Saturday, April 20, 2013

Earth Day and Record Store Day

Because we all need a little stress relief, right?

(In addition, there is a fundraiser today for SDEC-6 committeeman Phillip McNutt. My friend Phil, a longtime Democratic activist, was battling spinal meningitis last month when he suffered a stroke. As a small businessman without health insurance, you can imagine the crushing financial burden that joins these health concerns. Phil's pal, Susie Loucks, has put together a silent auction benefiting Phil's family this afternoon; click the link for details.)

Record Store Day

This annual celebration of independent music stores will again stuff retailers with brightly colored, limited-edition vinyl in various sizes. Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Fela Kuti, Willie Nelson, Moby, Captain Beefheart, the Grateful Dead, the Dave Matthews Band, Big Star, Cream, Bob Dylan, Roky Erickson and Houston's own Jandek are among the dozens of artists represented by RSD exclusives.

Here, courtesy the Houston Chronicle, are some of the special hours, festivities and such that some local retailers will be presenting today.

Black Dog Records: Starting at 10 a.m., the venerable vinyl shop will celebrate its first RSD at its new location with select titles and refreshments that will begin to flow at 3 p.m. 4900 Bissonnet, No. 102; 713-522-6001

Cactus Music: The store will open at 10 a.m. with select RSD titles. At 2 p.m., author David Ensminger will read from "Mojo Hand," the book he co-wrote about Lightnin' Hopkins; John Egan and the Mighty Orq also will perform. At 5 p.m. the Virginmarys will perform. There will be giveaways and drawings, including a Bowie print proof and a poster signed by most of the acts that have taken part in Cactus in-store performances in the past year. More than 2,000 hip-hop 12-inch recordings will be on sale at two for $1. Refreshments from Saint Arnold Brewery also will be served. At 7 p.m. Friday, Cactus will host a screening of "Last Shop Standing," a short film about independent record stores. 2110 Portsmouth; 713-526-9272.

Heights Vinyl: Doors will open at 11 a.m., giving customers extra time to visit other stores beforehand. In addition to RSD releases, the Tontons will perform at 1 p.m. and Come See My Dead Person will perform at 3 p.m. There will be giveaways, refreshments from Karbach Brewing Co. and a limited-edition "Weird Beard" screen print. 3122 White Oak; 281-974-1234.

Sig's Lagoon: In addition to RSD releases, the store - which received a formidable vinyl infusion from San Marcos' Sundance Records last year - will have food from around the 3600 and 3700 blocks of Main, and select local businesses will offer discounts with a Sig's receipt. 3622-E Main; 713-533-9525.

Vinal Edge: Having relocated to the Heights, the store will open at 9 a.m. (one hour early) and offer select RSD titles. Owner Chuck Roast also will be selling rare punk 45s from his personal collection from his "Funhouse Radio" show days. Singer Really Red also will be selling LPs from his collection. As for drink, Boomtown Coffee will provide some samples. 239 W. 19th; 281-537-2575. 

And a couple more from the Houston Press. By the way, and if you haven't already read about it in Rolling Stone, the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Rush, Heart, Public Enemy, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Albert King, Lou Adler, and Quincy Jones had their jam this past week and that will be shown on HBO tonight next month. It's a don't-miss.

Earth Day

Here's a list of Earth Day events all across Texas from the Texas Drought Project.

Abilene-Saturday, April 20th-9AM to 12:30PM, McGlothlin Campus Center-exhibitors. 1PM, Crutcher Scott Field, a tree planting demonstration and workshop will begin and will continue until 5 p.m. The workshop will be led by Byron Patterson, ACU's director of physical resources, and representatives from the Texas Forest Service will participate as well. The trees and the organic material to be used in the planting have been grown at ACU's tree farm.

Austin-Saturday, April 20 2013,noon-7pm, Old Mueller Airport , Browning Hangar. Speakers, kid zone, environmental organizations exhibits, gardening, sustainability and rainwater harvesting. 
Special note: Presentation of the "How to become carbon positive" manual, compiled by the Energy Action Team of the Interfaith Environmental Network, Stage 2, at noon. Also--Join our 5:00pm Rhythmic Rally Finale,"The Story of Energy in Texas"with "Austin Beyond Coal", with Jim Hightower.

Beaumont/Port Arthur/Orange--April 19th, 20th, and 21st--Trail Between the Lakes Hike. Contact Phil Rogers, philarogers@gmail.com or 409-543-4616, or Bruce Walker, bwalker@gt.rr.com, 409-782-3486.

Boerne--Friday, Apr 26 6:30 PM, Movie in the Park, Dr. Seuss "The Lorax" and Earth Day Family Drum Circle. Main Plaza. Free.

Brownsville--Saturday, April 27th, 10AM to 2PM, Linear Park. Food vendors, live music,
recycling, gardening, exhibitors, kids' activities. Free. 

Bryan-College Station--Saturday, April 20th, 11AM to 6PM. Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. 
Eighteenth Annual Brazos Valley Earth Day. Educational booths--rainwater harvesting, composting, "green" lawn care techniques, alternative transportation. Kids' zone, including obstacle course, inflatable bounce and environmental story times. Live entertainment performs throughout the day.  

www.brazosvalleyearthday.com 
   
Canyon Lake--Saturday, April 20th, 10AM to 4PM. Tye Preston Library, 40 exhibits and displays, rainwater catchment, children's activities, native plants, birding. Free.  

