Community Calendar

The Big Country Iris Society will host an iris sale on Saturday, September 12, from 1 - 3 p.m. at the Garrison United Methodist Campus Center at McMurry University, Abilene. Early fall is the ideal time to plant iris rhizomes for spring blooming. Over 100 named varieties of irises will be sold for $5 - $10. Unnamed irises are offered at ten for $5.

Preceding the sale, Pug Parris, BCIS president, will lead a session on “How to Grow Irises in West Texas” for novice growers from 12:15 - 1:00 p.m.

For more information, contact Parris at pparris@mcm.edu.

Come learn what the new fall semester of OLLI at Texas Tech University Abilene has in store for you and friends. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will be introducing its Fall 2026 course offerings in this informal setting. Experts from various fields have agreed to serve as course instructors, and you can meet many of them. Snacks and beverages will be served. Join us for a fun opportunity to meet other lifelong learners and register for courses. The event is come-and-go.

Come learn what the new fall semester of OLLI at Texas Tech University Abilene has in store for you and friends. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will be introducing its Fall 2026 course offerings in this informal setting. Experts from various fields have agreed to serve as course instructors, and you can meet many of them. Snacks and beverages will be served. Join us for a fun opportunity to meet other lifelong learners and register for courses. The event is come-and-go.

Latin Dance Night is back by popular demand for the 6th year! To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month right, we invite the community to dance the night away to Latin hits played by DJ Manteca in our beautiful Grace Courtyard. We’ll have some free snacks and encourage you to grab dinner from La Aguila food truck parked beside the Museum. The Ice House at LSDG will host a cash bar (so bring your ID)!

We also invite you to explore the Museum while you’re here – all at no cost!

They’ve graded the papers, survived the staff meetings, and lost their last ounce of patience… and now they’re taking it out on stage!

Bored Teachers is BACK with brand-new jokes, bigger laughs, and the most relatable teacher comedy you’ll ever hear. For nearly a decade, Bored Teachers has been the #1 voice of teacher humor—racking up over 1 billion views, amassing 10 million+ followers, and hosting the #1 teacher-comedy podcast on the planet.

Since 2022, they’ve performed for 200,000+ teachers worldwide, and sold out 200+ theaters across 49 states, 5 countries, and 3 continents. Their BRAND NEW “Is It Friday Yet?!” Tour starting January 2026 is more than a comedy show—it’s the ultimate night of laughter and solidarity for anyone who’s ever worked in education, taught a lesson, or just survived parent-teacher conferences.

Get ready to laugh until you cry as the funniest teacher-comedians in the world share their side-splitting stories, savage truths, and hilarious classroom confessions. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or just someone who’s been in school, this show will have you nodding, clapping, and hollering, “That’s SO TRUE!”

Warning: May contain PG-13 language, teacher truths, and uncontrollable fits of laughter.

This month we will meet on the third floor and look at the Beginnings: Early History of Abilene High School and Lincoln Middle School exhibition. Guests will explore garments and artifacts from decades past and enjoy recalling memories sparked by the pieces on display.

Inspired by our current history exhibition, We’ve Got Spirit: School Pride, class participants will be guided by a Grace art instructor in making your own felt pennant flag.

No experience necessary. Grace Studios make art FUN in a no-pressure environment. BYO snacks and drinks to enjoy while you work. Bring a friend or come make a new one

Celebrate local music with KACU at Tiny(ier) Desk, the official kickoff to our Fall Fundraiser! Join us September 24th from 6 to 9 at 7 & 1 Bookstore as we showcase local bands in an intimate, Tiny Desk-inspired setting. Come support local music and your local public radio!

Join us at this free event to see a showcase about all things aviation! From guest speakers, to pop-up activities, to readings and reenactments – there’s something for everyone. We are excited to partner with the National WASP World War II Museum and the Abilene Public Library. Come learn and have fun with us!

Since his early teens, photographer Larry Smith has honed his technical skills, making them second nature, which has allowed him to focus on thoughtful observation and intuition. In doing so, he seizes on compositional opportunities many others dismiss or are oblivious to. Nothing is overtly spectacular about Smith’s chosen subjects. In fact, they are scenes, scenarios, and places we likely encounter every day. What is remarkable is his ability to glean from the ordinary an image worthy of consideration.

Smith’s knack for being in the right place at the right time coupled with his ability to recognize, compose, and capture an image in a fraction of a second is a combination that takes decades to perfect. His black and white photographs record what it is to be human—documenting the simple pleasure of family and friends, isolation in a world filled with others, moments of melancholy, and the monotony that fills the gaps.

Bio
Larry Smith (b. 1951) has lived in Abilene, Texas his entire life, but his photographs capture a broad range of subjects and locations. He first became interested in photography while helping his older brother develop high school yearbook photos. As an adult, he worked at Keaton Kolor, the Abilene photo lab, from 1973-1990, but never pursued fine art photography as a profession. With the exception of a solo show at the Center for Contemporary Arts in his hometown in the mid-1970s, Smith has not exhibited his work. For him, the act of creating is motivation enough.