Odessa Community Information
We think you’ll enjoy calling Odessa, Texas home!Odessa, TX has something to offer for everyone! Whether you’re catching a game under the Friday Night Lights, catching a show at the Ector Theater, or catching a sunrise at UTPB’s Stonehenge Odessa truly is a hidden gem. See below for all that Odessa has to offer.
Recreation & Leisure
odessa Has Something For Everyone!The Ector Theater
The newly renovated 756 seat Ector Theatre has been retrofitted to host grand scale live performances. State-of-the-art sound and lighting systems coupled with replica 1950’s design and decor features deliver a uniquely immersive experience. Grab a snack and drink from the adjoining Odessa Marriott concession bar and settle in for the best of local, national, and international entertainment. Www.theector.com
Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center
The Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center is the shining star of West Texas! The WNPAC is an ASM Global managed facility, and a partnership between the communities of Midland, Odessa, and the University of Texas Permian Basin. Established to develop a national venue for the performing arts in West Texas, the facility was completed in 2011. The mission of the WNPAC is to provide quality live entertainment to the Permian Basin and surrounding community.
UT Permian Basin
The UT Permian Basin campus truly is the heart of the community. Walk, run, or bike along the community hike and bike trail, visit the school’s stonehenge replica or attend one of their many athletic events. www.utpb.edu
Junior League Jurassic Jungle Spray Ground
The Junior League Jurassic Jungle is a dinosaur themed spray ground featuring water slides, dumping buckets, ground geysers and jets while shaded pavilions flank the spray ground. This is the second spray ground in the City of Odessa and is the largest in West Texas.
Ratliff Ranch Golf Links
Ratliff Ranch Golf Links is situated on 125 acres, and offers a Scottish style links course with rolling hills and unique elevation changes. Ratliff Ranch offers terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level. Well-groomed fairways and greens keep Ratliff Ranch difficult yet friendly, and the staff can offer tips and tricks for playing your best round.
Odessa Mountain Bike Park
This is the only public mountain biking area in the Midland-Odessa area, but you must be a member of the Permian Basin Bicycle Association to access the park. The park is an abandoned caliche quarry. The outer loop green trail is mostly flat, with lots of turns. The trails in the middle are of various technical difficulties.
Odessa Jackrabbit Jamboree
Odessa is home to 31 uniquely painted jackrabbits. Check-in at 16 of the 31 jackrabbit locations by downloading the Jackrabbit Jamboree pass. Once you’ve checked in to the locations, you’ll come by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce during business hours to pick up a fun prize! This project supports our local arts and discovering the city! Make sure to snap a selfie with the jackrabbits and hashtag #discoverodessa in your social media posts! https://discoverodessa.org/jackrabbit-jamboree-pass/
Odessa Meteor Crater
The Odessa Meteor Crater is a meteorite crater in the southwestern part of Ector County, southwest of the city of Odessa of West Texas, United States. It is accessible approximately 3 mi (5 km) south of Interstate 20 at Exit 108 (Moss Road). It is 550 ft (168 m) in diameter and the age is estimated to be around 63,500 years (Pleistocene or younger). Over 1500 meteorites have been recovered from the surrounding area over the years, the largest of which weighed approximately 300 lb (136 kg), but excavations in the main crater confirm that there is no meteorite mass underground and probably never has been. The site has been designated as a
National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service, and a small information area and nature trail has been set up on-site for a self-guided tour.
https://odessameteorcratermuseum.wordpress.com/
Annual Events
Local events that are schedule each yearJanuary – March
- January – Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo www.sandhillsssr.com
- First Friday – Downtown the First Friday of Every Month www.firstfridayodtx.com
- February – Odessa College NIRA Rodeo – www.wranglersports.com
April – June
- First Friday – Downtown the First Friday of Every Month www.firstfridayodtx.com
- May – Viva La Fiesta – www.vivafiestaodessa.com
- June – Juneteenth Celebration – www.odessabcc.org
- June – West Texas Jazz Party – wtjs.org
July – September
- July – Parks Legado Farmers Market www.parkslegado.com
- July – Firecracker Fandango www.odessa-tx.gov
- August – Parks Legado Farmers Market www.parkslegado.com
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August – UT Permian Basin Football Kicks Off – utpbfalcons.com
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September – Commemorative Air Force High Sky Wing Airsho – airsho.org
- Sept – Permian Basin Fair & Expo www.permianbasinfair.com
- Sept – Parks Legado Farmers Market
- First Friday – Downtown the First Friday of Every Month www.firstfridayodtx.com
October – December
- October – Parks Legado Farmers Market – Pumpkin Patch www.parkslegado.com
- November – Junior League Merry Marketplace www.jlodessa.org
- December – Parks Legado Christmas Tree Market www.parkslegado.com
- December – Strabright Village
- December – Parade of Lights
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December – Starbright Village
- First Friday – Downtown the First Friday of Every Month www.firstfridayodtx.com
Community Involvement
Getting involved by volunteering is one of the fastest ways to become part of the community.Getting involved by volunteering is one of the fastest ways to become part of the community. There are many organizations that contribute to the quality of life in Odessa and Ector County by serving the needs of others. Below is a listing of some of those groups, as well as the type of volunteers they need.
