It was a great equalizer. If a man could work hard enough and get lucky enough, oil could turn a pauper into a prince, literally overnight. Long before Houston and Dallas were big Texas cities, and well before sustenance was no further than the local H-E-B, Texans were roughing it out on the frontier, trying to make a living any way they could.

Sometimes the thing that makes someone unstoppable is simply their inability to stop. According to award-winning Hollywood director Robert Rodriguez that is exactly how his career began. As a child, Rodriguez never dreamed of being famous. He was just a kid having fun with his father's video camera, at least until he saw John Carpenter's science-fiction thriller Escape from New York at age 12. From that day on, he was determined to be a movie director.

In 1994, when gallery owner Keri Blackman and John Davis started Gallery Night, a small collection of open houses designed to celebrate and spotlight local artists, they "didn't even know what we were doing," admitted Blackman, an Alpine gallery owner. In the years that followed, Gallery Night evolved, changed its name to Alpine Artwalk, garnered recognition across the state, and eventually exploded into an annual city staple that is now the city's largest event of the year.

The old, yet vibrant culture of the American West is rich with colorful history and tradition. During the first weekend of September, you can experience that heritage with those who have dedicated themselves to preserving and passing it along to folks of all ages.

Looking for a way to beat the heat while still having fun with family and friends?  The Hempstead Watermelon Festival is just what the doctor ordered!  This July will mark the 29th annual Hempstead Watermelon Festival, a sweet celebration of the town’s most famous crop.