CERCA CALENDAR

As summer sears the desert, Cerca Country travelers head for high country and its pleasant summers. Check out these offerings.

Through Aug. 30, Cedar City, Utah: Utah Shakespearean Festival summer season features, "The Two Gentleman of Verona," "Cyrano de Bergerac," "Othello," "The Taming of the Shrew," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "The School for Wives." Matinee and evening performances, dark Mondays. (800) 752-9849, www.bard.org.

Monday through July 5, Prescott, Ariz.: Prescott Frontier Days, World's Oldest Rodeo. Prescott's biggest event of the year includes rodeo, parade, fireworks, fine arts and crafts fair, 10K- and 2-mile fun run, live entertainment. (866) 406-6336, www.worldsoldestrodeo.com.

Tuesday through July 31, Reno: Artown festival features more than 300 events at about 100 venues. Artists from around the world showcase talents in visual and performing arts and humanities. (775) 322-1538, www.renoisartown.com.

Thursday through July 20, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah: Wildflower Festival. Participate in guided hikes while learning about the park's wildflowers. (435) 586-9451, www.nps.gov/cebr.

Tuesday through July 31, Overton: Seattle painter Janet Trobough exhibits images of American Indian women at Lost City Museum. (702) 397-2193.

Friday, Big Bear Lake, Calif.: Big Bear Fireworks Show -- largest July 4 display in Southern California, visible from anywhere along the lake and most of the town. (909) 866-4607, www.bigbearevents.com.

Friday, Laughlin: Rockets over the River. Spectacular 20-minute fireworks display launched over the Colorado River and choreographed to high-fidelity music. (702) 298-2214, www.laughlinchamber.com.

Friday through July 6, Elko: National Basque Festival features traditional Basque dance, music, food and Old Country games such as handball, weightlifting and wood chopping. The festival kicks off with the "Running From the Bulls" Friday night. Elko Basque Club and other venues. (800) 428-7143, www.elkobasque.com.

July 5-6, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Independence Day Festival. Living history demonstrations by Civil War artillery and mountain men. Learn traditional skills including blacksmithing, woodworking, spinning and weaving. Pioneer Museum. (928) 774-6272, www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org.

July 5-6, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture. Hopis sell their wares at more than 55 booths and demonstrate art skills, some unique to this people. Storytelling, music, dancing and American Indian food. Now in its 75th year. Museum of Northern Arizona. (928) 774-5213, www.musnaz.org.

July 5-7, Reno: Great International Chicken Wing Society Cook-Off. Restaurants and bars from all over the world send chefs. Visitors can purchase samples from all entries. (775) 358-8376, www.tgicws.com.

July 6, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Independence Star Fest. Celebrate holiday weekend with a Sunday Star Fest. This evening event features indoor programs and numerous telescopes set up for viewing throughout the Lowell Observatory campus. (928) 233-3210, www.lowell.edu.

July 8, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah: Wildflower Photography. Join a botanist and a photographer. Zion Canyon Field Institute. Reservations needed. (800) 635-3959, www.zionpark.org.

July 9-Aug. 17, Lake Tahoe: Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor State Park. Now in 36th season, features two Shakespeare's "Richard III" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and the contemporary musical "Cambio." (800) 747-4697, www.laketahoeshakespeare.com.

July 12, Zion National Park, Utah: Life Zones II: Zion to Cedar Breaks. Join a botanist on short walks within different plant communities in Zion and the surrounding area. The group will travel from Kolob Canyons, Cedar Breaks and Brian Head by vehicle. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute, (800) 635-3959, www.zionpark.org.

July 15-Aug. 9, Cedar City, Utah: The Neil Simon Festival. This summer the plays are "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Fools" and "I Do! I Do!" Tuesdays-Saturdays, matinee and evening performances, Cedar City Heritage Theater. (435) 327-8673, www.simonfest.org.

July 17-19, Boulder, Utah: Boulder Heritage Festival celebrates the community's arts, crafts, music and history, at Utah State Anasazi Museum and Park. (435) 335-7422, www.boulderutah.com.

July 19, Bryce Canyon, Utah: Bryce Canyon Half-Marathon and 5K Run. Marathon travels from Ruby's Inn in Bryce Canyon to National Scenic Byway 12, through Tropic and ends in Cannonville. The 5K starts and finishes in Cannonville. (800) 468-8600, www.rubysinn.com.

July 20, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Summer Star Fest. Evening program is "The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" featuring guest speaker and astronomy book author, Klaus Brasch. Lowell Observatory, (928) 233-3210, www.lowell.edu.

Aug. 1-10, Reno and Sparks: Hot August Nights. Relive the '50s and '60s when even cheap cars had style and rock 'n' roll threatened America's moral fiber. Some 5,500 cars, from 36 states, are registered for this event. Controlled cruises, show 'n' shines, live entertainment and food. (775) 356-1956, www.hotaugustnights.net.

To provide calendar information, contact Deborah Wall at deborabus@aol.com