Hill Country Current June 2023

Events Calendar

Where to Go & What to Do in the Texas Hill Country Page 12

KINGSLAND AquaBoom Page 4

LAMPASAS Spring Ho Page 10

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

Hill Country Current

June 20231

2June 2023

Hill Country Current

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

HILL COUNTRY CURRENT 

Hill Country Current is a free, monthly publication covering the Texas Hill Country.

With a readership of over 40,000 a month, the Current is published the first week of every month and distributed through the region

Hill Country Current P.O. Box 4845 Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 830-598-6740 hillcountrycurrent.com

Distributed Far & Wide

Hill Country Current is available at Chambers of Commerce and other locations in Bandera, Blanco, Boerne, Bulverde, Burnet, Comfort, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, Gruene, Horseshoe Bay, Johnson City, Llano, Marble Falls, Mason, New Braunfels, San Marcos, Spicewood, Spring Branch, Stonewall, and Wimberley.

Hill Country Current is also distributed to Texas Travel Information Centers, located at all major points of entry into the state. These centers welcome over 3.5 million visitors per year to Texas and professional travel counselors provide literature, directions, and other information.

Visit Our Website

There’s so much going on in the Texas Hill Country that we couldn’t possibly fit it all in our print edition. Go online and check out our website for even more calendar events, maps, links, and more information about our advertisers.

Do you have an event you want listed? Drop us a line online. Click “Contact Us” to send us your information, or email info@hillcountrycurrent.com. It’s simple and free to get your event listed. Click “Advertise with Us” for information on how to get your business or event in our next issue (and linked online).

KINGSLAND

LAMPASAS

4

10

AquaBoom

MARBLE FALLS/ LAMPASAS 9

Scott Wesner / Publisher/Editor wesnermedia@gmail.com • 830-598-6740 Jill Hunter / Ad Sales Director jhunteradsales@gmail.com • 210-771-2070 Brandon Pounds/Ad Sales bmpoun01@gmail.com • 830-385-5482

Madonna Kimball / Ad Sales madonnakimball@gmail.com • 512-847-5162 Haylie Schmidt / Ad Sales hschmidtsales@gmail.com • 806-790-6786 Heather Wagner / Layout & Graphic Design heatherwag1@gmail.com

Copyright © 2022 HILL COUNTRY CURRENT All rights reserved. This publicatioin or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

HILL COUNTRY 12

Event Calendar

Putters & Gutters Add Your Calendar Events Online at http://www.hillcountrypassport.com/events/submit/

Submissions

THE STAFF

Spring Ho

Advertise

Submit your events, articles, photos and Want to get your business or organization anything about this great Texas region. Visit seen? We can help with that! Contact hillcountrycurrent.com. You can also email, the Current’s ad sales staff today at call, or fax your information for inclusion.

830-598-6740. The advertising deadline is on the 20th of the prior month.

Online: hillcountrycurrent.com Email: info@hillcountrycurrent.com Visit hillcountrycurrent.com for more Phone: 830-598-6740 information, including getting your event or businesses information in the Current and in Information must be sent in before the 20th six Texas Hill Country newspapers. of the prior month. Include contact name, telephone number, location of event (with address), and ticket cost.

Hill Country Current

www.facebook.com/texashc

June 20233

 KINGSLAND

Wow! Can you believe it’s already time for AquaBoom 2023?

The 54th Annual AquaBoom will be held on July 1 – July 4 with four fun -filled days of fun and sun, and a little pomp and circumstance thrown in for good measure. With 53 years behind it, for generations this “Granddaddy” of all the Hill Country celebrations has been attended by lifetime residents and new transplants, tourists and locals, young and old. This year’s Celebration – with the theme “Let Freedom Ring!” - will be no exception.

