Holiday planner

The end of summer is officially Sept. 23, but the ceremonial ending always feels like Labor Day — one last chance to get out, and forget there's work piled up once the week starts.

CMI file photo

The Clovis splash pad at Hillcrest Park, open since the Memorial Day weekend, will close up for the year when its Labor Day hours are complete. The park is $1 admission and will be open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The day at the lake might already be set, but here are a few quick ideas for people still on the lookout for a fun weekend.

Are you ready for some (more) football?

There were plenty of options across the area for football Friday night, but there are still more sights and sounds at Jones Stadium, with the Texas Tech Red Raiders hosting Northwestern State in a 6 p.m. (CDT) affair.

Tickets available online Friday were priced at $30, with a $3 fee per ticket and an option to either print tickets at home ($3) or pick them up at the will-call window ($8). If you pick the will-call option, they must be claimed in person at the athletic ticket office, by the account holder bearing a photo identification.

Information: (806) 742-4412.

If you want to drive a little bit more and keep it in state, the Lobos are hosting Southern in a 3 p.m. contest at University Stadium.

As of Friday afternoon, seating was available in all seating sections — Cherry $15, Turquoise $20, Silver $25 and Premium $32.

A Lobo ticket agent said about 18,000 seats were still available, but heavy walk-up sales are the norm and people are advised to buy tickets as soon as possible.

Information: (505) 925-5626.

Check out a movie

If you're just sitting down on Labor Day, it's not too hard to trade the couch seat for a theater seat with a movie in the theaters.

One for the family: "Paranorman." The movie, available in both 2D and 3D, is about a child saving his town from a monster invasion.

The stop-motion animated film was shot entirely with Canon 5D Mark II cameras. It's a testament to persistence (stop-motion animation is very tedious) and to photography getting cheaper for the average person.

OK, not completely. A Mark II still retails for around $2,000, and that's if you don't want a lens.

One for making stuff blow up: "The Expendables 2." The movie full of action stars literally makes many of them expendable. There's Willis, Stallone, Statham and others ... and even Chuck Norris telling a Chuck Norris joke.

Still want to stay home? There are plenty of movies about the working experience, but let's stick to the comedies. You can catch a funny, underrated Michael Keaton performance with "Multiplicity," or check out the Mike Judge workplace satire "Office Space."

Enjoy a little water

This is the last weekend of the year for the Clovis splash park at Hillcrest Park.

The park, which has been open Tuesday through Sunday since the Memorial Day weekend, finishes up its summer operation this weekend. Admission is $1 per person.

Parks and Recreation Director Bill Bizzell said the park is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Since school started, the park cut weekday hours to Wednesday afternoon for elementary children who get out early.

"Once school started, everybody got out of the swimming mode," said Bizzell, who noted he expected increased traffic in the final splash pad weekend for 2012.

If indoor swimming is more your flavor, the Clovis Aquatic Center will be open on Saturday from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. The charges are $3 each, and $2 for children 11 or younger.

Grab a pole and a line

The Friends of Oasis is holding its fourth annual Biggest Catfish Challenge Derby.

The derby runs from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, with registration from 3:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Registration is $5 per person, with a catfish limit of two per person. Park entry fee is $5 per vehicle.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three catches in adult (16 and older) and junior (15 and younger) divisions, and door prizes will be awarded throughout.

Anybody 12 or older must have a valid New Mexico fishing license.

Park time

Squeeze in one last week of amusement park rides in Amarillo, as Wonderland closes up for the season 6 p.m. Central time Monday.

It's open 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Monday. Ride passes start at $20, with spectator passes for $5.

Count on hot weather, with high temperatures of 97, 98 and 97, respectively.

Don't forget to grab some spray paint and check out the Cadillac Ranch.

Information: wonderlandpark.com or 800-383-4712.

Cookout time

Newspaper employees don't always have weekends off, but there's always time for a cookout.

We took a quick moment with Clovis Media Inc. photographer Tony Bullocks, a big fan of the weekend cookout.

Best main item to cook? "Ribs."

Best sauce to use? "I'm partial to Sweet Baby Ray's."

And if there's a second sauce to use? "Sweet Baby Rays Hickory and Brown Sugar (laugh)."

Other must-have items are potato salad and deviled eggs.