Laura Garza Hovel debuts as one of “Las Marthas,” Wednesday’s feature in the Durango Community Cinema/PBS Independent Lens series at the Durango Discovery Museum. The film gives access to an exclusive border celebration each February in Laredo, Texas in honor of George Washington, where Mexican American debutantes dress as American Revolutionaries. This 116-year-old tradition has evolved into an entire month of inventive reenactments and bicultural celebrations, many of them involving Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, their sister city across the border. The most preeminent event of them all, however, is the invitation-only Colonial Ball hosted by the elite Society of Martha Washington.<br><br>Society daughters, most of them Mexican American, recreate a party hosted by Martha Washington, but this time set on the US/Mexico border. Las Marthas follows two of the young debutantes — one a prominent member of Laredo society and the other a newcomer from Mexico — as they prepare for this extraordinary rite of passage. Garza Hovel reminds us that South Texas used to be part of Mexico: “We didn’t cross the border. The border crossed us.”<br><br>The film will be followed by a community discussion led by Dr. Lourdes Carrasco, emeritus professor of Hispanic Civilization and Literature at Fort Lewis College and a former Martha debutante.

Edwin Martinez/Independent Lens

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Laura Garza Hovel debuts as one of “Las Marthas,” Wednesday’s feature in the Durango Community Cinema/PBS Independent Lens series at the Durango Discovery Museum. The film gives access to an exclusive border celebration each February in Laredo, Texas in honor of George Washington, where Mexican American debutantes dress as American Revolutionaries. This 116-year-old tradition has evolved into an entire month of inventive reenactments and bicultural celebrations, many of them involving Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, their sister city across the border. The most preeminent event of them all, however, is the invitation-only Colonial Ball hosted by the elite Society of Martha Washington.<br><br>Society daughters, most of them Mexican American, recreate a party hosted by Martha Washington, but this time set on the US/Mexico border. Las Marthas follows two of the young debutantes — one a prominent member of Laredo society and the other a newcomer from Mexico — as they prepare for this extraordinary rite of passage. Garza Hovel reminds us that South Texas used to be part of Mexico: “We didn’t cross the border. The border crossed us.”<br><br>The film will be followed by a community discussion led by Dr. Lourdes Carrasco, emeritus professor of Hispanic Civilization and Literature at Fort Lewis College and a former Martha debutante.

Edwin Martinez/Independent Lens

Thursday, Feb. 20

“Life and Death: Prehistoric & Ancient Art” by Judith Reynolds, 4 p.m., $15, Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave., 259-2606, www.durangoarts.org.

Souper Thursday with Jeremiah & The Red Eyes (blues/Americana/rock), 5 p.m., Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., 247-5792, www.skabrewing.com.

Trivia Night, 5:30 p.m., Durango Discovery Museum, 1333 Camino del Rio, 259-9234, www.durangodiscovery.org.

Donny Johnson, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 375-7150.

Dustin Burley, 6 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com.

Terry Rickard, 7 p.m., 6512, 128 E. College Drive, 247-9083.

Rob Webster, 7 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 375-7260.

Intermediate dance instruction (7-8 p.m., $10, 799-8832); Tim Sullivan (free), 9 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 375-2568.

Band Night fundraiser for the Fort Lewis College Village Aid Project/Engineers Without Borders with Hello Dollface, 8 p.m., $5/$3, Carver Brewing Company, 1022 Main Ave., 259-2545.

Karaoke, 9 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509 East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Tarrus Riley featuring Dean Fraser with Blak Soil Band, 9 p.m., $20, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281, www.animascitytheatre.com.

Friday, Feb. 21

Journey of an Artist: the Art of Mary Ellen Long, opening reception 4:30-6 p.m., Fort Lewis College Art Gallery, 247-7167, www.fortlewis.edu/art/ArtGallery.aspx.

Robin Davis, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 375-7150.

Jack Ellis, 7 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 375-7260.

BootyConda, 7 p.m., free, Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave., 247-3396.

Kirk James Blues Band, 7 p.m., Schank House Bar & Grill, 17454 County Road 501, Vallecito, 884-9150.

Wild Country, 8 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 375-2568.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509 East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

The Getbacks, 8 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon, 39848 U.S. Highway 160, Gem Village, 884-9155.

Joel Racheff, 7 p.m., 6512, 128 E. College Drive, 247-9083.

JRPT, 8:30 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com.

Saturday, Feb. 22

Jack Ellis, 5-9 p.m., Seven Rivers Steakhouse at Sky Ute Casino Resort, 14324 U.S. Highway 172, 563-7777.

Pete Neds, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 375-7150.

Kirk James, solo blues, 6 p.m., Mountain Madness Pub and Pizza, 1644 County Road 203, 247-5236.

JP Duo, 6:30 p.m., Jean-Pierre Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave., 385-0122.

Greg Ryder, 7 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 375-7260.

Chad MacCluskey (jazz fingerstyle guitar), 7 p.m., ENO, 723 East Second Ave., 385-0105.

Chris Jamison, 8 p.m., 6512, 128 E. College Drive, 247-9083.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509 East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Wild Country, 8 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 375-2568.

Black Velvet (full band), 8:30 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com.

DJ Kaztro, 10 p.m., Pongas, 121 W. Eighth St., 382-8554.

DJ Soul Atomic, 10 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave., 259-8111.

Sunday, Feb. 23

Irish music jam session, 12:30 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com.

Belle Brunch with Jack Tallmadge, 1 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 375-7150.

Jazz Church (experienced musician drop-in session), 6 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com.

“Talk to Strangers,” child advocacy film & event, 6:30 p.m., free, Durango Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 419 San Juan Drive, childcustodyfilm.com.

Joel Racheff, 7 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave., 375-7260.

Blue Moon Ramblers, country, 7:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave., 375-7150.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509 East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Ongoing

“Visions of the West,” photography of Howard Rachlin, through February, Sub-stra-tum Gallery, 1021½ Main Ave., 375-7877, www.howardrachlin.com.

“Alternate Views” by Susan Giddings, through February, Pine River Valley Bank, 1701 Main Ave., 385-9583.

“Improvisation: Restraint,” stitched drawings by Susan Moss, through February in the upstairs Art Library, Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave., 259-2606, www.durangoarts.org.

“Tones of Black & White,” images by Steve Immel, Marshall Gould, James Cammack, Paul Caponigro and Mitch Dobrowner, through March 5, Open Shutter Gallery, 735 Main Ave., 382-8355, www.openshuttergallery.com.

Southside Artisans Guild presents the art of Kat Horn, through March 26, Raider Ridge Café, 509 East Eighth Ave., 375-9727.

“Woven to Wear: textiles from The Durango Collection,” through May, Center for Southwest Studies at FLC, http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu.

Far Out

An Evening with Keb’ Mo’, Feb. 26, $40/$50, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 247-7657, www.durangoconcerts.com.

Durango Film: An Independent Film Festival, Feb. 26 - March 2, 375-7779, www.durangofilm.org.

Submissions

Submit events at www.durangoherald.com/section/eventsubmit, or fax, mail or deliver a listing for your event to the Herald no later than noon Wednesday for the coming week. Ted Holteen compiles the calendar. Email him at ted@durangoherald.com. Check www.durangoherald.com for updates to the calendar throughout the week.