With events taking place throughout

4June 2023

the community, you can expect music, arts & crafts, a golf tournament, washer and horseshoe tournaments, a poker run on the river, three parades, water events, food, a patriotic costume contest, fundraisers, children’s activities, a street dance and so much more! We try to load this weekend with events so that visitors and members of our community can find entertainment and a great family celebration weekend here in the Hill Country. With the exception of a few competitive events where registration fees apply, the entire weekend is a no-cost celebration in tribute to this

Hill Country Current

great country.

As a precursor to the main festivities, the Annual Miss Aqua Boom Scholarship Pageant will be held Saturday June 17th, at Packsaddle Elementary School, for ages 2-18 with categories from Teeny-Tiny Miss to Miss Aqua Boom. The scholarship awarded to Miss Aqua Boom is $5,000 - one of the largest scholarships in our area - and is open to residents of Llano and Burnet counties.

Babies and toddlers age 0-24 months can participate in the Baby Show on Friday, June 16th, also at Packsaddle Elementary. Online registration is

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

KINGSLAND  available on our website.

We also have the patriotic Veteran’s Dinner on Friday, June 30th, hosted by the Chapel of the Hills Baptist Church in Buchanan Dam. Volunteers will be catering steak dinners to 150+ people, including veterans, their families, and people from the community and surrounding areas. This event is open to the public, contact Chapel of the Hills Baptist Church for reservations.

Saturday, July 1 kicks off with the Annual AquaBoom Golf Tournament held at Legends Golf Club at 9am. Registration information can be found on our website at www.KingslandAquaBoom.org or by contacting Legends Golf Course.

This community really knows how to show its guests a good time, and Saturday afternoon is the perfect opportunity to step out about town and feel the welcome. As the AquaBoom volunteers are hard at work getting ready for upcoming events, this is also a great day to get out and explore some of the hidden treasures you can find in Kingsland and the surrounding areas. No matter what your pleasure, Kingsland has something for everyone. Shop our local boutiques, hit one of our courses for a round of golf, lunch at one of our fabulous places to eat, relax in one of our luxurious spas, or just spend a lazy day on the river soaking up the sun.

In the surrounding areas there are the legends of Enchanted Rock to explore, river cruises, state parks and wildlife refuges, the hands-on Science Mill, historical landmarks and beautiful scenery to enjoy. You can visit the Sauer-Beckmann Farmstead and see what life was like in 1918, visit the historic hotel and train depot from the era when Kingsland was a major trading hub on the river, or grab a bite to eat in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre House (known to us locals as Hooper’s Café).

Sunday, July 2, is full of activities for all ages.

Come on down to Wakepoint LBJ for a patriotic worship service that morning with complimentary coffee, juice and breakfast tacos. That afternoon, test your skills at the Horseshoe and Washer Tournaments and enjoy live music and food throughout the day. For those of you that want to spend the day on the lake with Lady Luck, pick up your map for the Poker Run on the River!

This year’s Arts and Craft Show will be held on July 3rd and 4th, just off RR1431 next to Kingwww.hillcountrycurrent.com

Hill Country Current

June 20235

KINGSLAND

sland Community Church, right along the parade route. With grass under your feet, and plenty of parking, this venue is the perfect location to come out and enjoy the parade on the 4th and stay for a day of fun for the whole family. Vendors from

6June 2023

all over will be joining us this year. For the kids we’ll have activities and inflatables and a costume contest! Don’t forget to stop by the main AquaBoom tent and get your Sea Doo Raffle and annual t-shirt.

On Monday, July 3rd, head on

over to the Kingsland Masonic Lodge where they’ll be serving our Annual Patriotic Meal hosted by the Lambda Nu chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha service organization, from 11am-3pm. This event sells out fast, so we highly recommend pre-purchasing your tickets. Information on ticket purchase and meal details can also be found on the Event Info and Registrations page on our website. Be sure and get plenty of rest though, because Monday night you’ll want to put your dancin’ boots on and join us for the River Rat Revue at our Annual Street Dance at First United Bank, located on RR2900.

