Thursday 01

Silver City/Grant County

Friends of the Library Book Sale—Benefits the Silver City Public Library. 9 a,m.-3 p.m. FOL Bookstore, 1510 W. Market St.

Hector Olivera—Community Concerts. 7:30 p.m. WNMU Fine Arts Center Theater, 538-1604.

Saving the Ranch—Maintaining Grant County's culture and your estate. For land owners and ranchers. Receive a comprehensive conservation-easements education. Learn how to reduce federal and state income and estate taxes, and maintain your land's value. You keep control of your property. Featuring Dr. Jack B. Wright, author of Saving the Ranch, chair of the NMSU Geography Department and chair of the New Mexico Land Conservancy. 2:30 p.m., Grant County Commision Chambers, 1400 E. Hwy 180, 538-4092, cmcandrew@grmc.org.

Las Cruces/Mesilla

NMSU Aggies Men's Basketball vs. Louisiana Tech—7:05 p.m., NMSU Pan American Center, University Ave., 646-1420, www.nmstatesports.com.

Opening Reception—Poster session celebrating women of science and engineering at NMSU. See "Changing the Equation" feature in this section. 3-5 p.m., Aggie Underground Corbett Center.

Truth or Consequences

American Bass Fishing Tournament—Catch and release for large and small mouth bass. Marina Del Sur, Elephant Butte Lake State Park, 744-5944.

Friday 02

Silver City/Grant County

Ellis Paul—This ain't your granddad's folk music. Opening song "Blacktop Train" includes thumping beats, a snappy horn section and haunting, wordless vocals (supplied by singer Rachael Davis). It's not exactly a Dylan-goes-electric revelation, but it's still a surprise from a singer/songwriter who has built his reputation in the sometimes sedate world of folk music. $15-$20, 7:30 p.m., Pinos Altos Opera House. Mimbres Region Arts Council Folk Series, 538-2505, www.mimbresarts.org.

Melodrama Theatre—"Billy the Kid or It's Just a Little Gun Play." Every Friday and Saturday. See the March 2006 Desert Exposure. 8 p.m. Pinos Altos Opera House, 388-3848, www.pinosaltos.org/melodrama.

Saving the Ranch—Maintaining Grant County's culture and your estate. For accountants, attorneys, local government and realtors. See March 1. 9 a.m., Grant County Commision Chambers, 1400 E. Hwy. 180, 538-4092, cmcandrew@grmc.org.

Las Cruces/Mesilla

Against the Grain—Woodcuts by Anthony Lazorko. Through April 28. Spanning a 50-year career of printmaking, the exhibit depicts the American experience and focuses on beauty found in the ordinary. Reception 5-7 p.m., Museum of Art, 491 N. Main St., 541-2137, museums.las-cruces.org.

American Bicycle Association Southwest BMX Nationals—Roadrunner BMX Track, Walnut Ave. and Hadley St., www.ababmx.com.

Charles Broomfield and Jill Gottlieb—Art opening for exhibit through March 31. 5-7 p.m. Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Downtown Mall, 523-6403.

Jack Ward Invitational Choral Festival—Also March 3. Featuring the world premiere of a commissioned work by David Dickau. $10-$15, 8 p.m. NMSU Music Center Recital Hall, N. Horseshoe Circle and Espina St., 646-1420.

Mr. Roberts—Through March 11. This rowdy, realistic saga of group of American sailors aboard a Navy cargo vessel in the Pacific shows the crew suffering from that deadly boredom that is part of the routine of war. To the ship's company, the Skipper is a cantankerous, small-minded man, and every one of them conspires against him. That Lt. Roberts shares the crew's dislike for the captain is one reason for his popularity. Roberts joined to fight; he hates being inactive almost as much as he hates the captain. Privy to the crew's hijinks against the Skipper, Roberts still feels it's his duty to retain some discipline. $8, $7 students, $5 under 6. Fridays and Saturdays 8 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. Las Cruces Community Theater, 313 N. Downtown Mall, 523-1200, www.lcctnm.org.

NMSU Aggies Women's Equestrian vs. DSU—NMSU campus, 646-1420, www.nmstatesports.com.

