Published Sunday, March 07, 2010 12:05 AM

Upcoming Bush Library events center on wine, Easter

The George Bush Presidental Library and Museum's spring activities got off to a great start last week with a presentation by Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO of FOX News and chairman of Fox Television Stations.

Ailes drew an overflow crowd and entertained the audience with his analysis of the role of the media and the state of politics in our nation's capital.

Wine exhibit

* March 14 is the Aggie Winemaker Tasting at the Bush Library.

Four Aggie winemakers will be in town to share their labors of love, and each has selected two favorites for tasting. For those who find something they like, the vintners will be taking orders for purchase.

Light hors d'oeuvres from Christopher's World Grille in Bryan will be served during the wine tasting. Tickets are $35.

For more information or to buy tickets, call Tracy Paine at 691-4014.

* Just a few days later, on March 18, the library will be featuring Bobby Koch, head of the U.S. Wine Institute, in an appearance that dovetails with the ongoing wine exhibit at the museum.

From the moment visitors step into The Culture of Wine exhibit's vineyard, they begin to learn about viticulture, beginning with a historical overview of the importance and influence wine has had in Western civilization.

Research into the early days of American winegrowing would not be complete without a look at the wine knowledge and passion of America's third president, Thomas Jefferson. Apart from his personal love of wine, Jefferson viewed it as an important cultural element in his young nation's success.

Visitors can view artifacts, reproductions and historical documents that explore Jefferson's role as the father of American wine. His keen knowledge of European wines also made him the perfect personal wine advisor to Presidents Washington, Madison and Monroe.

For more information about this event, contact Tracy Paine at tracy.paine@nara.gov or 691-4014.

Easter Celebration

On March 27, the Bush Library will hold its annual Easter Celebration at the museum from 9:30 a.m. until noon.

Activities will include entertainment, games, face painting, storytelling, an Easter egg hunt, egg roll, egg toss, complimentary refreshments and photos with the Easter Bunny.

Twelve years ago, the museum began partnering with the College Station Police Department and has added activities to the event in an attempt to model the celebration after the traditional White House Easter Egg Roll.

Specially designed wooden White House-style Easter eggs are given to the children. Local merchants contribute prizes to give away, and a bicycle and helmet will be awarded to a boy and girl in each of the three age categories. Parents must register their children to win.

Barbara Bush Drive will be closed to traffic before and during the event. Museum access will be via Research Drive, Discovery Drive or John Kimbrough Boulevard. Parking will be available in the museum parking lot and Bush School lot (PA 111). Handicapped parking will be available in the museum parking lot.

For more details, call 691-4014 or visit bushlibrary.tamu.edu.

More events

* On March 29, the Mosbacher Institute's Bank of America Program on Volunteerism will feature pollster and commentator John Zogby, with Curt Smith, an author and former presidential speechwriter. The discussion will focus on the effect of grassroots volunteerism in the political realm.

The event will begin at 5:30 pm in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. Contact the Bush Foundation at 862-2251 for additional information.

* April will also be a busy month at the Bush Center. On April 15, Karl Rove will be in town to discuss his forthcoming book, Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight.

* A USO-related event focusing on the organization's mission of lifting the spirits of the troops and their families is scheduled for April 26.

* Also in April, the Bush Library will unveil a focus exhibit featuring President Bush's participation and policies in sports and the outdoors. The display will show why he can rightly be called the "Number One Sports and Outdoors President."

* Roman Popadiuk is executive director of the George Bush Library Foundation.

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