INDEPENDENCE DAY, the highlight of our 4-day cele-

Hill Country Current

bration, is the day we all work towards, and it shows in the pride and camaraderie you’ll see as the community gathers along RR1431 and RR2900 early on the morning of the 4th. Be sure and get your seat early – the parade route fills up fast! There are two parades, the Children’s Parade and the Grand Parade, and everyone is welcome to show their creativity with an entry. Along the parade route you will find food vendors, snow cones, a carnival, and an all-around general good time.

By later that afternoon, you can feel the excitement in the air as everyone makes their way down to the 2900 Bridge.

We have food, music, a boat parade, a rubber ducky race, a wakeboard show and more!

The culmination of our celebration – the moment we’ve all been waiting for - is an awe-inspiring Fireworks Show over the Llano River that is truly a Salute to the freedom that this beautiful country affords us every day!

For those that stick around a

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

KINGSLAND

few days, the fun doesn’t quite end there, though. Saturday, July 8th holds a special treat for residents and visitors alike. His Joshua House will be hosting their 6th Annual Wild Game Fundraising Dinner and Auction at the Highland Lakes United Methodist Church. They will have dinner, live music, door prizes, raffles, and silent auctions.

We hope you’ll join us this year for our 54th Annual 4th of July Community Celebration!

For event registrations, ticket purchases, more information and a complete Schedule of Events, please visit www.KingslandAquaBoom.org, contact Kingsland Aquaboom at 325248-5393 or swing by Kingsland AquaBoom Headquarters at 5701 RR 1431 in Kingsland.

SEE YOU ON THE FOURTH! www.hillcountrycurrent.com

Hill Country Current

June 20237

8June 2023

Hill Country Current

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

MARBLE FALLS AND LAMPASAS 

“FUN IS WHAT WE DO!” Roy Cockrell wanted to build a place in Lampasas where families could have fun; a place with a bowling alley, an arcade, putt-putt golf, and a restaurant. His vision soon came to life and quickly became Putters & Gutters, likely the most unique family fun center in the Texas Hill Country. The famous place where they proudly proclaim “fun is what we do” is now here in Marble Falls, as well! They promise to entertain and amaze with seven acres of exciting activities.

As the name implies, there is a bowling alley with twenty lanes. Leagues are available for the fun, not so serious groups, and sanctioned bowling, for the more serious bowlers who enjoy tournament play.

In addition, the bowling alley offers full access to the restaurant, The Broken Fork, complete with servers to take your order, including beer, wine, and

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

cocktails. The Broken Fork offers an extensive menu. You can choose from steak, fish, and award-winning pizza, as well as favorites such as chicken fried steak or the more exotic bacon-wrapped quail. The Broken Fork menu hosts a variety of appetizers, salads, and sandwiches as well.

The arcade is equipped with 32 of the latest high-tech, top-of-the-line games and a redemption center for prizes.

While most arcades allow you to purchase cards for arcade games only, Putters & Gutters offers a fun card that includes ALL the amenities, to include the restaurant as well.

The beautifully landscaped eighteen-hole putt-putt golf course with stunning water features is located adjacent to the Go Kart Barn. The adventurously fast go-karts run on a concrete track and offer single or double seats.

If you haven’t heard, roller skating is making a comeback!

Touted by many as ben-

eficial to mental and physical health, skating is a sport that can be enjoyed by the entire family. The skating rink at Putters & Gutters offers quad skate rentals, trainers for little ones, a full snack bar, and pool tables.

Putters & Gutters is also an excellent place for your next Birthday party! Choose packages that include Putt-Putt, skating or bowling, or all three and enjoy the benefit of having a dedicated party host to help with the details. Adults may use the party rooms as well, for celebrations and/or business meetings.

Need a place to go for holiday celebrations, the big game, Taco Tuesday or Thirsty Thursday? Putters & Gutters also provides seasonal and annual events for your family’s fun!

