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Culture

RED, WHITE & TUNA Now-Sun, Jun 7 Hooray for the stripes and stars! Joe Sears and Jaston Williams are back (come check out their brand spanking new "Walk of Fame" stars in the sidewalk in front of the theatre), and the town of Tuna, Texas is all atwitter with the anticipation of the Tuna High Reunion! Who will take the throne as Reunion Queen? Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress, 472-5470.

O'KEEFE'S NEW MEXICO: NATIVE AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND EUROPEAN TRADITIONS, 1880-1996 Sat, May 23 - Sun, Aug 16 What artist's work better represents the salt and swagger of summer than Georgia O'Keefe? This exhibit honors O'Keefe by placing her work in the frame of the rich art history of New Mexico. The artists featured belong to a long tradition of New Mexican art that equates the land with spirit, harmony with nature, and the physicality of the landscape with the self. Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress, 495-9224.

NOCHE DE OAXACA Fri, May 29, 7:30pm An elegant and exotic evening to celebrate and benefit Austin's premier Hispanic art museum and to honor guests Rodolfo Morales and Nancy Mayagoita, from Arte de Oaxaca, in Mexico`s southern state. Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklorico and musician Alberto Rangel perform. Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress, 480-9373.

photograph by John Anderson

FREE DOWNTOWN NOONTIME CONCERTS Tuesdays, Jun 2-30, noon-1pm What can perk up a lunch full of Monday night's leftovers? Free local music! Look forward to Maryann Price (May 19), Los Pinkys (May 26), and more. Regents Plaza, Sixth & Colorado, 469-1766.

AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY'S SUMMER FREE FOR ALL Tue, Jun 2 - Tue, Aug 18, 7pm Free of theme and free of admission! Just show up Tuesday nights at the Texas Union and entrust your evening to the whim of the Austin Film Society. Some titles for your titillation? Phil Karlsen's Scandal Sheet, Alexandra Sakarov`s Mother and Son, Francois Truffaut's Two English Girls, Mark Rappaport's The Scenic Route, and Don Siegel's The Edge of Eternity. Texas Union Theatre, 475-6636; AFS, 322-0145.

FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater, Sundays, 3pm; Auditorium Shores, Wednesdays, 7pm, Wed, Jun 3 - Wed, Jul 8 Give in to the summer heat and watch the clouds go by as you enjoy a hazy, lazy day on a blanket listening to the cool sounds of this summer concert series. Each show features two artists. Auditorium Shores highlights include Texana Dames & Los Aztex (May 20) and Merchants of Venus & Lucky Strikes (Jun 17). Zilker Hillside features Mary Reynolds & Steve James (May 24). Call Austin PARD or the Austin Federation of Musicians for more info. PARD, 499-6700; AFM Concert Line, 442-2263.

AUSTIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHILDREN'S DAY ART PARK Wednesdays, Jun 3 - Jul 29 Let your child discover the Itzhak Perlman within. Wednesdays at the "Instrumental Petting Zoo," kids can touch, hold, and play the musical instruments of the symphony. Symphony Square, 1111 Red River, 476-6064.

MEXICANAS VIDEO FILM SERIES Fri-Sat, Jun 5-6, Four documentary selections from Thorn of the Mountain series focusing on the indigenous women of Mexico (mostly Oaxaca). Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress, 480-9373.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Fri, Jun 5 - Sat, Jun 27 Chunks of nearly 30 plays by The Bard create one whacked set of Shakespearean Cliff's Notes. John Henry Faulk Theater, 202 E. Fourth, 454-TIXS.

SUMMER SPLASH PARTY MOVIES Saturdays, Jun 6 - Aug 8 They just about broke the reels last year playing perennial faves Jaws and The Creature From the Black Lagoon, so the City of Austin Aquatics Office arranged an entirely new lineup of splashy summer flicks for these hot summer nights. How do Viva Las Vegas, It Came From Outer Space, and Dr. Suess' 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T grab you? Just keep a tight grip on that raft, bucko. Movies begin at dusk. Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy, 472-8546

SUMMER POPS CONCERTS Fri-Sun, Jun 5-7 & 12-13 Kick off your shoes and let your piggies wiggle in the grass `cause these free concerts are all about toe-tappin' tunes: movie medleys, Big Band sounds, and classical favorites, courtesy of ASO and conductor Timothy Muffit. Palmer Auditorium, 476-6064.

