Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

Maybe it never occurred to you to leap from the towering cliffs of Hell’s Gate at Possum Kingdom Lake, but that’s exactly what brings the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series to Texas. The competition (June 3-4) features divers launching from cliff-side platforms of 90 feet (men) and 66 feet (women) and flipping, twisting, and spinning to the water below. The only way for spectators to see the divers is via the water on boats, personal watercraft, kayaks, etc. Contact the Possum Kingdom Chamber of Commerce for logistical details.

Kerrville Folk Festival

A paradise for songwriters and fans of all kinds of original music, the Kerrville Folk Festival kicks off its 18-day run May 26 at Quiet Valley Ranch. Now in its 45th year, the heavenly Hill Country outpost stages daily shows with a lineup of nearly 100 performers from Texas and beyond, including favorites like Carrie Rodriguez, Terri Hendrix, Ruthie Foster, Peter Rowan (pictured), Bobby Bridger, Steve James, Peter Yarrow, and Bill Kirchen. The festival rounds out its offerings with songwriting workshops, children’s shows, arts-and-crafts vendors, and a campground known for its spontaneous campfire song circles.

Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed

At the Witte Museum in San Antonio, Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed explores the Mesoamerican civilization that flourished from about 1,800 to 500 years ago in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. The exhibit (open through September 5) employs artifacts and interactive displays to interpret Mayan culture and its sophisticated calendars, mathematics, cosmology, architecture, agriculture, sports, and more. The exhibit marks the opening of the new 10,000-square-foot Mays Family Center, part of the Witte’s $100 million expansion and improvement project scheduled for completion next year.

Robert E. Howard Days

In a cramped bedroom of his parents’ home in the town of Cross Plains, the late author Robert E. Howard brought to life an exotic world of heroic fantasy characters, most famously Conan the Barbarian. The town celebrates its literary star with Robert E. Howard Days (June 10-11), drawing a loyal following dedicated to his work and legacy. The weekend includes panel discussions with Howard experts, memorabilia swaps and sales, extended hours of the Robert E. Howard House Museum, and the family-friendly Barbarian Festival.

Photos: (from top) Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool; J. Griffis Smith; Courtesy The Witte Museum; Stan Williams.