One of the more exciting aspects of Putters & Gutters is the live music venue, The 19th Hole. It is outside with covered open seating and a luxurious horseshoe-shaped VIP area upstairs overlooking the stage.

In addition, the VIP section will offer access to a full bar and The Broken Fork menu. According to marketing manager Kasey Faurie, the vision is always to bring the neighboring

Hill Country Current

cities together with the event venue suited for a variety of functions and local and national entertainment that will appeal to a broad audience.

Upcoming concerts: 6/3 Doug Stone 6/15 *Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye & Aaron Tippin 6/22 Stoney Larue 7/13 Tanner Usrey 8/18 *Mark Chesnut 9/16 Triston Marez 9/26 *Diamond Rio 10/20 Treaty Oak Revival *Tables for 8 Available & Upfront Scaled Seating Options Tickets may be purchased at outhousetickets.com or at Putters & Gutters, Marble Falls.

Everything at Putters & Gutters is designed to engage families in a safe, fun, and exciting environment. From bowling to live music, Putters and Gutters has something for the entire family. Everyone is so helpful and friendly and it’s always an amazing time with great food and even better company!

4100 N US Hwy 281, Marble Falls Follow us on Facebook @ Putters & Gutters Fun Center, Marble Falls and visit our new website puttersandgutters.com!

June 20239

10June 2023

Hill Country Current

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

Hill Country Current

June 202311

 EVENTS June 2-3, 2023 LLANO-LLANO OPEN PRO RODEO: JLK Event Center, 2200 RR-152 West. Annual event that takes place the first full weekend in June. Rodeo parade begins at 4:00 PM on Friday before the first performance of the rodeo. Gates open at 6:30, Rodeo begins at 8:00. Bull Riding, barrel racing, bronc busting, and more! For more information, visit the Llano Open Pro Rodeo on Facebook.

June 3, 2023 LLANO-LLANO HERITAGE DAY: Courthouse Square

from 10am-5pm. Vendors, living history, crafts & games, stagecoach rides, quilt show, vendors, petting zoo, dog costume contest, cobbler baking contest, period attire costume contest and more! Hosted by the Llano County Historical Society. For more information, go to HTTPS:// LLANOMUSEUM.ORG/ LLANO-HERITAGE-DAY/ BOERNE-FAMILY FISHING TOURNAMENT: City Lake Park Pavilion from 10:30 am-Noon. A free opportunity to introduce the sport of fishing to children, as well as to create a safe environment for parents and children to enjoy the

outdoors together. The tournament is held each year on the first Saturday in June, which is also Free Fishing Day in Texas when adults don’t need a license to put a hook in the water. For more information, call 830-248-1635.

HILL COUNTRY CURRENT 12June 2023

LEANDER-OLD TOWN STREET FESTIVAL: Old Town District. All day free event. The Old Town Street Festival, one of Central Texas’s most popular events, is a fun festival held the first Saturday in June in downtown Leander’s charming Old Town District. The streets of Old Town

Hill Country Current

Leander fill with local and national artisans offering handcrafted creations. This year’s headliner is a Texas favorite, Dale Watson,

Send us your 2023 events to be included in the Hill Country Current!

Contact Jill Hunter for more information.

210-771-2070 jhunteradsales@gmail.com www.hillcountrycurrent.com

EVENTS  followed by the After Party you won’t want to miss featuring The SPAZMATICS. Texas musicians bring the stage to life all day while family-friendly activities delight both adults and children. Food vendors provide both healthy and indulgent choices, and local and regional wineries and breweries bring a special flair to Old Town.

For more information, contact Chastidy Vernengo at 512-2591907.

June 9-10, 2023 BURNET-BURNET COUNTY AREA FAIR: AgriLife Auditorium located at 607 N Vandeveer Street. Live music, vendors, and workshops. Exhibit divisions include: aprons, arts and crafts, baked goods, buttons, clothing, creative writing, fine arts, ice cream crank-off, jewelry, metal arts, needlework, photography, potted plants & flowers, preserved foods, quilts, storyboard display, woodworking, veggies, fruits, herbs, and eggs.

