A note regarding COVID-19
Corsicana
Odyssey Cemetery Tour
Sept. 30-Oct. 1
Oakwood Cemetery, 700 N. 15th St.
Tour historic Oakwood Cemetery and see the graves of the "athletes of Navarro County." For those with mobility issues, a presentation is held on Friday in the Nancy Roberts Room of the Corsicana Public Library. Cemetery tours are held Saturday and departing every 15 min.
Fredericksburg
Oktoberfest
Sept. 30-Oct. 2
Marktplatz, 100 block of West Main Street
At the 41st Oktoberfest, celebrate the fun and flavor of Fredericksburg's German heritage with three days of music, food, drink, dancing, arts and crafts, and children's entertainment.
San Marcos
Sacred Springs Pow Wow
Oct. 1-2
The Meadows Center, 211 San Marcos Springs Drive
Every year, over 6,000 people gather at the Sacred Springs for a beautiful two-day Native American festival rich in music, art, dancing, and food.
Mason
Home Tour
Oct. 1
Various locations
The Mason County Republican Women's 36th annual home tour is a one-day event that showcases historic, new, and restored homes. The tours are a scholarship fundraising event with different homes listed each year. Tickets are available only the day of event at Market Square, located on the west side of the Mason Square.
Bandera
Cowboys On Main
Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Downtown Bandera, Main Street
Enjoy free cowboy fun in downtown Bandera. Listen to a chuckwagon storyteller, hop on a saddle-broke Longhorn, or take a horse-drawn wagon tour of Bandera. Most Saturdays, the Bandera Cattle Company Gunfighters perform gun battle reenactments at "Rattlesnake Ridge" behind the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Brownwood
Stagecoache Market Days
Oct. 1-2, 15-16
Stagecoache Event Center, 400 Old Comanche Road
Take a walk through a 1850s rock livery, see the orginal hired-hands farmhouse, and enjoy a peaceful 20-acre property that was once a historic stagecoach stop. Each month, you can support local farmers, ranchers, and area artisans by shopping at a vintage-inspired market that features art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, home décor, canned food, jams, jellies, and furnishings. The market is located in Early. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy live music, dancing, and local food.
Palestine
ArtWalk
Oct. 1
Downtown , 400 N. Queen St.
Starting at the historic Redlands Hotel, this event lets you explore historic downtown Palestine while admiring local artistic creations. Meet artists of various mediums and peruse through downtown shops and boutiques.
Mesquite
Mesquite Meander
Oct. 7-8
Mesquite Cemetery, 400 Holly Park Drive
Step into the past by experiencing a living history tour of the Mesquite Cemetery. Actors portray Mesquite's early citizens, giving guests a theatrical encounter through first-person storytelling.
Cuero
Turkeyfest
Oct. 7-9
Cuero Municipal Park, Leonard Roy Harmon Drive
Held annually the second weekend of October, the 50th Turkeyfest features food, dances, a parade, entertainment for the whole family, and of course the final heat in the “Great Gobbler Gallop” turkey race to see which town gets the title of “Turkey Capital of the World.”
Corsicana
The Corsicana AirSho
Oct. 8
Corsicana Municipal Airport, C. David Campbell Field, 9000 Navarro Road
The 23rd annual airshow includes the Liberty Jump Team, historic airplanes on display, and airplane rides.
Mckinney
Trolley Tour
Oct. 8
Chestnut Square Heritage Village, 315 S. Chestnut
Experience the historic district in downtown McKinney on a charming trolley with a trained docent. This tour features the buildings and homes of the commercial and residential historic district. While enjoying the architecture, you’ll hear about some of the significant people who made their mark in McKinney.
Waxahachie
Chautauqua Cowboy Poet Gathering
Oct. 8
Chautauqua Auditorium, 400 S. Grand St.
There's fun for the whole family at this event, including a Longhorn stampede around Ellis County Courthouse, cowboy poets, Western music, an open mic, chuckwagon meals, a frontier women's wardrobe presentation, birds of prey exhibition, and live music with Kristyn Harris, Devon Dawson, Washtub Jerry, Ramblin' Rangers, and others.
