Summary of Texas Festivals
Texas has one of the most diverse populations in the state. This unique blend of people, coupled with Texas’ varied geographical regions, has resulted in a number of festivals that are just as diverse as the people who call Texas home. Here is a sample of some of the Lone Star State’s best annual events.
Charro Days
Held in Brownsville at the southern tip of Texas, Charro Days claims to be the oldest fiesta in Texas. Staged each February since 1938, Charro Days is a weeklong, traditional Mexican “pachanga,” featuring parades, dances, and a variety of fun events for the entire family.
Czhilispiel
In the Czech settlement of Flatonia, Czhilispiel has been held annually for over 30 years, drawing some of the best chili and BBQ cook-off teams from across the state. Its designation as a CASI endorsed event ensures top competitors will be there, while its Czech Fest atmosphere guarantees the whole family will have fun.
Dickens on the Strand
For more than three decades, characters from Charles Dickens’ novels have strolled Galveston’s historic Strand during December. Known as Dickens on the Strand, this holiday festival takes visitors back to the Victorian Era. Here, street vendors with pushcarts work among carolers and street musicians, while children enjoy activities at the Royal Menagerie Petting Zoo or make snow angels in the faux snow lining the street during the “Snow on Sunday.”
Great Texas Mosquito Festival
After BBQ and bulls, Texas is best known for mosquitoes. So, why not celebrate them? That is exactly what they do in Clute during the Great Texas Mosquito Festival. This annual event features a BBQ/fajita cook-off, paintball tournament, karaoke, a Mosquito Chase “Run,” and more. Paying homage to a pest has never been so much fun!
Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup
Believe it or not, this is not the only Rattlesnake Roundup in Texas. However, it is the “World’s Largest Rattlesnake Roundup,” and has been held continuously since 1958. While the snakes are the main attraction, the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup entails various events beyond the actual snake hunt, including a Rattlesnake Parade, Miss Snake Charmer Pageant, Rattlesnake Dance, guided bus tours, guided rattlesnake hunts, and a BBQ cook-off.
State Fair of Texas
Everything is big in Texas, and the State Fair of Texas is no exception. This three-week fun fest, based in Dallas, showcases an impressive carnival, art competition, auto show, livestock show, and, of course, the annual “Red River Shoot-out” between the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma football teams.
Strawberry Festival
The annual Strawberry Festival draws over 100,000 visitors to the tiny town of Poteet. This event, held for nearly 60 years, attracts nationally-known country music stars and Tejano entertainers, alongside carnival attractions, art shows, rodeos, dances, parades, and the “Taste of Texas” food show.
Texas Renaissance Festival
A six-week journey back to the 16th century, the Texas Renaissance Festival features over 200 daily performances, 300 arts and crafts shops, 60 food and beverage shops, nightly fireworks, and more than 3,000 costumed characters strolling the grounds. The transformation into a world of castles, knights, and magicians occurs across a 15-acre park, located between Magnolia and Plantersville (approximately 50 miles northwest of Houston).
Texas Rose Festival
Started in 1933, the Texas Rose Festival has become part of the fabric of life in Tyler. The Rose Parade is just one part of the fun, which includes the Coronation Ball and the East Texas Symphony Orchestra’s “Concert in the Park.” Be sure to visit the Rose Museum while in the “Rose Capital of the Nation.”
Wurstfest
A 10-day celebration of sausage, Wurstfest also serves to celebrate the German heritage of the host city New Braunfels. In addition to ample food, Wurstfest offers top-notch music (including plenty of Polka!), rides, games, melodramas, yodelers, and more.