Visit the website for schedule of events burnetcountyareafair.com or contact Chastidy Vernengo at 512-259-1907.

June 9-11, 2023 LLANO-A DAY IN THE PARK:

Robinson Park. Llano Parks Project and the City of Llano are partnering to create a FREE fun, family friendly, community building event. The backbone of our community is each other and what a better way to strengthen all of us than some good ‘ole fun in the park. Llano Parks Festival will be a weekend at Robinson park on June 9-11, 2023. Friday night will kickoff with a Movie in the Park, Saturday will be a Day in the Park, and Sunday will be Church in the Park. Join us for this FREE event in Robinson park on the beautiful Llano river. No outside food or drinks, no coolers, and no animals allowed. For more information visit, llanoparksproject.org

Commerce at 830-833-5101.

June 10, 2023 FREDERICKSBURGFREDERICKSBURG CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Marktplatz (Market Square) Pavilion from 11am-7pm. $20 per person which

includes eight (8) tickets to sample Texas Craft Beers, Texas music, Homebrew suppliers area, food court, and more Texas fun with fellow craft beer aficionados.

Presented by the Rotary Club of Fredericksburg Foundation, A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization

BLANCO-BLANCO LAVENDER FESTIVAL: Courthouse Square, 300 Main Street. Vendors, live music, displays & entertainment. The Lavender Market, on the grounds of the historic Blanco County Courthouse, is always a must-see highlight of the festival. Select artists and craftspeople from across Texas and beyond will offer the finest lavender-related pleasures and treasures. Sponsored by the Blanco Chamber of Commerce. For more information, contact the Blanco Chamber of

Add Your Calendar Events Online hillcountrypassport.com/events/submit/

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

Hill Country Current

June 202313

 EVENTS focused on improving our community and the world. With funds raised from this festival, 80% of proceeds will support Rotary’s local charitable efforts, and this year 20% to Good Samaritan Center, a charitable clinic meeting critical health needs for Gillespie County residents. For more information, visit the event website fbgcraftbeerfestival.com June 10-11, 2023 MARBLE FALLS-LAKEFEST DRAG BOAT RACES: Lakeside Park. 120+ race boats. Spectators in Lakeside Park will get a rush

of adrenaline as drag boats race along Lake Marble Falls at speeds up to 250 MPH on Saturday and Sunday. Kid friendly event.

Coolers are not allowed. Ticket required. For more information, contact the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce at 830-693-2815.

June 15-17, 2023 STONEWALL-PEACH JAMBOREE & RODEO: Stonewall Chamber Grounds, 250 Peach Street. Annual event that takes place the 3rd full weekend in June, beginning with a Rodeo and Dance on Friday

night and ending with a Rodeo and Dance on Saturday night.

Peach eating contest, peach queen coronation, live music, and more!

Admission fee required after 6 pm. For more information, email stonewallchamber@gmail.com June 17, 2023 LLANO-TEXAS INDIAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION SUMMER POWWOW: JLK Arena & Events Center, 2200 W. Ranch Road 152. 11am-7pm.

Activities include gourd dancing, powwow dancing, youth contests, craft contests, auction, cake walks, raffles, and more! Free admission. Powwow contact is Mike Armstrong and his email is

wulyg@msn.com. Vendor contact is Clarence Starkie and his email is cstarkie@austin.rr.com June 24, 2023 BANDERA-RIVERFEST: Bandera City Park (enter gates on Maple Street) Family fun from 10am-6pm. Arts & crafts, live music, river activities, food trucks, beer, and vendors. Parking is free.

Wristband required $10/adult, $5/ kid. This event is sponsored by the Bandera Business Association. For more information, contact Cindy Beckham 210-218-7935.

Advertise with us!

Contact Jill Hunter for more information.