Wichita Falls
Mad Hatter Tea Party
Oct. 8
Kell House Museum, 900 Bluff St.
Wear your wildest clothes and join in the fun of an interactive showing of the tea party scene from the classic "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. Learn about Victorian tea customs while snacking on punch and cake and discover historic lawn games such as croquet. Enjoy a morning the way the Kell children might have over 100 years ago.
Ingram
Classic Nashville Live
Oct. 8
Cailloux Theater, 910 Main St.
Not just a concert, this is a full-stage production with authentic period sets, costumes, comedy, and all the stories behind the songs. Step back in time, when country music was king, with Jason Petty and Gail Bliss.
Orange
Historic Ghost Walk
Oct. 15
Heritage House Museum of Orange County, 905 W. Division Ave.
Take a guided tour through the historic downtown area of Orange. Local theater students reenact legendary stories of Orange's past, including spooky tales, gunfights, and murders. Guests enter at the Heritage House Museum Grounds and enjoy music, food, drinks, and games while they wait for their assigned tour.
Plano
International Festival
Oct. 15
Haggard Park, 901 E. 15th St.
Tour the world and improve your wellness at the Plano International Festival. The area’s largest cultural event has food, fun, and entertainment for the whole family. Enjoy multicultural music and dance performances, ethnic food trucks, cultural displays, and other festivities from over 100 cultures. Kids can explore STEAM activities plus travel the booths with a virtual passport. Come early for free flu and COVID shots and a variety of health screenings.
Seguin
De Mano A Mano
Oct. 15
Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin, 921 W. New Braunfels St.
At this open-air artisan market, shop with vendors and craftspeople selling handmade crafts, artwork, and other merchandise that showcases Hispanic culture and heritage.
Wichita Falls
Haunted Tours
Oct. 21-22, 28-29
Kell House Museum, 900 Bluff St.
This is not your typical haunted house. Tour the 113-year-old historic house museum after dark and see for yourself if it is haunted.
Galveston
Island Oktoberfest
Oct. 21-22
First Lutheran Church, 2415 Winnie St.
Island Oktoberfest brings the “oompah” back to Galveston for its 40th year. At the city's premier fall festival, visitors can revel in German heritage with a full weekend of food, drinks, live performances, games, and special activities. Guests are encouraged to wear German costumes.
Yorktown
Western Days
Oct. 21-23
Yorktown Western Days, 100 N. Riedel St.
This fun family festival, held in Yorktown's Downtown City Park, includes music, parades, cookoffs, vendors, a kids' tractor pull, mutton bustin', a quilt show, an arrowhead exhibition, a pig scramble, and stick horse rodeo; plus, the Yorktown Historical Museum is open.
Fredericksburg
Hill Country Indian Artifact Show
Oct. 22
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, 432 Lady Bird Drive
This show features a wide variety of some of the finest Native American artifacts from Texas and the United States including arrowheads, pottery, and beads.
Plano
Rest In Plano Fest and Apparition Expedition
Oct. 22
Haggard Park, 901 E. 15th St.
Enjoy this Halloween-themed festival in downtown Plano. The two-day Halloween-centric celebration features artisans, performers, musicians, and the popular Apparition Expedition that gives visitors a peek into Plano’s paranormal past with walking tours through the city’s haunted history.
Kerrville
Texas Fleece and Fiber Festival
Oct. 27-30
Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 SH 27
Fiber artists, enthusiasts, and producers come together under one roof. Vendors from all over Texas and beyond offer their products and art over the course of three days. Teachers and speakers share information in classes from fiber arts to animal husbandry practices. There are also demonstrations, exhibits, and smaller events (Texas Make It with Wool, TAGRA Jackpot Show, and Texas Sheep Dog Association).
Glen Rose
Fossilmania XL
Oct. 28-30
Somervell Expo Center, 202 E. Gibbs Blvd.
