Catch your breath for the High Plains marathon

Boston and New York City may have their famous marathons, but on certain weekends, we have marathons of our own on the High Plains — times when a number of events converge as they do this weekend.

Put on those running shoes and see how many things you can fit onto your calendar. Here are some of the highlights:

The Portales High School spring musical, “The Addams Family,” opens at 7 p.m. today in the Performing Arts Center at the high school, 201 S. Knoxville, for a four-day run. Tickets are $7 at the door, and curtain times are 7 p.m. today-Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. This show has been cast since the fall and promises to be a good time.

Families with children too young to appreciate a full-length musical should consider the Friday evening performance. Members of the PHS cheer team will offer babysitting in the PHS cafeteria on Friday only for $4 per child, complete with games and an age-appropriate movie.

The 42nd annual Jack Williamson Lectureship takes place Friday with guest of honor S.M. Stirling in the forefront this year, and multiple appearances by perennial Lectureship favorite Connie Willis. Stirling will be reading from his work at 10 a.m. Friday in the Zia Room at Eastern New Mexico University’s Campus Union Building.

Stirling, Willis, and a number of their science fiction and fantasy colleagues will be participating in free panels that run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday in the Jack Williamson Liberal Arts building (JWLA). Topics will include the 2017 solar eclipse, alternatives in publishing, and alternate history and time travel.

New to the event this year is a tabletop gaming session from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Friday in JWLA 106. It’s free. A variety of board and card games will be available including Munchkin Shakespeare, Castle Ravenloft, Carcassone, Love Letter, and Tzolkiin.

Jazz fans won’t want to miss ENMU’s JazzFest, which offers free concerts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Buchanan Hall in the university’s music building. Bill Carrothers and Brad Dubbs are this year’s guests, backed up by fine student and faculty performers from the school’s various jazz combos.

If you’ve got a few hours to give back to your community this weekend, consider participating in the Great American Cleanup in Portales. The official event hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and headquarters are at the Memorial Building, 200 E. Seventh St., Portales. Local merchants have donated door prizes, and there will be free hot dogs and water starting at 11:30 a.m.

The Portales Convenience Center, 1230 N. Avon, will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and is waiving fees for anyone who would like to bring trash that day.

Once you’ve done all that spring cleaning, head to the Clovis Civic Center, 801 Schepps Blvd., for the annual Clovis Home and Garden Show. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets may be purchased at the door. The cost is $3 for adults and a buck for kids through age 12. Children 5 and under attend for free with a paid adult. Look for door prizes and demonstrations both days.

This is the last week that the StoryCorps mobile recording studio is in eastern New Mexico. It’s the silver Airstream trailer you may have spotted parked near the ENMU Administration Building. The last recording times are on April 13. If you’ve not yet made time to drop by and share your story with them, slots are still available. Call (800) 850-4406 to schedule an appointment or learn more.

And finally, a bittersweet note: JoNell Brooks touched many lives during her 22 years at Eastern New Mexico University, where her positions included serving as dean of women, dean of student of development, director of counseling and testing, and director of career services. She died on Jan. 31, in Williamsburg, Virginia. A memorial service will be held for her at 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 200 S. Ave. C, Portales.

Betty Williamson can’t keep up. Reach her at: [email protected]