70 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • Late Spring 2019 TheCoastalBend.com Port Aransas Monday May 13, 6-10 p.m.—The 35th Annual Songwriters’Showcase is an amazing event that is a fundraiser for the Port Aransas Art Center. It will be held at the Historic Tarpon Inn’s Courtyard. During the Showcase talented songwriters perform their original music. Beer, wine, and festival style food will be available for purchase. So save the date and plan to come hear some great music in a beautiful venue! The Songwriters Showcase line-up: Bill Averbach, Hamp Brockman & Janet Drew, Guy Le Roux, James Derkits, Ty Dietz, Garrett Wieland & David King, Kelley Mickwee, Woodie Lawson, Elvin“Preecher”Williams, Mike Williams, Jered Clark, and Billy Snipes. Tarpon Inn Courtyard • 200 E. Cotter Ave. 35TH SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE MAY 13TH Fridays May 3rd and June 7th—Each first Friday of the month the Port Aransas Art Center hosts a free reception featuring select, local artists who are on-hand, with their work. Guest enjoy wine and fine snacks as well as live music, and especially fellowship with those who appreciate and support art. Port Aransas Art Center • 104 N. Alister St. MEET THE ARTISTS AT FIRST FIRST FRIDAY RECEPTIONS 14TH ANNUAL ARTFEST WEEKEND Saturday-Sunday May 25th - 26th—Memorial Day weekend will mark the 14th year that this island favorite festival will be hosted by the Port Aransas Art Center. The work of dozens of artists in all media will be on display and for sale, as will unique vendors, and musicians on stage and circulating the festival, fantastic food vendors, a kids creative zone, and much more! Jerry McDonald Field • Alister@Ave. C THE PORT ARANSAS MUSEUM is a worthy testament to one of the most historically significant communities on the Texas Gulf Coast, which was established as a cattle and sheep ranching settlement in the 1850s. During the same period, steamship ser- vice was commissioned between Sand Point, as the town was then called, and New Orleans, necessitating the construction of the Aransas Pass Lighthouse on St. Joseph’s Island. The Tarpon Inn opened its doors in the 1880s and became the center of local sportfish- ing activity. The Inn and Port A welcomed its most famous angler in 1937 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt caught tarpon from a Farley boat (pictured above). The museum is home to Port A and Mustang Island artifacts and over 12,000 historical photos, and documents. (361) 749-3800 • 101 E. Brundrett@ North Alister St. • PortAransasMuseum.org PORT A MUSEUM Driving on the Beach (with dignity) DO: • Stop before entering soft, high sand, and plan your route • Use a low gear • Proceed at a brisk, steady speed • Use flat boards, or even seaweed, un- der your tires for traction if you get stuck •“Rock”your vehicle out of sand if you get stuck DON’T: • Assume your“all wheel drive”vehicle performs like a 4-wheel drive • Stop in high sand like you would in snow • Gun your accelerator in an angry attempt to get unstuck • Cuss/Cry