Quilt Exhibits—Through March 31. President's Challenge exhibit of the Las Colcheras Quilt Guild and the traveling Hoffman Challenge Collection. Reception 5-7 p.m., Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main St., 541-2155, museums.las-cruces.org.

Southwest BMX Nationals—Through March 4. Roadrunner BMX Track.

The Queen—Through March 8. After the untimely death of Lady Diana Spencer, Queen Elizabeth's restrained reaction causes a public-relations debacle that Prime Minister Tony Blair must diffuse. $6, $5 senior/students, $4 members/child. Wednesday $4. 7:30 p.m. nightly, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, 524-8287, www.fountaintheatre.org.

Saturday 03

Silver City/Grant County

Aldo Leopold Weekend—Select readings of Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac. Aldo Leopold was instrumental in the 1924 establishment of the Gila Wilderness which surrounds the Gila Cliff Dwellings. 1-3 p.m., Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, 536-9561 / 536-9461, www.nps.gove/gicl.

Cat's Meow—Opening of new show featuring paintings and printmaking by Victoria Chick (see the July 2006 Desert Exposure), on view until March 31. Opening reception 2-6 p.m. JW Art Gallery, 99 Cortez Ave., Hurley, 537-0300, www.thetown.com.

Edie and the Silver Blue Roots—Twisted Vine, 108 E. Broadway, 388-2828.

Melodrama Theatre—8 p.m. Pinos Altos Opera House,
388-3848, www.pinosaltos.org/melodrama.

Wally Lawder—8 p.m.-12 a.m., Isaac's Bar & Grill, Bullard & Broadway, 388-4090.

Las Cruces/Mesilla

Fur and Feathers—Opening of art exhibit. Reception 1-4 p.m., Patio Art Gallery, El Paseo and University, 541-7401, www.patioartgallery.com.

Jack Ward Invitational Choral Festival—See March 2. $10-$15, 8 p.m. NMSU Music Center Recital Hall, N. Horseshoe Circle and Espina St., 646-1420.

Magic Carpet StoryTime—A local celebrity reads an entertaining story for children and adults. 11:30 a.m., Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Downtown Mall. 523-6403, daarts.org, info@daarts.org.

Mr. Roberts—Through March 11. See March 2. 8 p.m. Las Cruces Community Theater, 313 N. Downtown Mall. 523-1200. www.lcctnm.org.

NMSU Aggies Women's Basketball vs. Nevada—7:05 p.m., NMSU Pan American Center, University Ave., 646-1420, www.nmstatesports.com.

NMSU Aggies Women's Equestrian Crimson & White Scrimmage—NMSU campus, 646-1420, www.nmstatesports.com.

Noche de Espana—Featuring Lucilene de Geus and Paco Antonio. $12, $10 students/seniors, 7 p.m., Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Downtown Mall, 545-2070.

Saturday Science Class—Botany. A hands-on science experience for elementary-school children. 11 a.m., Museum of Natural History, Mesilla Valley Mall, 522-3120.

Triplets of Belleville—In this 2003 film, an orphaned boy, Champion, is raised by his grandmother, Madame Souza. Her gift of a tricycle starts a craze for cycle-racing that becomes the cornerstone of their life together. After years of relentless training, Champion makes it to the Tour de France, the toughest cycling event in the world. Alas, a pair of sinister crooks with hangdog expressions kidnaps Champion and a handful of other top competitors. $3, free for Mesilla Valley Film Society members. 1:30 p.m., Fountain Theater, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, 524-8287 / 522-0286.

Sunday 04

Las Cruces/Mesilla

Mr. Roberts—Through March 11. See March 2. 2 p.m. Las Cruces Community Theater, 313 N. Downtown Mall, 523-1200. www.lcctnm.org.

The Bills—$12.50, $10 NMSU faculty and staff, 8 p.m., Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Downtown Mall, 646-1420 / 532-2060.

Deming

Kerry Christensen Concert—This internationally known vocal and instrumental musician presents a concert of international music. 4:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1020 S. Granite St., 546-3663 / 544-7215.

For the April issue, submit events by March 17 to
events@desertexposure.com, fax 534-4134,
PO Box 191, Silver City, NM 88062.

Please verify all event information before making your plans. Events are
subject to change and listings are subject to human error!

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