It’s the last week of June — and the week before all the big Fourth of July festivities and fireworks — but there’s still plenty going on now in the Amarillo area.
If you haven’t yet, you can check out the new, 800-foot long interactive mural “66 Stories from Route 66” downtown in Amarillo as part of the centennial celebration. Also tucked in the Route 66 corridor behind the visitors center is the new Ragtown Arts Gallery, which will host a come-and-go open house Friday, June 26 from 5 to 9 p.m. at 1900 SW 6th St. in Amarillo.
Folks may have noticed visitors in Canyon and Amarillo for events as part of the 79th annual Reciprocal Meat Conference, being hosted by West Texas A&M University June 20-24. According to WT, the flagship annual meeting of the American Meat Science Association is a driving force in advancing research, education and innovation across the meat industry. A keynote panel discussion at 7:50 a.m. June 24 in the Amarillo Civic Center titled “Water and Resilience: What the Panhandle Teaches Us All,” will feature executives from Cargill, the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Red Rock Dairy and the Texas Beef Council.
There’s a little bit of something for everyone happening over the June 25-28 weekend; here are a few other things to mark on your calendars.
Dinos take over the DHDC big screen
June 26: Movie showings at Discovery Center — To celebrate its 50th year, the Year of the Dinosaurs, the Don Harrington Discovery Center (DHDC) is hosting screenings of Disney Pixar’s family friendly “The Good Dinosaur” and the classic “Jurassic Park” Friday. Follow Arlo the Apatosaurus as he befriends a cave boy named Spot ($5 admission), starting at 5 p.m. Then, at 7:30 p.m., the 21+ screening of the 1993 original sci-fi thriller begins ($25 admission). As part of DHDC’s Summer Flicks series, they will be showing themed movies each month with family-friendly and adults-only options. Popcorn, drinks, candies, and other snacks are available for purchase. The adults-only screening will also offer a specialty-themed cocktail and unlimited popcorn for those who purchase the ticket option that includes a concession wristband. Doors will open 30 minutes before each showtime; get tickets online at DHDC.org. As part of its yearlong celebration, DHDC is also bringing back signature events such as The Mad Scientist Ball and Discover! 5.0 and will host several more dinosaur-themed exhibits and experiences throughout 2026. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram or visit DiscoveryCenterCollective.org for more on their community programs.
Art after dark at the museum
June 26: ArtAfterDark at Amarillo Museum of Art — The annual fundraiser at the museum is set for 7-10 p.m. Friday with art, music, food and drink. Admission is $35 per person, or free for AMoA members. The experience is designed to attract an audience interested in broadening their understanding and appreciation of art. Guests can explore all facets of current exhibits on display at the museum, including “Ed Ruscha + Ron Cooper: Stations Words | Bars Cars” and “Main Street: The Lost Dream of Route 66,” with hands-on art activities, games and gallery hunts further enhancing the evening. Enjoy food by Reagan’s Brick Oven Pizza; cocktails and cold beer; music by Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, 2025 Telluride Bluegrass Band Contest Winner; and live printing with Free Cheese Prints.
Watch party for a legacy
June 26: Tabernacle Choir Watch Party at Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium — As part of a nationwide event, the Tabernacle Choir Watch Party — Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Amarillo Texas East Stake and Amarillo Texas Stake invite the community to experience this Songs of Hope concert together 7-10 p.m. Friday in a celebration of community, music, and service. A pre-party gathering will feature a kids corner, charity booths, and time to connect with neighbors. They’ll also be raising funds for the Amarillo Children’s Home and Martha’s Home. The performance will be broadcast locally, and it will feature special guest performers Donny Osmond, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Stephanie J. Block, and Sebastian Arcelus alongside the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir, returning to the Hollywood Bowl for a 100-year anniversary. General admission is free; reserve your tickets online via https://tcwatchparty.com/
Props and Pistons
June 27: Props and Pistons Car Show and Fly In at Tradewind Airport — See lots of automobiles as well as planes up close and in person at the fifth annual community-based car show, organized by Bomb City Hot Rods and Tradewind Airport. Proceeds will support Hope Lives Here, which pairs veterans with dogs rescued from shelters and trained to be service animals. The show starts at 9 a.m. and ends around 3 p.m. Saturday, with awards given for the best entries. To help with the heat, they’re planning to have some seating and evaporative coolers set up in the large hanger, where will have some indoor vendors and auction items, according to their Facebook page. For more on the show, visit https://www.propsandpistonsamarillo.com/ ; for more on the charity, see https://www.hlhtexas.org/about .
Amarillo ‘Coffee’ sneak peek
June 27: Coffee documentary screening at ALT — Amarillo’s thriving coffee community is taking center stage in Season 2 of “COFFEE The Universal Language,” a documentary series produced by N+D Media that explores the people, cultures, and communities connected through coffee around the world. The Amarillo episode features Palace Coffee Company, The 806 Coffee + Lounge, Herencia Coffee (in Dumas) and the community that has helped shape our area’s unique coffee culture. The film showcases how coffee serves as a common language that brings people together and reflects the character of Amarillo itself. The public is invited to an exclusive premiere screening of the Amarillo episode on Saturday at Amarillo Little Theatre. Guests can enjoy beverages and small bites starting at 7 p.m., followed by the screening at 7:30 p.m. and then a live Q&A session with the team from N+D Media, representatives from the featured coffee businesses and others involved in bringing the episode to life. The event is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted to support ALT and its mission. Season Two is expected to hit PBS, AmazonPrime and Tubi streaming services in August of this year.
Other events to note on the calendar:
Weekly outdoor concert and entertainment series continue, as well as summer seasons of “TEXAS” the Outdoor Musical and Wonderland Amusement Park. Tascosa Drive-In will be showing “Toy Story 5” and “The Breadwinner” June 25-28, with special event items available at the concession stand. And Palo Duro Canyon State Park will be hosting several guided hikes.
For those who can’t make it to the beach, Amarillo has its own sandy site to enjoy with regular tribute acts, and even a little kids’ fun thrown in. Shark Beach Burgers, at East Farm to Market Road 1151, will have free sandcastle lessons 6-9 p.m. Sunday, June 28. The family friendly event is free to attend, but no outside food or drink, or pets are allowed, and shoes are not recommended.
For more events, go to https://www.visitamarillo.com/ .
Kristina Wood is managing editor of the Amarillo Globe-News, whose coverage includes Amarillo and Canyon, and into the Texas Panhandle. Have a story idea? Send it in at newmedia@amarillo.com .
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: 5 things to do in the Amarillo area this weekend
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News | USA TODAY Network
