Texas Tech Health Sciences Center
4th st. & indiana ave., (http://www.ttuhsc.edu/). established in 1961 as the school of medicine at texas tech university. the ttuhsc operates regional campuses in amarillo and el paso. the university medical center (http://www.teamumc.org) and its associated health system are a service operated in partnership with area governments and the ttuhsc.
Wayland Baptist University
19th st. & iola ave., (http://www.wbu.edu). one of twelve campuses throughout the country, wayland's lubbock facility offers several business certificate and degree programs.
Lubbock Christian University
19th st. & dover ave., (http://www.lcu.edu). a liberal arts, christian university associated with the church of christ. enrollment varies between 1,750 and 2,500 students. the university attracts a large number of non-religious students.
Texas Tech University
Broadway & university ave., (http://www.ttu.edu). the largest university in west texas, with upwards of 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. the university is a public institution governed by a board of regents appointed by the governor of texas.
Public and private education in Lubbock are recognized state-wide and nationally. The economic contribution the city's education industry makes to this area is brought home during the summer months when business cools compared to the well-known summer heat.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
(http://www.ttu.edu/). red raider sports maintain year-round popularity in lubbock, offering football, baseball, basketball, and a host of other sporting contests. the football team plays its home games from september to december at jones at&t stadium, and the mens' and womens' basketball contests are held at the united spirit arena.
Festivals
4th on Broadway
(http://www.broadwayfestiv...). independence day, free. the largest free festival in texas! every year over 100,000 people will walk along the 1/2 mile 4/5 km portion of broadway blocked off for the street fair. at dusk the festival moves into the canyon for concert and fireworks. the lubbock youth symphony orchestra is featured during the fireworks. space and parking are at a premium, especially in the evening.
Panhandle-South Plains Fair
(http://www.southplainsfai...). september, last week, $20 & parking $5-$15. the nine-day festival is one of the largest regional fairs in the nation. as many as 300,000 people have been known to tread the fairgrounds during fair week. the carnival midway and concerts are the most popular, especially in the evening. parking is an absolute nightmare. take a taxi, but be prepared to wait.
Lubbock Arts Festival
(http://www.lubbockartsfes...). april, 2nd or 3rd weekend, $15. the largest arts festival in the region combining fine arts, arts & crafts, food and music. the festival traditionally features an exhibit of texan studio art. sponsored by the lubbock arts alliance and local businesses. the event grows in popularity each year with 20 to 30,000 attending.
Texans love a good party, and Lubbockites are no exception. Lubbock plays host to some of the most-attended outdoor events in the country. Most of these events are not well-known outside the area, and are blessedly free of tourists.
Ulterior Motifs
(http://ulteriormotifs.the...). april or may, free. annual art exhibition sponsored by the wheeler brothers gallery. the event attracts rock, folk and country music acts, performance artists and assorted strange people. the opening celebration often begins in the depot district and ends with a midnight concert near the wheeler brothers gallery. ulterior motifs is heavily promoted as the alternative arts event of the year. originally conceived as a single event, the exhibition has become an annual feature.
Fiestas del Llano
(http://www.fiestasdelllan...). september, 2nd or 3rd weekend, $5. cultural festival which focuses on hispanic history and traditions. between 10 and 20,000 attend this festival each year. the folk-dance and conjunto banda competitions are very popular.
National Cowboy Symposium
(http://www.cowboy.org). september, 1st weekend, $15. a modest gathering of 20 to 50 thousand enthusiasts celebrating the prototypical cowboy. features music, lecture series, cook-offs and horse show.
Wineries
Cap*Rock Winery
408 e woodrow rd., 806 863-2704, (http://www.caprockwinery.com/). an award-winning winery south of lubbock.
Llano Estacado Winery
Fm 1585 & us 87 3 mi (5 km east), 806 745-2258, (http://www.llanowine.com/). what began as an experiment by biologists at texas tech, has become a successful, self-sufficient winery. wines from llano estacado are considered a flagship for texas wines. the winery will host tours. call for schedule.
Pheasant Ridge Winery
I-27 at exit 15 3 mi (5 km east), 806 746-6033, (http://www.pheasantridgew...). a new and very promising winery north of lubbock.
Lubbock is prone to fits of severe weather, but the relatively stable climate year round has allowed a small local winery industry to flourish.
Theaters & performing arts
Lubbock Symphony Orchestra
1313 broadway, 806 762-1688, (http://www.lubbocksympony.org/). the lso was first established in 1945 when the city's superintendent of schools demanded each school have an orchestra teacher as well as a band teacher. the men and women recruited to teach were the first members of the lso. in 1967 the lso was reorganized as a professional organization. the orchestra maintains an extensive music score library.
OMNI Theater
2579 s. loop 289, 806 745-6299, (http://www.sciencespectru...). $5-$10, call for showtimes. the only large-format theater in area, and its well-known 60-foot 18 m, 160-degree panoramic screen. before each screening, a light and sound show shows off the theater's 80,000 watt sound system, featuring music from local composers.
Cactus Theater
1812 buddy holly ave., 806 762-3233, (http://www.cactustheater.com/). the 400-seat cactus originally opened in 1938 as a second-run theater. the unique venue closed after television and the drive-in fad in the late '50s cut audiences to a bare minimum. local notable, don caldwell, re-opened the cactus in the early '90s as a center for live music in the depot district.
Ballet Lubbock
5702 genoa ave., 806 785-3090, (http://www.balletlubbock.org/). founded in 1969, lubbock ballet is the only ballet company with a pre-professional school in the region. the company's annual staging of the nutcracker with the help of the lubbock symphony orchestra smashes attendance records each year. lubbock ballet hosts several events and competitions throughout the year.
Amusement parks
Science Spectrum
2579 s. loop 289, 806 745-6299, (http://www.sciencespectru...). m-fr 10am-5pm, sat 10am-6pm, sun 1am-5pm, $5-$10. an interactive science museum with over 250 permanent exhibits and touring exhibits throughout the year. the science spectrum is well-known throughout the area and very popular during weekends. the omni domed theater is in the same facility.
Joyland Amusement Park
Mackenzie park, 806 763-2719, (http://www.joylandpark.com), $5-$10. a small park with plenty of carnival-style rides, and a tram line. the park also features three rollercoasters, the most recent addition being the shuttle-loop style coaster greezed lightning, which was purchased from the former six flags astroworld in houston. schedule varies, but open most weekends from spring to fall.