AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – Even as the month of August marks the end of summer and the start of the school year, community members and families around the High Plains can still enjoy special spectacles, events, and entertainment in the Amarillo area’s hot spots of arts and culture.

As noted by the city of Amarillo, shows, events, and exhibits open for visitors and audiences during the month of August include:

The TEXAS Outdoor Musical remains an ongoing highlight of Palo Duro Canyon, with its 57th Summer Season running until Aug. 5. Tickets to the iconic musical can also have a dinner package, and shows run weekly from Tuesdays through Sundays.

The Friends of the Amarillo Public Library will host Ama-Con 2023 at the Amarillo Civic Center on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission prices will be $8 for a two-day pass and $5 for a one-day pass, with children six years of age able to enter for free.

On Aug. 5, the Panhandle Team Penning & Sorting event will be held at the Amarillo Tri-State Exposition in the Bill Cody Arena. The books are set to open at 9 a.m. with the show beginning at 10 a.m.

The From 6th Collective will host its Best in the West event from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 5, featuring brand partners, pop-ups, giveaways, and experiences highlighting businesses and community members from the Texas Panhandle.

The Don Harrington Discovery Center will host its Girls Who Science event on Aug. 7 at the DHDC, with the featured speaker being Amanda Morgan from the Pantex Plant.

The Amarillo Art Institute will host its All Things Artful Art Festival on Aug. 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The 2023 theme “Visions of Dreamland” will highlight decor and events, and the event will also serve as a reception for the Best of the Southwest Show.

Tickets will be $20 for adults and $10 for children.

On Friday, Aug. 11, the Don Harrington Discovery Center will host “Parents’ Night Out” from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Children aged four to 11 years old can be registered to have dinner and participate in the camp while their parents or guardians enjoy a night out.

The Starlight Ranch Event Center will host its Calf Fry Festival on Aug. 19, starting at 5 p.m.

The event is expected to feature live music, drinks, activities – and of course, plenty of calf fries.

The Wildcat Bluff Nature Center and the Amarillo Astronomy Club will host “A Night with the Stars” on Aug. 19, from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The event is expected to include a special viewing of the crescent moon, ring nebula and double star Albireo – and a special Galaxy Drink!

The Amarillo Symphony will kick off its Centennial Season at Hodgetown Stadium on Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.

Not only will the symphony perform patriotic and Western favorites with local stars, but also feature Randall King’s biggest hits and a fireworks finale.

Running until Aug. 27, works from award-winning artist and songwriter Terry Allen will be on display at the Amarillo Museum of Art with free admission for visitors.

The Amarillo Museum of Art will be showcasing the works of internationally-acclaimed sculpture artist Jun Kaneko until Sept. 3, with admission free for the public.

The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum will display an exhibition exploring the body of work and life of Gisella Loeffler until Sept. 3, who mixed Indigenous and Hispanic motifs with her native Austro-Hungarian folk art traditions and left a lasting influence on art in the High Plains.

The Amarillo Botanical Gardens is hosting its 2023 season of Music in the Gardens every Thursday until Aug. 31, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $10 for non-members and $5 for members.

The Amarillo City Pool season for 2023 is also expected to run until Sunday, Aug. 6.

Thompson Park Pool

Southeast Pool

Southwest Pool

Further day-to-day entertainment, weekly offerings and events, and plans for the rest of the year can be found both on the MyHighPlains.com events calendar and the Visit Amarillo website.

For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.