Visit Texas’ longest-running show dedicated to fossils and everything paleontology. This is not a gem and mineral show, but a fossil show. In addition to fossils, vendors offer books on paleontology, apparel, artwork, and other products related to paleontology. Activities include fossil collecting field trips, a Kids' Corner, a guided tour of dinosaur tracks, presentations, and a badge workshop for Scouts. Door prizes and a surprise or two add excitement.
Crane
Horsehead Crossing Trails of Time Living History Event
Oct. 28-29
Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos River, FM 11 near Girvin
Celebrate one of the state's most iconic places at this two-day celebration, which commemorates the various historical figures who passed over this well-known crossing throughout the 16th through 19th centuries including those traveling on the Comanche War Trail, the Emigrant Trail, the Butterfield Overland Stage, and the Goodnight-Loving Trail, made famous by Larry McMurtry’s "Lonesome Dove." Planned events include live cannon fire, reenactors, chuckwagon meals and contests, historians and presenters, a silent auction, vendors and exhibitors, and a trail ride.
Fort Worth
Saints and Sinners Tour
Oct. 29-30
Oakwood Cemetery , 701 Grand Ave.
Hear the re-enacted stories of "residents" at the cemetery, which was established in 1879 by John Peter Smith. Other costumed characters as well as the century-old chapel and casket vaults add to your visit.
Wichita Falls
Jack o' Lantern Jubilee
Oct. 29
Kell House Museum, 900 Bluff St.
Bring the family and enjoy fall-themed actvities on the Kell House grounds. Decorate a pumpkin, play games, participate in a scavenger hunt, and snap some fall pictures.
Seguin
Pecan Fest
Oct. 29
Central Park, 201 S. Austin St.
At this celebration of all things pecan and Seguin's agricultural heritage, visitors can take photos with the World's Largest Pecan, shop with vendors, enjoy live music, and honor the state's official nut.
Elgin
Dia de los Muertos
Nov. 1
Historic Downtown Elgin , 109 Depot St.
Dia de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a traditional holiday in Mexico and Latin America that honors life and death by turning mourning into a celebration. Friends and family gather together to remember and pray for loved ones who have died. This event offers traditional altars, sugar skulls, children's activities, and music.
Jefferson
History, Haunts and Legends
Nov. 1
Jefferson Convention and Visitor Center, 305 E. Austin St.
This fun event is for anyone who enjoys history, mystery, the unexplained, and things that go bump in the night, with special guest speakers, vendors, tours, and night time investigations at some of Jefferson's historic, rumored haunted locations.
Ozona
"Remembering Crockett County Veterans"
Nov. 1-Dec. 31
Crockett County Museum, 404 11th St.
Each year, the Crockett County Museum honors the community's veterans both past and present with an exhibit featuring photos, artifacts, and memorabilia submitted by local families. There are hundreds of photos and other items dating back to the Civil War.
Greenville
Bob Wills Fiddle Festival and Contest
Nov. 4-5
Downtown, Lee Street
This event, unique to the city of Greenville, pays tribute to American music traditions and the life and music of Bob Wills, the King of Western swing. Featuring fiddling competitions and performances by top-notch fiddlers, the eighth annual event offers a lineup of artists who bring talent, legacy, variety, and spontaneity, plus toe-tapping music all in the spirit of great entertainment.
Bandera
Cowboys On Main
Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26
Downtown Bandera, Main Street
Enjoy free cowboy fun in downtown Bandera. Listen to a chuckwagon storyteller, hop on a saddle-broke Longhorn, or take a horse-drawn wagon tour of Bandera. Most Saturdays, the Bandera Cattle Company Gunfighters perform gun battle reenactments at "Rattlesnake Ridge" behind the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Mesquite
Veterans Day Celebration
Nov. 5
Mesquite Veterans Memorial, 425 S. Galloway Ave.
Honor military heroes at this annual Veterans Day celebration, with speakers ranging from community leaders to military veterans.
Palestine
ArtWalk
Nov. 5
Downtown , 400 N. Queen St.
