Cooler fall weather is fast approaching, despite the lingering warm summer temperatures. Some fun things coming in the fall are the West Texas Fair and Rodeo, visiting Denton Valley Farms, mini golfing, going to the local coffee shops or seeing movies at the Paramount.
The West Texas Fair and Rodeo has rides, games and live music. People may also compete in 4-H events. ‘‘The annual fair and rodeo is a great chance for me to be with friends and meet new people,” Mady Lovett, a sophomore criminal justice major from Redding, Calif., said.
Denton Valley Farms has a 160 acre pumpkin patch, maze, paintball range, hay and train rides, farm animals, yard games and pony rides. They also have homemade ice cream available for purchase. ‘‘You get to go through a maze in a cornfield and can take cute pictures with friends and all the pumpkins,” Nicole Dunnells, a senior psychology major from Killeen, said.
People can also go mini golfing at Play Faire Park. They have two courses and a stage for live music performances. “I love [Play Faire Park] because the course is so much fun and they always have live music,” Cierrah Fulenwider, a senior psychology major from Weatherford, said.
Abilene is home to many different coffee shops including Monks, Mezamiz Coffee House and Summer Moon Coffee. These places are fun to study in or just hang out with friends. “All of the local coffee shops around this time usually release some type of fall drink and they give off the storybook-town-in-the-fall vibe that is so unique,” Hannah Bessent, a junior biology major from Brownwood, said. “In my opinion, the iced headless horseman from Monks is the best.”
The Paramount re-releases movies and offers a unique theater experience. This year, their featured presentations include “Shawshank Redemption”, “Psycho”, “Blade Runner 2049” and “The Sound of Music.”
“I’m really excited to see “Shawshank Redemption” with some of my friends,” Philip Hough, a freshman English major from Garland, said. “The Paramount is fun to go to and it’s always a blast.”
No matter how you choose to spend your fall season in Abilene, make sure to spend time with friends and take advantage of new opportunities on and off-campus.