PARAMOUNT SUMMER FILM SERIES Tue, Jun 9 - Sun, Sep 6 When the air is thick and the thermometer hits 95[[ordmasculine]] even at night, when heatwaves turn to crime waves, reality bites. So head on down to the star-studded, air-conditioned fantasyland in this cool Congress oasis and escape to a reel bloodcurdling crime saga or spine-chilling space epic. All your old friends will be there -- Cary, Audrey, Bogie, Bacall, Marilyn, and Nick & Nora. As usual, the programmers have booked some clever double features. "Earthy Old England" pairs naughty classics Tom Jones and Women in Love and "Southern Discomfort" integrates creepy in-breds (Deliverance) with Gothic purebreds (In the Heat of the Night). There is the Great Director Series (Hawks! Wilder! Malick!) and more noir than you can shake a Blue Dahlia at. Come and get lost in the flickering frame of the Silver Screen. Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress, 472-5470.

BLUES ON THE GREEN Jun 10 - Aug 19, alternating Wednesdays Listen to the slow steady basslines of the blues under the deep purple clouds of the evening sky and feel your troubles melt into the thick, lazy air of summer. Some featured artists to help you get into your funk: Mason Ruffner (Jun 10), Jazz Pharaohs (Jul 8), and Toby Anderson (Aug 19). Arboretum Plaza, 10000 Research, 338-4437.

Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theatre photograph by John Anderson

THE WHO'S TOMMY Jun 20 - Aug 31 See, feel, touch the Daltry, Townshend, Entwistle, Moon classic rock opera. Listening to them, you'll hear the music! Get excitement at their feet! (Okay, we're stopping now....) Zachary Scott Theatre, Kleberg Stage, 476-0541.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SONGWRITERS CELEBRATION Jun 10- Jul 29, Wednesdays, 7-9pm From Texas, California, and Tennessee they come to entertain fellow wanderers and local crowds alike at Austin's international hostel. No shows will be held for the duration of the Kerrville Folk Festival but the program will pick up again beginning Wed, Jun 10 with Texan Mark Campbell. Other Texans involved include Erik Moll (Jul 1), Polk, Barton & Towhead (Jul 8), Steve Brooks (Jul 15), and Colin Boyd (Jul 22). Traveling minstrels include Caroline Aiken from Georgia (Jun 17), and Tennessee's John McVey (Jun 24) and Michael Lille (Jul 29). No cover, but donations are appreciated. Hostelling International-Austin, 2200 S. Lakeshore, 444-2294.

AUSTIN THEATRE FOR YOUTH ACADEMY Jun 27 & Aug 1 The Academy presents four original one-act plays based on the beloved tale of the Ugly Duckling. The Auditorium on Waller Creek, 302-5405.

TEXAS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL Jul 10-12 Brrrrrzzzzzztt! Uhhh chunka-chunka-chunka whirrrrrrrrrrr whirrrrrrr Screeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Yeah! Get your urban-woodstock-burningman-rainbow-rave-ass-booty down to the woods and dance your pants off. The cream of Texas' "electroni-rati" converge at this annual rave-fest. Two stages, live local FM broadcast (bring your boombox), and over 70 DJ artistes spin out for a summer of love compressed all into three blistering days. Whew. Recreation Plantation, Dripping Springs, 472-8336.

ZILKER SUMMER MUSICAL Thursdays-Sundays, Jul 11 - Aug 15. The Zilker Summer Musical celebrates its 10th Anniversary with the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic South Pacific. Now ain't that too damn bad?! Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theatre, 479-9491.

AUSTIN GAY & LESBIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Thu, Aug 27 - Thu, Sep 10 This Austin favorite takes over part of the Dobie Theatre just as the summer begins to melt into the hot Texas autumn. It's a tad too soon for any scheduling info, but it's never too soon to let you know they need volunteers. Dobie Theatre, 472-FILM; aGLIFF, 476-2454.

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Events

FIESTA -- LAGUNA GLORIA Sat-Sun, May 16-17, 10am-6pm On the placid shores of Lake Austin, this Fiesta is Texas' oldest arts show. Live music highlights include the Watsons and Polk, Barton & Towhead. Sunday is Children's Day -- kids are admitted free with a paid adult. AMOA-Laguna Gloria, 458-6073.