Starting at the historic Redlands Hotel, this event lets you explore historic downtown Palestine while admiring local artistic creations. Meet artists of various mediums and peruse through downtown shops and boutiques.
Fort Worth
Tarrant County Veterans Day Parade
Nov. 11
Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey St.
“Saluting Buffalo Soldiers” is the theme of this year’s Tarrant County Veterans Day Parade. In 1887, Congress created the first professional Black Army units. They were stationed in Texas from 1867 to 1886 before moving further west. Eventually, they became known as Buffalo Soldiers. Participants line up in the Fort Worth Panther Island Pavilion parking lot, march down North Forest Park Boulevard along the Clear Fork of the Trinity River and return.
Salado
Scottish Gathering and Highland Games
Nov. 11-13
Thomas Arnold Elementary School Grounds, 604 Thomas Arnold Road
Come celebrate all things Scottish at the 61st annual Scottish Gathering and Highland Games. This three-day event is filled with the skirl of the bagpipes and the wearing of the tartan, with a parade, bagpipes, and Highland dancers. Stop and shop at the many vendor tables, enjoy delicious food, and watch the exciting Highland games. You can also find the largest gathering of Scottish Clan tents in Texas, where members share information about Scottish history and genealogy.
Alpine
Center for Big Bend Studies Annual Conference
Nov. 11-12
Espino Conference Center, 400 N. Harrison St.
The 28th annual Center for Big Bend Studies conference brings together historians, archaeologists, folklorists, and other researchers studying the past and present of the Big Bend region and northern Mexico.
Austin
Powwow
Nov. 12
Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Lane
For more than 25 years, the Austin Powwow has been the largest powwow of its kind in Texas, featuring American-Indian dancing, singing, arts and crafts, the Native Market, and food.
Mckinney
Trolley Tour
Nov. 12
Chestnut Square Heritage Village, 315 S. Chestnut
Experience the historic district in downtown McKinney on a charming trolley with a trained docent. This tour features the buildings and homes of the commercial and residential historic district. While enjoying the architecture, you’ll hear about some of the significant people who made their mark in McKinney.
Bandera
Veterans Parade and Honors
Nov. 12
Various locations
The American Legion 157 Post organizes this 20th annual celebration that includes displays, information booths, a special program honoring Vietnam War-era veterans, a parade on Main Street, and a veterans and spouses barbecue.
Brazoria
Henry Smith Day
Nov. 15
Brazoria Heritage Civic Center, 204 W. Smith St.
Henry Smith, an early educator during the Republic of Texas, is honored at his statue on the grounds of the Brazoria Civic Center. Elementary-aged schoolchildren come and sing Texas songs, and refreshments are served. This event is also attended by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the historical Brazoria Militia, and Sons of the Republic of Texas.
Fredericksburg
Historic Home Tour and Holiday Market
Nov. 19
Pioneer Museum, 325 W. Main St.
The Gillespie County Historical Society offers tours of historic homes in and around Fredericksburg as well as a holiday market that's decorated in its holiday finest.
Granbury
Night of Lights Christmas Parade
Nov. 25
Granbury Square, 100 E. Pearl St.
Historic Granbury Merchant’s Association hosts the Lighted Christmas Parade that starts on Hannaford Street at Pearl Street. The parade proceeds towards Courthouse Square.
visitgranbury.com/events/annual-events/christmas-in-granbury
Huntsville
Lone Star in the East
Nov. 29-Dec. 30
Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library, 1836 Sam Houston Ave.
At this holiday exhibit that celebrates Texas, visit the museum’s rotunda and see "The Lone Star in the East" Christmas Tree featuring the work of Texas theater artist and designer Barry Doss.
Wichita Falls
Santa House
Nov. 30-Dec. 9
Kell House Museum, 900 Bluff St.
Santa and company invite you for a visit to their Texas home for the holidays. Santa’s elves guide visitors of all ages through a magical Christmas wonderland, including the original play “The Magical Rocking Horse, Part I,” a visit with Santa himself, a stop in Mrs. Claus’ kitchen for a cookie, and then step into Santa’s workshop to make an ornament to take home.