Corpus Christi--Saturday, April 20th, Adopt-a-Beach on Earth Day! Two locations, Cole Park  and North Beach, both 9 to noon. Check with Carolyn Moon for additional info cmoon4920@att.net. 

Then, on Monday, April 22nd, 2:30 to 5:PM--Earth Day events at Del Mar College, featuring comments by the iconic environmentalist Pat Suter, and a tree planting. East Campus Peace Pole between Heritage Hall and the Harvin Center, near Baldwin Blvd. All are welcome.

Dallas--Saturday, April 20, 21st. One of the country's largest Earth Day events. Fair Park in the heart of Dallas, with 500,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. Six hundred exhibitors. The Eco Expo will teach attendees how to take environmentally responsible action by better utilizing resources, switching to eco-friendly products or joining their organizations.

http://www.earthdaydallas.org/  

Edinburg--April 27th, 9AM to 1PM. Earth/Arbor Day Festival at the Edinburg World Birding Center. Includes a one-mile family walk and a "Bicycle Rodeo." See more at: 
  
El Paso--April 20, 9AM to 1PM. El Paso's Earth Day, Union Plaza District. Organized by the City of El Paso's Environmental Services Department.

Galveston--Saturday, April 20th, 10AM to 4PM. Moody Gardens. Visit their exhibitions and other awesome Earth Day activities, like their herb garden with the Galveston County Master Gardeners and make-and-take butterfly-garden-in-a-pot.

Houston--April 20,21 from 9-3, Houston Zoo at 6200 Hermann Park Drive. All the Earth Day activities are paid for by your admissions ticket. Scavenger hunt, Mother Earth maze, reusable mural for your little Mondrians, and an Earth Day DJ for those who like to move their bodies. Other cool and educational activities include a Ladybug Release and Bear Awareness Day (on Sunday only).
Children's Museum of Houston: April 20th, 10 AM to 6PM Earth Day Extravaganza is a celebration of Mother Nature, 1500 Binz. Activities that will get the children involved in discovering what this day is all about. Water Bottle Birdfeeders, reusing and recycling, and planting take-home seedings. For kids of all ages.

Kerrville--Saturday, April 20th, 8AM to 3PM. Sponsored by the Kerrville Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas, along with the Riverside Nature Center. 150 Francisco Lemos Street. Displays and lectures, rainwater harvesting, guided trail walk, butterfly presentation, kids' activities. 

Laredo--Saturday,April 20, 7:30AM to 1PM -- Earth Day Cleanup at Lake Casa Blanca, a partnership with the The Rio Grande International Study Center and the Texas Army National Guard. Join us as we clean and beautify Lake Casa Blanca, including the berm/dam that faces Loop 20. Students can earn community service hours at the cleanup. Meet at the entrance to Lake Casa Blance. Entrance fee will be waived, but you must sign in at the entrance. ATTIRE: Closed toe shoes; long-sleeve shirt; long-sleeve pants; hat; gloves. Please bring your reusable water bottle.

McAllen--April 20th, 9AM to 4PM, Vida Verde Earth Day Festival. Quinta Mazatlan. 
Organized by the City of McAllen.


Rockport-Fulton, April 27th, 7AM to 9:30 (run) and festival, 10AM to 2PM. 
5k and 2-mile fun run to benefit Rockport Heritage District Association's beautification efforts, 7AM to 9:30. Festival: 10AM to 2PM., 111 North Austin Street, in the Heritage Downtown district. Products & services for healthy living, artists, native plants, local food, kids' activities, and so much more! Local gardeners & farmers are encouraged to bring your excess produce for our Crop Swap. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rockport-Earth-Day-Redfish-Run/225496214255527

San Antonio--multiple locations, multiple times. See below for more information 
and consult HEB website.
April 18: "Earth Day" NW Vista College (9 A.M. - 1 P.M.)
April 22: "Earth Day" San Antonio College (10 A.M. - 2 P.M.)
April 23: "EarthFest" UTSA 1604 (11 A.M. - 2 P.M.)  
Earth Day San Antonio-April 20th, 10AM to 2PM. Woodlawn Lake, organized by Build San Antonio Green.
  

San Marcos--Earth Day, 7PM, Aquarena Center, San Marcos
Come to celebrate all of the natural things that make our earth beautiful on the headwaters of the San Marcos River--Spring Lake!

Sugar Land--April 20th, 2PM to 6PM. The City of Sugar Land is celebrating Earth Day at Sugar Land Town Square at 15958 City Walk, Suite 250. There will be interactive booths to educate the public about recycling, waste reduction, tree care, nature appreciation and more.
  
Texoma--April 20th, 7:30AM to 5PM, Municipal Ballroom and Grounds, Sherman, Texas. Texoma Earth Day.

http://www.earthdaytexoma.org
  
Waco--April 20th, Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 North 4th. It's "Beasts and Blooms and Earth Day too!" Come and party for the planet at the annual Earth Day celebration. Walk through the zoo and talk with exhibitors from environmental groups in the area. Family fun activities for all to enjoy.

Whitehouse (East Texas regional)--April 20, 11AM. Camp Tyler Outdoor School at 15143 Camp Tyler Road, on the beautiful shores of Lake Tyler. Earth Day is a FREE event for the community and features earth-friendly businesses, organizations, activities--and lots of food and fun!


Update: OK man, like, Happy 420 Day, too.  I don't partake any longer but I can sure laugh about it. Together with Earth Day and Record Store Day, everything should be peaceful.

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