Good Evening TXK
I took a weekend trip with some of my closest friends to Dallas right before the pandemic hit hard in 2020. We were just four broke twenty-somethings foolishly wasting the last dimes of our paychecks, combining our pocket change for the cheapest hotel room we could find, all in the name of leaving town for a few days and wandering around a big city together. It was one of those trips where you want to leave assured that spontaneity can, in fact, be fun. Out of every random activity that weekend, the most fun thing we did was ride around downtown Dallas on Bird scooters for three hours. The over-thinker in me wants to understand so badly why humans enjoy driving things around outside that go very fast.
In 2020, there were hundreds of cities in the United States with Bird scooters on every corner, but Texarkana was yet to be one of them—sad times. Dallas was the only way my friends and I could experience how much fun these electric scooters were. We always said, “Ugh, I wish we had these in Texarkana!” Now, fast forward to 2023, and our dreams have come true! Hallelujah!
For those unaware, Bird scooters are dockless electric scooters found and rented with your smartphone app and can be dropped off at almost any safe site near your destination. All you need is the Bird app on your phone. Using the map, you find a Bird scooter in your area and scan the QR on the scooter. Once you have found it, you are good to ride from there. It is that simple!
In the beginning, my “Good Evening TXK” article aimed to highlight everything FUN Texarkana had (and still has) to offer each month. I would compile a list of events in our area that I wanted to inform people about because we always hear how bored or unfulfilled people are with what Texarkana offers. In reality, there are so many things happening in their backyard that they have no clue about! I want to think this article has gracefully evolved since its inception, and the content within it has changed, but I still hope to inject a little fun into everyone’s lives each passing month through my words and perspective. The goal, first and foremost, is always to share JOY. And there is nothing more joyful than spending time with your friends or family riding Bird scooters!
We should take each new day as an opportunity to enjoy being outside, breathing fresh air, soaking in Vitamin D, and drinking water. This life has so much to offer, and I believe we (including myself) spend a great deal of our time missing all of it, looking for something “better” when better might be right in front of us. I believe wholeheartedly our community is making strides to bring more to Texarkana—more life, more fun, and more excitement. But it is a two-way street; we have to meet our community in the middle, show up for things we enjoy and show our support to keep this momentum going. We are right where we are supposed to be for a reason and a purpose. I am going to ride out my purpose on a Bird scooter.
LOCAL EVENTS
March 31-April 9
78th Annual Four States Fair & Rodeo
April 1
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
Texarkana Recreation Center, 9 am-12 pm
April 1
Self Defence Skills
Washington Community Development Center, 10 am
April 2
Opportunities, Inc. Angel Guild Sunday Funday
Crossties, 4 pm
April 4
Leadership Texarkana’s Lunch with Leaders
Texarkana, Texas Convention Center, 11:30 am-1 pm
April 6
Farmers Bank Foundation Distinguished Speaker Series
Texarkana, Texas Convention Center, 7 pm
April 10
Get Into Gardening Seminar “All About Tomatoes”
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
University Center, 6 pm
April 10
Gladys Morris Stone Soup Fundraiser
First United Methodist Church, 11 am-2 pm
April 14
TXK 150 Centennial Time Capsule/Sesquicentennial
Downtown Texarkana
April 14
Downtown Live
Downtown Texarkana, 6-9 pm
April 22
C.A.S.A. Colorful 5K & Family Fun Run"
Trinity Baptist Church, 8 am registration
April 22
Beekeeping for Beginners
Local Habit, 10 am-2 pm
April 22
Literacy Council Spelling Bee
Silvermoon Theatre, 6 pm
April 28
2nd Annual Ark-La-Tex Meet Up
67 Landing, 1 pm
April 29
Boomtown Border City Steak Cookoff
Dot’s Ace Hardware, 11 am-4 pm
April 30
Walking for Williams
Williams Memorial UMC, 3 pm
LIVE MUSIC
April 1
Joe Buck Yourself
Hopkins Icehouse, 8 pm
April 14
Dusty Rose Band
Whiskey River, 10 pm
April 14
Def Leggend
Fat Jacks, 8 pm
April 15
Texarkana Symphony Orchestra
Masterworks IV—Spectacular Stories
Perot Theatre, 7 pm
April 18
Karaoke
Whiskey River, 8 pm
April 20
CeCe Winans
First Baptist Church, 7 pm
April 22
TEAZUR
Redbone Magic Brewing, 7 pm
April 29
Hillestad
Fat Jacks, 8:30 pm