210-771-2070 • jhunteradsales@gmail.com

14June 2023

Hill Country Current

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

TEXAS 

Traveling Art Exhibit Honoring 100 Years of Texas State Parks Moves to Houston The Art of Texas State Parks at the Houston Museum of Natural Science May 26 – October 1.

In honor of the Centennial Celebration of Texas State Parks, the Houston Museum of Natural Science will display a new traveling art exhibit May 26 – October 1.

The Art of Texas State Parks is a visual arts survey of state parks featuring more than 30 parks by some of Texas’ finest artists. Along with the traveling exhibit, the project also includes a commemorative book published

by Texas A&M Press. Proceeds from book sales and the sale of the artwork through Foltz Fine Art in Houston will be donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to benefit Texas State Parks.

The project was several years in the making. In anticipation of the 2023 Centennial Celebration of Texas State Parks, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, and the Bullock Texas State History Museum to present The Art of Texas State Parks. Thirty notable Texas artists were commissioned to create works celebrating parks across Texas. Additional support for the project is provided by H-E-B, presenting sponsor for the Texas State Parks Centennial Celebration.

The Art of Texas State Parks is intended to increase public awareness of Texas parklands

www.hillcountrycurrent.com

and heighten their popular appeal through the elegant and inspired works of Texas’ best contemporary painters. While the national park system has benefitted from their chroniclers in art, no such artistic record has yet been undertaken for state parks. The Centennial Celebration of Texas State Parks offers the perfect occasion to create a lasting visual record of Texas State Parks in art and, at the same time, memorialize the past and ongoing development of the distinctive collection of Lone Star parks and natural areas.

Participating artists include: Randy Bacon (Abilene); Mary Baxter (Marfa); David Caton (Utopia); Charles Criner (Houston); Margie Crisp (Elgin); Ric Dentinger (San Antonio/Santa Fe NM); Fidencio Duran (Austin); Janet Eager Krueger (Encinal); Joel Edwards (Waco); Malou Flato (Austin); Gordon Fowler (Austin); Pat Gabriel (Fort Worth); David Griffin (Lubbock/ Dallas); Brian Grimm (Fredericksburg); Clemente Guzman (San Antonio); Karl E. Hall (Houston); John Austin Hanna (Fredericksburg); Billy Hassell (Fort Worth); Hailey Herrera (Bryan); Lee Jamison (Huntsville); Denise Mahlke (Whitehouse); Jim Malone (Fort Worth); Talmage Minter (Waco); William Montgomery (Elgin); Kermit Oliver (Waco); Noe Perez (Corpus Christi); Jeri Salt-

er (Hutto); Jim Stoker (San Antonio); Bob Stuth-Wade (Dublin); and Terri Wells (Austin).

The exhibit can be seen at the Houston Museum of Natural Science May 26 – October 1. It will then be exhibited at the Panhandle Plains Museum in Canyon from Oct. 27 – Feb. 18, 2024. The exhibit will also be displayed in 2024 in College Station, Albany and Tyler. The commemorative book is available online through several sources, including Texas A&M Press and Amazon.

“It was a real pleasure to see the passion these artists brought to this project, and we’re thrilled these works will be on display at prestigious museums across Texas,” said Andrew Sansom, co-author of the commemorative book and founder of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

Hill Country Current

at Texas State University. “It is our fervent hope that these works of art will inspire present and future generations of Texans to forever appreciate and protect their parks.”

Along with The Art of Texas State Parks, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is partnering with TPWD to celebrate Texas State Parks all year long. H-E-B, the presenting sponsor of the Centennial Celebration, donated $1 million to help Texas State Parks engage all Texans in discovering and exploring their parks. For more information on the Centennial Celebration, including special community events at all Texas State Parks, the history of Texas State Parks and how to make a day visit or overnight reservation, visit TexasStateParks.org/100years.

June 202315

16June 2023

Hill Country Current

www.hillcountrycurrent.com