princess Pocahontas pageant and ball, a children's fun fest and a street festival. LIVINGSTON TRADE DAYS When: Feb. 14-16. Where: Livingston. Contact: 936-327-3656; www.cityoflivingston-tx.com/tradedays. Admission: free; parking fee. Antiques and food vendors set up their wares at Pedigo Park in Livingston. REMEMBER THE MAINE When: Feb. 15-16. Where: Houston. Contact: San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Site, 281-479-2431; www.tpwd.state.tx.us. Admission: $5 adults, $3 ages 6-18, $4 ages 65 and older, free for military personnel with ID. Hosted by Texas Parks and Wildlife and San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Site, this patriotic weekend event will feature a memorial service for the USS Maine, sister ship of the first Battleship Texas, and living history exhibits of America's military heritage from 1776 to the present. A CELEBRATION OF WHOOPING CRANES AND OTHER BIRDS When: Feb. 21-23. Where: Port Aransas. Contact: 800-452-6278; www.portaransas.org. Admission: Cost varies by event. Dedicated to the endangered whooping cranes that travel 2,400 miles each year to winter at the Aransas Wildlife Refuge, the celebration offers art, birding and photography workshops, lectures, a nature trade show, guided boat and bus nature tours and whooping crane viewing. MARDI GRAS! GALVESTON When: Feb. 21-March 4. Where: Galveston. Contact: Convention and Visitors Bureau, 888-425-4753. Admission: $15 Fridays; $20 Saturdays; $5 Sundays; free for ages 12 and younger. This year's Mardi Gras salutes "The Rainforests of the World." Events include 50 bands on three stages in the Strand Downtown Historic District, nine parades, masquerade balls, parties and a rugby tournament. EARTHWISE LIVING DAY When: Feb. 22. Where: Leon Valley. Contact: city of Leon Valley, 210-681-1232. Admission: free. The 14th annual event will feature speakers and activities that focus on water and energy conservation, improving air quality, xeriscape landscaping, organic community gardening, native-plant gardening, waste reduction and recycling. CONOCOPHILLIPS RODEO RUN AND RODEOHOUSTON PARADE When: Feb. 22. Where: Houston. Contact: Race hot line, 281-293-2447. Admission: $25 registration. More than 6,000 runners are expected to participate in the 16th annual 10K race and new 5K fun run that will officially kick off the downtown RodeoHouston parade. The race and parade begin at Texas and Smith. The wheelchair race starts at 9:45 a.m., and the overall race at 9:50. The parade starts at 10 a.m. Entry fees are donated to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Educational Fund. Awards given to two race finishers for the best Western running garb. CLEAR LAKE GEM, MINERAL AND JEWELRY SHOW When: Feb. 22-23. Where: Pasadena Convention Center. Contact: 281-481-1591; www.ghgcorp.com/gpenning/annual.htm. Admission: $5 adults; $3 ages 60 and older; $1 ages 12-17; free ages 11 and younger and all Scouts. Thirty dealers will display fossils, minerals and jewelry. Gem mine and jewelry making for children. CHARRO DAYS FIESTA When: Feb. 23-March 2. Where: Brownsville. Contact: 956-542-4245. Admission: varies by event. Charro Days honors the customs, costumes, cuisine and traditions of early Mexico. The celebration is named for Mexican charros - bold, skilled horsemen. Dubbed a "Mexican Thanksgiving," the festival celebrates the friendship between the United States and Mexico where their borders meet at the sister cities of Brownsville and Matamoros. Events include three parades, street dances, Mexican folk dances, Sombrero Festival, flour tortilla cook-off, taco-eating contest, golf tournament and concerts. RODEOHOUSTON AND HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW When: Feb. 25-March 16. Where: Houston. Contact: 832-667-1000; www.rodeohouston.com. Admission: Call for prices. Reliant Stadium is the new home of RodeoHouston. Events include calf roping, saddle-bronc riding, steer wrestling, bareback-bronc riding, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Musical performers include George Strait, Tim McGraw, ZZ Top and Alabama. -END- ====================================================== This e-mail message is intended only for the personal use of the recipients(s) named above. If you are not an intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this message. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the Houston Chronicle Postmaster (postmaster@chron.com) immediately by e-mail and delete the original message. ======================================================