2009-11-05
Takin’ aim on events during Hunters' Weekend
By Judith Pannebaker
Struggle into your best camo, folks. It’s time for another iconic celebration in Bandera – Hunters’ Opening Weekend, highlighted by the world famous Hunters Bar-B-Q & Outdoor Exposition, sponsored by the Bandera County Chamber of Commerce.
BCC Hunting Guide
On Monday, Nov. 2, the Bandera County Courier debuted its popular 2009 Hunting Guide. This fully functional insert includes special articles on Texas game wardens, tips and information on ensuring a successful hunt and hunting calendars, as well as descriptions and color pictures of exotic game available locally.
Copies of the 2009 Hunting Guide are available at the Courier office, 1210 Hackberry Street, and on newspaper racks throughout the county.
Bar-B-Q & Expo
The 47th edition of the popular Hunter’s Bar-B-Q & Outdoor Expo takes place Friday, Nov. 6, at the Mansfield Park Show Barn on Highway 16 North. Admission is free and parking is by donation.
The expo begins at 3 pm and offers everything necessary for “baggin’ a big ‘un” this season, including innovative and state-of-the-art outdoor supplies and equipment. Vendors will ply their wares from 3 pm until 10 pm.
The other important component of the event is, of course, food. Serving begins at 5:30 pm and ends when the last tasty morsel is dished out – or at 7:30 pm, whichever comes first. The meal includes home-cooked brisket and sausage and all the trimmin’s and with dessert and tea or coffee. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for kids ages 12 and under. Children under the age of three eat for free.
Returning this year is the popular 30-Gun Raffle. The $20 tickets will be available at the expo and only 3,000 will be sold. For a list of the guns, visit www.banderahuntersbbq.com. Participants do not need to be present to win the raffle, and, best of all, lucky ticket holders can win more than one prize.
At 7:30 pm, a Texas-size live auction will hammer down items near and dear to the hearts of serious hunters. Don’t miss this one.
Parents take note, there’ll be plenty of activities for the young ones, which features great prizes. Trick-or-treating will also take place among the vendors.
For more information on the Hunters Bar-B-Q and Outdoor Expo, contact the Chamber at 830-796-3280 or visit www.banderahuntersbbq.com.
BISD Art Exhibit
Budding artists from the Bandera Independent School District will display their talents once again at the Hunters Bar-B-Q & Outdoor Exposition. Artwork submitted by students from all BISD campuses will be on display from 3 pm to 8 pm.
Expo participants are urged to stop by before the last Bulldog home football game in the regular season and vote for the “Best of Show.” After seeing the exhibit, everyone will agree BISD boasts a lot of talent in a lot of different media.
Shop while they drop
Saturday, Nov. 7, offers the ladies plenty to do while their hubbies and significant others are busy blasting away at Bambi’s daddy and mommy throughout Bandera County.
Proprietor Melissa Benge will host the second annual “Day Out at Gunslinger,” promising an afternoon of wine, western and whimsy, with the fun beginning after “Bloody Marys at the River.” So, ladies, don your rhinestone camo and come to shop, while they hunt. The first 50 people through the doors will receive a goody bag; everyone else must content themselves with door prizes, discounts and Gunslinger bucks.
Gunslinger is located at 1107 Cypress Street. Telephone is 830-796-7803.
Also, just across the street, from Gunslinger, Benge is also celebrating the grand opening of her latest retail experience, the “hot, hot, hot” Cowboy Caliente.
For other great shopping, visit Shoe Biz, the Cowboy Store, Bandera General Store, The Roundup Gallery in Love’s Antiques Mall, For God and Country and Gone Quilting. And don’t forget to visit Southern Comfort Bakery for a delicious homemade goodie and great cup of coffee.
Fish to fry
For a different lunch, stop by the Kiwanis Club of Bandera County’s annual Catfish Fry from 11 am until 2 pm, Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Bandera Fire Station on Main Street.
Kiwanis Club member, Lynn Holt, a respected “fryer” in the area, will take care of culinary duties so be prepared for some good eatin’.
The menu includes three pieces of catfish, French fries, coleslaw, bread and tea for $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 10 and under. Additional fish may be purchased for $1 per piece.
Proceeds from this fundraising fish fry will provide scholarships for high school seniors.
Off to Utopia
Those hankering to go “over the river and through the woods” will soon find themselves at the 43rd edition of the Utopia Arts and Crafts Fall Fair, taking place from 9 am to 4 pm, Saturday, on the Utopia Town Square, Highway 187.
Sponsored by the Utopia Arts and Crafts Guild, this family event features over 50 vendors of handcrafted items, ranging from paintings, wreaths, soaps and candles to furniture, metalwork, needlecraft and baked items. In addition, musical entertainment, food, storytelling, face painting and craft demonstrations will add to the day’s fun.
Seniors from Utopia High School will sell delicious brisket lunches with proceeds marked for their programs.
For more information on the Utopia Arts and Crafts Fall Fair, visit mla.utopiafallfair@gmail.com, www.thcrr.com or www.utopiatexas.net.
Meanwhile, back in Medina
Firefighters and support personnel with the Medina Volunteer Fire Department will offer an expanded annual game dinner, washer tournament, auction and dance, Saturday, Nov. 7.
This year’s event begins at 2:30 pm with a two-man washer tournament. The entry fee is only $20 per team. To sign up, contact Chris Sheridan at 210-313-5319.
A delicious dinner will be served from 4 pm to 7 pm. For only an $8 donation, plates will be piled high with brisket, sausage and all the trimmings – including dessert and drink. Sausage rings will be sold until they run out.
This year’s event offers two raffles. The first, “20 Guns for $20 Bucks” includes 20 different raffles for rifles, pistols and shotguns. Additionally, the Local Merchants’ Raffle features 12 great items donated by – who else?- – local Medina merchants. Tickets are only $1 each or 12 for $10. Tickets for both raffles will be sold at the dinner – and winners need not be present.
Finally, at 8 pm, the evening culminates with a dance to the music of rising country music star Jody Jenkins. Suggested donation for the dance is only $8 per person.
The MVFD fundraiser will be held at Hill Country Resort, located four miles north of Medina on Highway 16.
A combination of great food, live entertainment, displays and exhibits, hunter-centric raffles and auctions and old-fashioned fun makes for another “don’t miss” weekend in Bandera County.
