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Word from the CVBs Cowboys of Color Invitational Rodeo set for Labor Day Weekend One of the most interesting chapters in the American West is the story of African-Americans and the critical roles they played on the frontier. The National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame has announced a series of special related events for Labor Day Weekend, including an invitational rodeo and the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony. These events recognize outstanding pioneers as well as individuals who continue to be trailblazers committed to the legacy of Western culture. An annual highlight is the Cowboys of Color Invitational Rodeo, this year on Saturday, September 2nd. It will take place at Will Rogers Memorial Center, with performances at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The Rodeo is a great way to discover that following the Civil War, thousands of African-Americans worked in the growing cattle industry in Texas and adjacent states, many helping to open up the great cattle trails that moved hundreds of thousands of longhorns north to the railheads in Kansas. Until recently, few Hollywood Westerns recognized this fact, and as a result, the traditional image of the West reflected predominately Anglo cowboys. Not only were African-Americans important in this era, but also Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. In fact, much of what we know of cowboy traditions and terminology came directly from the vaqueros that had been working on open range cattle ranches since the Spanish first introduced cattle to the Americas. Our western heritage is rich with stories and examples of this diversity, and the schedule of Cowboys of Color events is a great time to celebrate and learn more about this history. In addition to the Rodeo, there will be a Charley Pride concert at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Thursday August 31st and a Billy Bob’s Texas concert featuring War of the Bands on Friday, September 1st. Labor Day provides a great holiday time to celebrate our American roots while taking advantage of this line-up of activities. Proceeds from the events help support the National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame located here in Fort Worth. For more information, call the FWCVB at 817-336-8791 or go on line at www.cowboysofcolor.org. Fun Central is Firecracker-Hot in July July is a great month to enjoy all the fun and festive things to do in Fun Central™ Arlington, Texas! Cheer for the Texas Rangers at Ameriquest Field on July 3rd and 4th and stay for the fireworks after the game. The Ameriquest Mortgage Company Patriotic Fireworks Show will be held on July 3rd, and the Independence Day Fireworks Show will be held July 4th. For more information, visit www.texas.rangers.mlb.com. Celebrate the nation’s birthday at the Annual Arlington Fourth of July parade. Up to 150 entries including floats, marching bands, military color guards, dignitaries, and unique participants commemorate this patriotic event. The parade starts at 9 am. For more information including route, visit www.arlington4th.com. Make a splash at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor! With rides such as Der Stuka, the Black Hole, and the Raging Rapids, thrill seekers will have fun while keeping their cool. For the less adventurous, the Lazy River, Suntan Lagoon, and Boogie Beach let you beat the heat while relaxing with friends and family. And don’t forget Hook’s Lagoon, a really cool spot for the little fun seekers. For moreinformation, visit www.sixflags.com. FUN CENTRAL vacation packages are now available. Our packages are a great value and have terrific add-on options. To purchase your FUNtastic Family Package, visit www.arlington.org and click on the green box in the upper right hand corner or call 1-866-656-FUNN (3866). Grapevine’s Summer Activities Sizzle Grapevine has plenty of sizzling summer activities for the entire family. Join us in Historic Downtown Grapevine for the second season of Grapevine Market, an open-air European-style shopping experience. Grapevine Market features handmade jewelry, fine art, distinctive home decor, quality antiques, pet accessories, and a whole lot more. The market runs weekly from mid-March to mid-November on Thursdays and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Grapevine Market is held on Main Street around City Hall, in Liberty Park Plaza and at the Gazebo, all located in the heart of Grapevine’s Downtown Historic District. After the market, experience the multitude of unique specialty shops, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and wineries located throughout Grapevine and the Historic District. For details about the Market or the attractions in Grapevine, contact us at: 817-410-3185 or visit us online at www.grapevinetexasusa.com. Stop by the Farmer’s Market every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to sellout for fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. The Farmer’s Market is also located at the Gazebo in the 300 block of South Main Street. Lake Grapevine is the place to be for your family Fourth of July celebration. Find your spot now and stake a claim near Lake Grapevine for watching the 24th Annual Fireworks Extravaganza! A bigger and more exciting fireworks show is planned for this July 4th as we celebrate Independence Day. Park or picnic around the lake and watch as the sky fills over 1,500 bursts of color. The Fireworks Extravaganza will delight our guests and our citizens – in a BIG way in 2006! Don’t miss it! Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. at Lake Grapevine. For more information about historic Grapevine and its attractions, call 817-410-3185 or visit www.grapevinetexasusa.com. Get Away to Granbury for Sizzling Summer Fun B.Y.O.B. - Bring Your Own Boat - pack up the family and head to Granbury for summer fun. Nestled in the heart of the Brazos River Valley, Lake Granbury is the spot to be for those inclined to water sports, fishing, or just lying around on the boat on a lazy summer day. So you don’t have a boat-no problem. Granbury Riverboat, the star of Lake Granbury offers an assortment of cruises for those who prefer to let someone else do the driving. Got golf on your mind? Spend the day at Harbor Lakes or Hidden Oaks, or choose from one of several well-groomed, professional courses in Granbury. Shopping more your sport? More than 40 shops and boutiques in the historic shopping district will entice you with hidden treasures as you stroll in the Victorian elegance of the fully restored historic square. Refresh yourself at one our coffee shops, sandwich shops or Victorian tearooms. Entertainment more your style? Enjoy a rousing performance at Granbury Live, a Broadway style show at the 1886 Opera House or how about the Brazos Drive-In for first run movies in a fifties-style atmosphere. Art fanatic? Check out our local artists’ works at the Shanley Center for the Arts or Tarleton’s Langdon Center. Wine tasting anyone? You’ll be a connoisseur for sure after a visit to Barking Rocks Winery or make your own label at D’Vine Wine of Granbury. Fun summertime activities are abundant in the small town atmosphere of Granbury. You’ll want to spend the night after so much fun in one of our cozy bed & breakfast inns or your choice of hotels - Granbury has it all. So-head out today. Experience Granbury - your not so far away getaway. For additional information call the Granbury Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-950-2212 or visit our web site www.granburytx.com. Fossil Rim’s Unique Programs Fossil Rim is a popular daytime destination, near Glen Rose, but with their Discovery After Dark series, the popular Glen rose attraction is also becoming a popular magnet for after dark. The Discovery After Dark tours are held on the Fridays closest to the full moon, March through November (weather permitting). The event includes an education program, followed by a tour of Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. The education program is held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and includes a discussion of the nocturnal animals that inhabit Fossil Rim. There is also a discussion of the animals’ relationship with the moon and Native American stories and other folklore that relate to the animals and the region. Following the education program, participants of Fossil Rim are treated to a guided tour. This adventure in the dark will include owls, wolves, armadillos, and other animals that are not normally seen on a daylight tour.Cost of Discovery After Dark is $45 per person and is not recommended for children under the age of five. Another popular Fossil Rim event is their Encounter Series. Each month the Encounter Series focuses on one animal species at Fossil Rim such as zebra, bison, etc. The programs are suitable for children, ages five through nine years of age. Included in the event is 75 minutes of lessons and activities, followed by a 45 minute guided tour to visit the focus animals. Cost for the program is $25 per adult with one child. Each additional person is $10 and no more than two adults per child. Reservations are required for all Fossil Rim programs and can be made by calling 254-897-2960 and additional information is available at www.fossilrim.org. Members of Fossil Rim Wildlife Center are entitled to a 10 percent discount. All programs are held weather permitting. For information on Glen Rose and other events call 1-888-346-6282 or visit www.glenrosetexas.net. New Driving Tour in North Texas is Packed with Horsepower Three North Texas cities have come together to present a driving tour that is packed with horsepower. For the first time, equine enthusiasts and visitors to the Dallas/Fort Worth area can hit the trail and see what is behind the scenes using the North Texas Horse Country Driving Tour brochure as a guide The Denton Convention & Visitor Bureau, Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau and Pilot Point Main Street Program developed a self-guided tour itinerary that links the three cities with one common factor ñ the horse industry. The brochure was a partnership that was partially funded by a grant from the Texas Historical Commission. North Texas Horse Country visitors can begin their tour at any of the outstanding museums celebrating Western heritage in the heart of Fort Worth's Cultural District. Visitors then wind through Sundance Square to the Stockyards National Historic District and forge north to Denton County and Pilot Point for up close views of working horse farms and ranches. Denton County is populated with more than 300 horse farms and ranches. There are more than 25,000 horses in the county and sales during 2004 topped $20 million. Overall, Denton County sales and fees income for the horse industry was more than $52.5 million. The horse industry represents the number one economic impact in agriculture for Denton County. Visitors are welcome to get out of their cars and step into some of the visitor-friendly facilities that breed, train and sell horses. (Visitors are strongly encouraged to use common courtesy and enter only the gates that have signs welcoming visitors.) Tour brochures are available at each city's Visitor Information Centers or by request at 888-381-1818 or www.discoverdenton.com. Current
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