Jefferson
Candlelight Tour of Homes
Dec. 1-3, 8-10
Various locations
Step back in time and take narrated tours of historic homes lavishly decorated for an old-fashioned Christmas, with live greenery, candlelight, and trees adorned with tinsel, ribbon, and sparkling glass balls. Docents in period costumes greet you and describe each home's origin and finery.
Galveston
Dickens on The Strand
Dec. 2-4
Strand National Historic Landmark District, 2002 Strand St.
The Galveston Historical Foundation presents the 49th annual Dickens on the Strand, a holiday tradition based on 19th-century Victorian London. It features parades, nonstop entertainment on four stages, new additions like Tiny Tim’s Play Land, the Shopkeeper Skills Village, and roaming characters throughout the festival. Costumed vendors peddle their wares from street stalls and rolling carts laden with holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired crafts, clothing, jewelry, holiday decorations, and gift items.
Clute
Elizabethan Madrigal Feast
Dec. 2-4, 8-11
Center for the Arts and Sciences, 400 College Blvd.
At this holiday feast, enjoy the majesty and pageantry befitting the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Join the Earl of Warwick and his royal guests in the main hall of his castle for an exquisite meal and entertainment provided by the court’s troupe of players, dancers, and singers.
Waxahachie
Bethlehem Revisited
Dec. 2-4, 9-11
The re-creation of the town of Bethlehem and the events that took place on the night of Christ's birth comes complete with live camels and characters in period costume. The event is located behind Central Presbyterian Church.
Granbury
Candlelight Tour of Homes
Dec. 2-4
Granbury Square, 100 E. Pearl St.
For Granbury's Candlelight Tour of Homes, the community comes together for lights, carols, and Christmas treats, and a select group of residents open their private, historic homes to the public. Between volunteer docents and the owner's themselves, a story unfolds about each home's rich and unique story. Pick up your wristband and book at the Plaza on Pearl Street.
visitgranbury.com/event/granbury-a-candlelight-tour-of-homes/13748
Mckinney
Holiday Tour of Homes
Dec. 3-4
Chestnut Square Heritage Village, 315 S. Chestnut St.
Tour a collection of private homes in the famed historic district of McKinney, all dressed up for the holidays and open to the public. This 49-year tradition benefits Chestnut Square, which includes a collection of house museums in downtown McKinney. Tickets are available online and are not available at homes.
Rockport
Tour of Historic Homes
Dec. 3-4
Various locations, 110 Pintail Lane
Step inside three homes in Rockport and Fulton that date from 1868, 1879, and 1945. Docents in period attire tell the history of the homes and their owners though the years.
Canyon
Christmas Open House
Dec. 3
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, 2503 Fourth Ave.
For its one-day-only Christmas Open House, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum bustles with holiday activity. Along with Santa taking requests at his sleigh in the snowy woods of Hazlewood Lecture Hall, children can make holiday crafts, listen to storytellers weave Christmas stories in a cozy living room setting with a crackling fire, and hear children’s choirs and entertainers fill the rest of the museum with music from the Derrick Room. Santa's helpers also have a cookie station.
Lake Jackson
Abner Jackson Plantation Site Tour
Dec. 3, Jan. 7, Feb. 4
Abner Jackson Plantation Site, Farm-to-Market Road 2004 near State Highway 332, behind Target
Visit the historic archeological site of Maj. Abner Jackson, the namesake of the city of Lake Jackson. Once a prosperous sugar plantation, the site was destroyed by the same hurricane that devastated Galveston in 1900. Discover the sugar-making process of the 1840s and how convict labor replaced slave labor during the 1870s.
