West Fest and Cabrito Cook-Off, Marathon Texas

Posted on September 11, 2011 by joanie7

Post Park

For those longing for another goat cook-off, after the big Goat Cook-Off in Brady, Texas over Labor Day Weekend the Cabrito (goat) Cook-Off is coming up in Marathon, Texas.
Mark your calendar, the dates are Saturday, September 17th and Sunday September 18th, 2011. This is the 10th annual West Fest. Cooks will present their goat dishes to the judges as they vie for the top cash prize. Come out and participate in washer pitching, team roping, softball as well as a dance on Saturday night featuring live music. Just turn on Ave D in downtown Marathon, travel 5 miles south and you will arrive at Post Park, site of West Fest 2011. Post Park, for you frontier fort history buffs, was once a cavalry fort called Camp Pena Colorado, a sub-post of the better known Fort Davis. www.marathontexas.com 432-386-4482

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State Fair of Texas Discounts 2011 Deals new updates!

Posted on September 8, 2011 by joanie7

The Texas Star

The State Fair of Texas opens September 30th, 2011 and runs through October 23rd, 2011. Here is what you need to know to obtain a discount admission ticket to the 125th State Fair of Texas 2011 .

Big Tex Welcomes Everyone to the State Fair of TexasKroger’s is the retail outlet for advance purchase discount tickets for the State Fair of Texas. The discount price for a general admission ticket if you buy it at Kroger’s is $14.50 ($16.00 if you buy it at the fair), Kids tickets (under 48 inches tall) are $10.95 at Kroger ($12 at the fair) and senior age 60 and over are also $10.95 at Kroger ($12 at the fair.)

If you want to attend on opening day, September 30th, 2011 for $4 just bring an unopened 20 ounce or larger Dansani Water or any other Coca Cola product to the gate.  Or save even more money by attending the fair on a Wednesday.  Bring 3 canned food items to the gate on Wednesday Oct 05, 12th or 19th for a special admission ticket of only $2.

Dr Pepper days are Tuesdays. Bring an empty Dr Pepper can to the gate for a $4 admission ticket. Any day after 5PM an empty Dr Pepper can will get you in for $5.

Thursdays are Coca Cola days. Bring an empty 20 ounce bottle of coke or a Coca Cola product for $5 admission.

Thursdays are also Cinemark Movie days. Bring a Cinemark movie ticket stub for free admission.

Every day is McDonalds Day. Pick up a voucher on your food tray or stuffed in your food bag in any McDonalds and receive a $4 discount off your general admission ticket at the fair.

Thursday, October 6th is Dickies Day. On that day only you will be admitted to the fair for free if you are sporting Dickies Logo clothing.

Also, seniors age 60 and over will be granted free admission to the fair on Thursdays. (October 6, 13th and 20th.)

Children under 2 years of age are free every day.

A season pass is available for purchase at the fair for $29.95. It allow for unlimited visits for the pass holder, one buddy pass for one visit Monday thru Friday only and one cinemark movie pass valid Sunday thru Thursday that must be used by October 31st, 2011.

Food and ride coupons are sold in a sheet of 20 for $10. (.50 per cpn) These are discounted at the fair on Tuesday’s.

A Dart combo ticket sold at Kroger cost $17. It includes a general admission ticket to the fair and a round trip same day ticket on Dart.

The Fall Garden Getaway price is $19. It includes one general admission ticket for any day to the fair and one ticket to the Dallas Arboretum and Cinderella’s Pumpkin Village to be used by November 23rd.

If you buy a ticket to the West Side Story performance at the on-site Music Hall it will include a same-day fair admission. www.liveatthemusichall.com 214-565-9931

Parking in an official fair lot is $15.

The State Fair of Texas is open from 10AM-9PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 10AM-10PM all other days. The largest attendance occurs on the day of the Texas vs Oklahoma football game, Saturday, October 8th.  Columbus Day, Monday, October 10th is also heavily attended. Dallas ISD fair days are Friday, October 7th (elementary) and Friday, October 14th (High School.) You will find the lightest crowds on a Tuesday or Thursday.  www.bigtex.com 214-565-9931

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Bastrop State Park Wildfire Update

Posted on September 8, 2011 by joanie7

The following is a news brief dated September 8th, 2011 from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

Texas Parks and Wildlife fire-fighting personnel were continuing with clean up work at Bastrop State Park Thursday, having saved almost all the historic Depression-era structures on the 6,000-acre park just east of fire-ravaged Bastrop. The number of firefighters and equipment involved has been scaled down, but personnel were still working with assorted hotspots on the park and keeping a wary eye on the wind speed as a weak cold front passed through the area.

The fire began Sunday afternoon, and through Tuesday afternoon, TPWD remained very concerned about the Civilian Conservation Corps cabins and other buildings on the park. Some firefighters worked 30 hours straight without rest or sleep in battling the blaze.

The park and nearby Buescher State Park remain closed to the public until further notice.

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Bastrop County Texas Wildfires Update

Posted on September 8, 2011 by joanie7

As of Thursday morning, September 8th 2011, the wildfires in Bastrop County, Texas are 30% contained. 1,400 homes have been lost, approximately double the number authorities had originally estimated. Two deaths have been attributed to the fires. There is no rain in the projected forecast for the area.

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Texas Wildfires in the Texas State Parks

Posted on September 7, 2011 by joanie7

The devastating wildfires in Texas burned through Bastrop State Park, just 30 miles southeast of Austin, leaving only 100 of the 6,000 acres in the state park untouched. Bastrop State Park is known for it’s Lost Pines habitat, an isolated forest of Lobolly pines resembling East Texas, and as the habitat of the endangered Houston toad. Damage reports will follow. Nearby Buescher State Park is closed but remains unharmed as of this date. Other Texas State Parks in the area including Palmetto State Park and Monument Hill State Historic Site remain open at this time. Earlier this summer, Possum Kingdom State Park, just 1 hour west of the Dallas/Forth Worth metroplex was devastated by fire. Only 200 of the 1,500 acres in the park were spared.

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