RUDE MECHANICALS' BENEFIT Sat, May 30, 6pm This two-part event begins with a free Cajun feast, outdoor carnival, and sneak previews of the RM's '98-99 season. The second half, "Rude Aid '98," features a great lineup of locals: Jo Carol Pierce, Morningwood, Bongo Hate, Enduro, Gretchen Phillips, and more. Electric Lounge, 476-FUSE; RudeM, 476-RUDE.

REPUBLIC OF TEXAS HARLEY BIKE RALLY Thu-Sun, Jun 4-7 Lock up your pearls! A drift of "hogs" is headed right for downtown Austin. (Closely followed by a drove of "pigs," perhaps?). The hogs will vrooooooooom down Sixth Street and all over town, Fri, Jun 5, at 6pm. After the sounder of swine parks, Mr. "Rock-N-Roll Hoochie-Coo" Rick Derringer will appear live in concert. Travis County Expo Center, 473-9200 & on Sixth St.

U.S. FENCING ASSOCIATION 1998 NATIONAL COMPETITION Thu, Jun 4 - Fri, Jun 12 Whaddya mean, you don't need another hero? Too bad for you. Hundreds of swashbuckling foilers swagger into town next month for this national en garde! Austin Convention Center, 505 E. Cesar Chavez, 404-4404.

1998 TEXAS SWING Fri, Jun 5 Dust off those cowboy boots, block that 10-gallon hat, and haul out your yee-haws because this night is all about pure Texas fun. Live music by Alvin Crow, dance lessons, barbecue, and silent and live auctions benefit Project Transitions, providing housing and support for people with AIDS. Saengerrunde Hall at Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto, 454-8646.

MOSTLY MUSIC MARATHON & ALMOST ANYTHING SILENT AUCTION Sat, Jun 6, Noon Twelve-hour performance marathon showcases classical, chorale, folk, jazz, and pop music sprinkled with readings by celebrated local writers and poets. First Unitarian Universalist, 4700 Grover, 406-6175.

TEXAS GAY PRIDE FESTIVAL Sun, Jun 7, Noon-7pm Austin joins the rest of the country in celebrating Gay Pride in the month of June. Gay Pride is held annually at the Eastside's Fiesta Gardens and is one of the rare events that brings together so many of the different facets of Austin's often segmented gay community -- from button-down log cabin-types to baby butches to drag queens and everyone in between. Gay-friendly folks are encouraged to come out and support the community and to enjoy an afternoon of laid-back fun. Entertainers include Trish Murphy, Terri Hendrix, Miss Xanna Don't, Austin Babtist Women, Handful, Capitol City Men's Chorus, and 10" Maria, among others. Fiesta Gardens hosts the WOMYN'S PRIDE DANCE the night before Sat, Jun 6, 7pm-midnight. Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Bergman, 474-5475.

AUSTIN JAZZ & ARTS FESTIVAL Sun, Jun 7- Sun, Jun 14 "June is Jazz Month." This newly named and relocated jazz fest (née Clarksville Jazz Festival) brings two days of free jazz, blues, world music, and gospel, featuring Jason Marsalis, Hot Buttered Rhythm, Inkululeko, Concerto Grosso, and Susanna Sharpe and Samba Police. Various clubs host shows throughout the week, the week-end blowout will be held in Waterloo Park. Various clubs and Waterloo Park, 477-9438.

LOUISIANA SWAMP ROMP Sat-Sun, Jun 13-14, 11am Our next-door neighbors will be comin' over to set a spell. They'll bring Cajun cookin' and Zydeco beats. Last year, Queen Ida, Wayne Toups, Beau Jocque, Boozoo Chavis, and Beausoliel showed up. Laisse le, bay-beh! Sixth Street, 478-1704.

UMLAUF SCULPTURE GARDENS SEVENTH BIRTHDAY PARTY Sun, Jun 14 Happy Birthday Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, Happy Birthday to you! Celebrate with birthday cake and lemonade in Umlauf's serene landscape. Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, 605 Robert E. Lee, 445-5582.

BEACH BASH Thu, Jul 2 Is this some developer's ploy to sell beachfront property on Sixth Street, completing Austin's transformation into the Los Angeles of Central Texas? Or is it just Margaritaville? Sixth Street becomes South Beach, Venice Beach, and Waikiki all under one pile of imported beach sand for a sunny tribute to sandals, surfers, baggies, bikinis, Hawaiian shirts, the Beach Boys, and Buffet. Sixth Street at Trinity, 499-0980.

FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT & FIREWORKS Sat, Jul 4, dusk July 4 is a five-sensory holiday in Austin. Fireworks bloom overhead as 40,000 thirsty people sit shoulder to shoulder, leaning back to inhale the pungent aroma of the fleeting fiery blossoms as the sweeping sounds of Austin Symphony Orchestra pummels their ears. Auditorium Shores, 476-6064.

AUSTIN COLLECTOR'S EXPOSITION Sat-Sun, Jul 11-12, 9am Buy, trade, sell, browse, and drool at the 10th Annual Collector's Exposition. Enthusiasts from across the country will gather to worship pop culture and pop clutter in this holy temple of collectible junque. Palmer Auditorium, 400 S. First, 454-9882.

VIVA LAS VEGAS Sat, Jul 18 Start blowing those dice, rubbing your rabbits feet, kissing your dog's little toes, 'cause Daddy needs a new pair of pants! The Capital Area AIDS Legal Project is throwing a benefit featuring casino style gambling, live music, and silent auction. Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces, 406-6175.

AUSTIN AQUA FESTIVAL Thu, Jul 23 - Sat, Aug 1 Concerts, carnival, arts & crafts, food. Auditorium Shores, 472-5664.

TEXAS HEATWAVE CUSTOM TRUCK & CAR SHOW Fri-Sun, Jul 24-26 One of the country's largest and hottest car shows, featuring "Crank It Up" competition, hydraulic car hopping, model cars, and bikini & hot body competitions. Travis County Expo Center, 448-5849.

AUSTIN CHRONICLE HOT SAUCE FESTIVAL Sun, Aug 30, noon An entire derned festival dedicated to our flaming condiment of choice, the folks who make them, and the folks who love them. Salsas, hot sauces, and fiery foods that range from mild to meltdown will melt in your mouth. Contest for best restaurant and individual sauces, music, lots of free hot sauce, and the chips to slap it on. Waterloo Park, 451-3802.

LEZBOLYMPIX Labor Day Weekend, Fri-Sun, Sep 4-6 Keeping in shape through non-Olympic years can be tough. What's a girl to do? This Labor Day weekend, women who dig women can bone up on their Egg Toss, Beer Frisbee, Scavenger Hunt, and Xena Call (ai-yi-yi!) at this annual three-day/night camp out for women (kids are welcome, but full price). "Real" sports events, like softball throw, arm wrestling, pool, horseshoes, and bowling are sure to keep the real jocks buff and happy. Recreation Plantation, call for directions, 990-5404.

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Sports

SPRINT 56K CRITIRIUM Fri, May 22, 6-10pm Two-time Tour DuPont winner, Tour de France stage winner, and Olympian Lance Armstrong returns to racing with this screaming 56K bike race through downtown Austin's entertainment district. Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in September of 1996 but he's back on the saddle, despite incredible odds stacked against him. There are five different competition levels to the critirium. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation to raise cancer awareness. Sixth Street, Downtown Austin, 800/496-4402.

Canoeing on Town Lake photograph by John Anderson

ULTRAMARATHON & 24-HOUR RELAY Fri-Sat, Jun 5-6 If your legs can do all the legs, you'll have run 105 miles in 24 hours. What's stopping you? Easter Seals will benefit from both events. St. Edward's University & Town Lake, 478-2581.

1998 WAKEBOARD WORLD CUP Fri-Sun, Jun 5-7 Folks here on the Third Coast without ocean or mountain must invent creative ways to achieve the same rush known to skiers. Voila! Enter wakeboarding -- the wild acrobatic, gravity-defying, flipping, spinning über-sport. This combo surf-skateboard-snowboard-trick-ski event is taking even the other two coasts by storm. The World Cup takes place in 15 venues across the globe. Pro boarders (including world champ, Jeremy Kovak, 15-year-old Tara Hamilton and Austin's own JP Greve) will be competing for $500,000 in prize money. There will be free admission on Friday. Emma Long Metropolitan Park, 407/628-4802; tickets, 800/334-6541.

HIT THE TRAIL Sat, Jun 6, 10am Celebrate National Trails Day on Austin's trails with live music, food, and fun. Volunteers still needed. Barton Creek Greenbelt, 360 Trail Access, between MoPac & Lamar, 625-9680.

WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION RAW-IS-WAR Tue, Jun 16 The pile-driving, suplexing, head bustin' bad boys are here to body slam your summer into action! Action! Action! Totally Non-Sanctioned 10-Man Tag!! Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Vader, and LOD 2000 vs. Triple H, Kane, Dude Love, Road Dog, and Badd Ass Billy. Whoooooo! Our heads hurt! Frank Erwin Center, 471-6060.

AGLIFF CO-ED VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT Sat-Sun, Jun 20-21 Put together a six-player team and sign up for the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival's benefit volleyball tourney. The games will be played on the courts at `Bout Time. Enrollment is limited to 16 teams. Hurry, spikers. 'Bout Time, 9601 N. I-35, 476-2454.

MOONLIGHT MADNESS 5K FUN RUN Fri, Jul 3, 11:55pm Open to everyone. Though you may not win the race, if you wear your bunny slippers and PJs you might win a prize. Barton Creek Square Mall, 327-7040.

BARTON SPRINGS DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS Sat, Jul 18 Off the diving board, as in real life, Austin personalities soar, flop, and make waves at this annual belly-busting event. Barton Springs Pool, 476-9044.

TEXAS AIDS RIDE Training all summer Tanqueray's Texas AIDS Ride isn't until October, but bike ride training sessions are happening throughout the summer in Austin and Central Texas. Over 1,800 cyclists will ride over 575 miles over seven days to deliver over $6 million to Texas AIDS organizations. The endurance ride includes opportunities for support staff as well as riders. Now's the time to start "gearing" up. Texas AIDS Ride, 800/825-1000, ext. 9.

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Nature

DOWNTOWN MURAL WALKING TOUR Sun, May 17, 2pm Austin's rich artistic legacy is not just off-the-wall, it's all over the walls and buildings of downtown. Come stroll this appreciative trek and take in Austin's fine outdoor art. The response to this event will determine future walking tours. AIL Parking Lot, Third & Brazos, 397-1455.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center photograph by John Anderson

LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER various dates The Wildflower Center hosts a summer-long special event: the perpetually changing Central Texas landscape. Specific programs include Flower Pressing Demonstration (Jun 13), Medicinal Uses of Native Plants (Jun 17), Prickly Pear Tasting (Jul 18), and Storytelling (Saturdays, 1pm). LJWC, 4801 La Crosse, 292-4100.

WILD BASIN PRESERVE Tue, Jun 9, 8pm; Fri, Jun 26, 8:45pm Experience the beauty of Wild Basin by the pale blue light of the moon. Learn to navigate in the night sky as Harriet Streiber takes you on a guided tour through the planets, stars, and constellations. Wild Basin, 805 N. Capital of Texas, 327-7622.

AUSTIN & TEXAS CENTRAL RAILROAD Fridays, Jun 5, Jul 3, Aug 7, 2&4pm Our sultry Texas summer gets "steam"-ier each Friday, as the Austin Steam Train Association, the choogling crew behind the Hill Country Flyer, roll out some new additions for the summer. Known mostly for weekend jaunts out to Burnet, the classic steam train takes short, local rides through town the first Friday of each month. The "River City Flyer" departs from Fourth & Red River, taking folks on a breezy trek through East Austin. Under a constant billowy plume of black smoke and white puffs of steam, the Flyer runs along the verdant Boggy Creek Greenbelt. Local workers, moms, dads, and kids stop to smile and wave as the rolling symbol of Austin's past passes by. On board, riders enjoy entertainment and a snack car. Tickets are available in advance at the ASTA office on Sixth Street in the southwest corner of the Driskill Hotel or at the platform at Fourth & Red River. Austin Steam Train Assn., 116 E. Sixth, 477-8468.

RECREATION PLANTATION all summer The Plantation is 40 acres of woods and only 45 minutes from downtown Austin! A variety of groups have certain weekends booked through the summer, and often these events are open to the public. Otherwise this camp has amenities for tents, RVs, swimmers, fisher-types, hikers, bikers, horseshoers, or plain ol` fun-in-the-sunners. Dripping Springs, call for directions, 894-0567.

VANISHING TEXAS RIVER CRUISES all summer, 11am cruises Some of Central Texas' most majestic, staggering vistas are only viewable by boat. Sample some of them on this cruise across the Colorado River and on Lake Buchanan. Lake Buchanan, RM2341, 800/4 RIVER 4.