Palestine
Christmas Parade of Lights
Dec. 3
Historic Downtown Palestine, Main Street
Palestine's only nighttime parade is themed "The Sweetest Christmas" this year. The courthouse lighting ceremony begins as the parade leaves the courthouse square and winds its way through downtown. See the streets of historic downtown aglow with colorful lights and floats. After the parade is a Christmas movie in Rotary Park. Meet Santa there and enjoy the hot chocolate bar and refreshments.
Hearth and Tinsel Tour of Homes
Dec. 3
Palestine Chamber of Commerce, 401 W. Main St.
Get a glimpse of some of the architecture of Palestine decorated for the Christmas holidays. For one day only, the Tour of Homes features properties with varying architectural styles from years gone by. Tickets available at the Chamber of Commerce office and participating homes during tour.
visitpalestine.com/events/2020/hearth--tinsel-tour-of-homes2
Bandera
Cowboys On Main
Dec. 3-Feb. 25
Main Street
Every Saturday, see free cowboy fun in downtown Bandera. Activities can include chuckwagon storyteller, hopping on a saddle-broke Longhorn, or a horse-drawn wagon tour of Bandera. Most Saturdays the Bandera Cattle Company perform gunfights at Rattlesnake Ridge located behind the Visitors Center.
Fredericksburg
Kinderfest
Dec. 3
Pioneer Museum, 325 W. Main St.
Children ages 10 and under are invited to bring a stocking to hang on the fireplace. While the children aren't looking, Santa and his elves work to fill the stockings according to German tradition.
La Grange
Trail of Lights
Dec. 9-23
Kreische Brewery and Monument Hill State Historic Sites, 414 State Loop 92
The trails of Kreische Brewery and Monument Hill State Historic Sites are lit with beautiful holiday lights for this 10-night festival. The first five nights feature children's crafts, entertainment, visits with Santa, refreshments, and volunteers in costume sharing Victorian-German Christmas traditions at the Kreische home and smokehouse. The final five "encore" nights allow guests to simply walk the trail to enjoy the lights, which include several new thematic displays.
San Angelo
"Selections and New Acquisitions: San Angelo Museum of Fine Art's Spanish Colonial Collection"
Dec. 9-Feb. 5
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, 1 Love St.
Since 2005, Spanish Colonial and Mexican religious art has been one of the focus areas of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art's Permanent Collection. This collection now numbers about 100 works including eight major masterpieces of the Mexican Baroque period.
Montgomery
Christmas in Historic Montgomery
Dec. 10
Downtown Montgomery, Texas, 14420 Liberty St.
Montgomery County's oldest Christmas celebration—marking its 45th year—offers a full day of events in downtown Montgomery, one of Texas' oldest towns and the birthplace of the Texas flag. The event includes strolling carolers, a marketplace with homemade gifts and décor items, old-fashioned decorations in the historic buildings on the evening 45th Historic Home Tour, and the 33rd famous Cookie Walk, where tables are laden with decorative cookies and candies to purchase by the pound.
Austin
"Medieval X Modern"
Dec. 10-March 19, 2023
Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Along with representative medieval objects, "Medieval X Modern" presents the work of modern artists from Europe and the Americas who created prints, drawings, paintings, illustrated books, sculptures, and decorative objects informed by the spectacular craftsmanship and compelling historical figures of the Middle Ages.
Huntsville
Family Christmas
Dec. 10
Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library, 1836 Sam Houston Ave.
The annual holiday event on the museum grounds has historical demonstrations and holiday goodies.
Boerne
Toast To Olde Town
Dec. 10-11
Historic Downtown Boerne, 100 N. Main St.
At this merry mistletoe weekend in celebration of Boerne’s "olde town" heritage, visitors are invited to take a quiet stroll through downtown, where they can find live music, wassail tasting, shopping along the Hill Country Mile, Santa, and a Christmas market at Main Plaza.
Kuhlmann-King Museum Tour
Dec. 10, 24; Jan. 14, 28; Feb. 11, 25
Kuhlmann-King Museum, 402 E. Blanco Road
On the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, the Kuhlmann-King house gives the public the opportunity to step back in time to see what a historic Boerne home looked like "way back when." Monthly events and themes vary.
