Celtic Courage
In March, thousands of people gather in Sherman for the Celtic Festival to hear pipe and drum music, taste Scottish and Irish food, and compete in strongman-type athletic competitions called the Highland Games. These originated as a way for military troops to stay in shape for combat. Today, men and women compete in strength competitions that include heaving stones, flipping tree trunks, throwing hammers, and using pitchforks to toss hefty burlap sacks filled with straw or rope.
Authentic Celtic music and food are big draws for the crowds. Bagpipers and drummers, both solo and in bands, perform and compete, while visitors sample delicious specialties such as Scotch eggs and meat pies. There’s also fry bread, a reminder of the nearby Choctaw Nation’s connection to the Irish—the tribe raised money to aid the people of Ireland suffering during the potato famine.
“Texas was heavily populated by Scottish and Irish immigrants,” founding organizer Rob Ballew says. “Several fought and died at the Alamo. Legend has it that [one of the Scottish soldiers] and Davy Crockett had musical duels where one would play fiddle and the other the bagpipes to entertain the troops.”
The festival lineup also includes a sheepherding demonstration, a shortbread bake-off, whiskey tasting, dancing, a Viking village, and cultural exhibits. —Pam LeBlanc
BIG BEND COUNTRY
ALPINE
Plein Air Painters of the Four Corners
Through March 22
Members of the Plein Air Painters of the Four Corners exhibit their images of Big Bend regional landscapes at Museum of the Big Bend, located on the Sul Ross State University campus. Museum of the Big Bend, 400 N. Harrison St. 432-837-8143; museumofthebigbend.com
ALPINE
Wild West Night
March 21
Enjoy dinner cooked on a chuckwagon, music by Craig Carter and Spur of the Moment Band, dancing, a silent auction, a dessert bakeoff, and other family-friendly fun at this street party. Sunshine House, 402 E. Holland Ave. 432-837-5402; sunshinehousealpine.com
ALPINE
Avenue Q: The Musical
March 27-29; April 3-5, 10-12
Sul Ross State University’s Theatre Department presents the Tony-winning musical comedy featuring both puppets and human actors as characters who are facing the challenges of adulthood. Sul Ross State University, Marshall Auditorium, 400 N. Harrison St. sulross.edu/theatre
DEL RIO
Hungarian Heart Texan Soul
March 1
Some of the best folk musicians from Hungary are accompanied by the aspiring young dancers from the Del Rio community. Paul Poag Theatre, 746 S. Main St. 830-775-0888; huncongala.com
DEL RIO
Fiesta of Flight Air and Space Expo
March 14
As a “thank you” for the outstanding support from Del Rio and the surrounding community, Laughlin Air Force Base hosts an open house and air show. Headlining the one-day event is the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team. Laughlin Air Force Base, 1915 Veterans Blvd. 830-775-3551; drchamber.com
EL PASO
The Music of Selena
March 7
Celebrate the life and enduring legacy of trailblazing artist Selena Quintanilla. Sensational vocalist Isabel Marie Sanchez performs iconic hits like “Dreaming of You,” “Como la Flor,” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” live with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. Plaza Theatre, 125 Pioneer Plaza. 915-231-1100; elpasolive.com
EL PASO
Seven Deadly Shorts
March 8
What could aliens, yoga, fortune telling, Cracker Jack, baggage, chess, and murder possibly have in common? Sin! From Mark Watts and Stephanie Karr, the team that opened the first Jewel Box Series in 2014, comes this series of seven 10-minute plays that take you down that dark path of the seven deadly sins. Philanthropy Theatre, 125 Pioneer Plaza. 915-231-1100; elpasolive.com
FORT DAVIS
