There are plenty of festivals to enjoy during the summer, but spring should not be overlooked when it comes to fun times in Texas. Whether you're into food trucks, dancing, or a chili cook-off, there are tons of small-town festivals in areas all over the state worth attending.
Here's a list of 12 different Texas festivals that you need to visit this spring.
1. Red, White & Blues on the Falls (May 23, 2020)
Red, White & Blues on the Falls was created as a way to create positive vibes in Wimberley on the anniversary of the 2015 town floods. Located in the Texas Hill Country just outside of Austin, Wimberley is already the perfect place to visit boutique wineries and distilleries. Attendees at the annual event can grab some grub from delicious food vendors, listen to live music, and swim in Cypress Creek, all for a good cause. A portion of ticket sales goes back to a local organization dedicated to keeping Wimberley clean and beautiful.
2. Lone Star Elvis Festival (May 22-24, 2020)
Elvis fans, unite! This Texas Festival features some of the world's best Elvis tribute artists in this annual event honoring The King. This year's event will be held in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine. For the chance to fill your days with all the Elvis reenactments you could ever want, call to book your ticket today: (213) 328-4600
3. Cotton Gin Festival (April 18, 2020)
The Cotton Gin Festival in Burton, Texas, is celebrating it's 31st anniversary this year. The event celebrates the history and tradition of cotton and features antique tractors, arts and crafts, gin tours, live music, and a classic car show.
4. Turkey Fest (April 6-10)
Whether you're an experienced hunter, meat-lover, or just in the mood for some family fun, the Turkey Fest in Henrietta is a great option. There will be carnival rides, a cook-off, pie-eating contest, turkey barrel races, live music, and more. Pro teams and amateur hunters also bring their final harvest in to be scored by the Texas Game Warden.
5. Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival (May 22-24, 2020)
What better way to spend a Memorial Day weekend than a street festival featuring delicious cajun food? Go for live music and small-town charm or take it a step further and enter the Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival gumbo cook-off! The festival takes place in the historic downtown of Fredericksburg on Main Street.
6. Bluebonnet Festival (April 10-12, 2020)
The Bluebonnet Festival in Burnet draws 30,000 people a year across its three-day event. You name it, and this festival has it: a parade, live music, destruction derby, wildflower show, carnival, rubber ducky race, and more. This year's headliner is Reckless Kelly.
7. National Polka Festival (May 22-24, 2020)
The National Polka Festival in Ennis, Texas, is another annual festival that's held on Memorial Day weekend each year. Texans come together for polka dancing, Czech foods, and over 19 live polka bands over the three days. It's a small town heritage festival celebrating all things Czech!
8. San Leon OysterFest (April 25, 2020)
Showing up hungry is a requirement for this next festival. Put your seafood skills to the test at San Leon's OysterFest this year, where there is an eating contest with all you can eat raw, grilled, and fried oysters. There is also a cook-off, craft vendors, and live music. The festival is a non-profit whose mission is to protect, restore, and sustain oyster reefs in Galveston Bay.
9. Redbud Festival (April 4, 2020)
Denton's Redbud Festival has been an essential part of their small town since 1994. The Fest features lots of vendors with tree and plant sales, gardening supplies, and local/handmade products. It's great for lovers of the outdoors and those looking for a family-friendly event. The annual Spring festival honors Denton's reputation for being the "Redbud Capital of Texas."
10. Tomato Fest (June 13, 2020)
Did you know that Jacksonville is recorded in the Guinness World Record as making the Largest Bowl of Salsa (2,672 lbs!). Tomato Fest is more than just food and tomato eating contests, however. There's a gospel concert, dodge ball challenge, ski show, and more.
11. Texas Wine and Art Festival (April 4-5, 2020)
This festival takes place in Spring, Texas, outside of Houston. You'll get the chance to sample up to 14 Texas Wineries, enjoy fine art, and sample local food vendors. There will also be live music to keep everyone entertained. Who doesn't love a wine festival that lets you sample that many local wineries?
12. Rio Frio Fest (March 11-14, 2020)
This music festival takes place at Frio Country Resort in Concan, which is an hour and a half west of San Antonio. In addition to multiple musical acts, this festival has outdoor activities, including tubing on the river, camping, crawfish boil, washer tournaments, and more.
This article was originally published in 2016. It has been updated to reflect current festival dates.