Waxahachie
Historic Christmas Tour of Homes
Dec. 10-11
Various locations
Tour a selection of historic homes adorned in their holiday finest.
San Antonio
Deutsche Weihnachtsfeier
Dec. 11
Trinity University, Margarite B. Parker Chapel, 1 Trinity Place
This much-loved event in San Antonio’s holiday season is a non-denominational German Christmas celebration open to everyone. It includes the telling of the Christmas story in German, using traditional scripture, Christmas poems, carols, and seasonal music. There is no sermon. The Beethoven Maennerchor and the San Antonio Liederkranz sing choral music; students from local schools and colleges read poems and passages of scripture in German. In advance of the service, Trinity University organist Dr. David Heller plays an organ prelude. The climax of the evening is the congregation singing “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht” (“Silent Night”) by candlelight.
Palestine
Bowers Mansion Ghost Hunt
Dec. 16-17
Bowers Mansion, 301 S. Magnolia St.
Over 140 years old and harboring stories of murder, suicide, and death, the Historic Bowers Mansion in a small East Texas city is growing a reputation for one of the most haunted locations in the country, according to Haunted Rooms America.
hauntedrooms.com/texas/ghost-hunts/historic-bowers-mansion-palestine-tx
West Columbia
Candlelight Christmas
Dec. 17
Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Site, 1702 N. 13th. St.
Tour the plantation house to discover the many contributions of different cultures to Christmas in Texas. Relax outside and enjoy the beverage of the season (wassail), Christmas cookies and other foods, entertainment, children's activities, and a special visit from Santa. Santa's Market is also open for all the shoppers who attend.
Luckenbach
New Year's Eve Celebration
Dec. 31
Celebrate the start of 2023 at the annual New Year's Eve dance in the historic Luckenbach dance hall.
Gladewater
Sesquicentennial Celebration
Jan. 1-Dec. 31
Various locations, 116 E. Commerce Ave.
Gladewater invites everyone to visit its historic streets during 2023. Each month, a special event takes place in different locations across Gladewater. Events include a "Night at the Museum" and lakeside festivities.
Grand Prairie
Lunar New Year
Jan. 6-8, 13-15, 21-22
Asia Times Square, 2625 W. Pioneer Parkway
Celebrate Lunar New Year with Asia Times Square in Grand Prairie. Enjoy live performances, food from different cultures, and other festivities.
Temple
"Quanah Parker: One Man Two Worlds"
Jan. 14-April 15
Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum, 315 W. Avenue B.
In 1836, a Comanche raiding party took Cynthia Ann Parker from her family. Over the following years, she became wife to a Comanche chief and mother to children, including Quanah Parker, the last Comanche chief. After Texas Rangers took Cynthia Ann back, Quanah became one of the most important Comanche leaders in both war and peace. This photo exhibit tells this story of their lives caught between two different worlds.
West Columbia
Market Day
Jan. 14
Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Site, 1702 N. 13th. St.
Load up the kids, grab your canvas bags and head to Varner-Hogg State Historic Site for a day of shopping and supporting local small business owners. Plus, there's free admission to the site during market hours.
Freeport
History Day
Jan. 14
Freeport Historical Museum, 311 E. Park Ave.
At this event, see exhibits and hear firsthand accounts of significant events that took place in the city of Freeport's past.
Sherman
Martin Luther King Jr. Day March
1/14
Downtown Sherman, 400 S. Travis St.
All churches, civic and social groups, and members of the public are welcome to come out for the march to honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. March.
Fredericksburg
Hill Country Indian Artifact Show
Jan. 14
Pioneer Pavilion at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, 432 Lady Bird Drive
Featuring a wide variety of some of the finest Native American artifacts from Texas and the United States, including arrowheads, pottery, beads, and books.
Huntsville
"12 Plus One: Black History Month Exhibit"
Jan. 17-March 12
Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library, 1836 Sam Houston Ave.
This exhibition reveals the ongoing research by the museum of the 12 enslaved individuals listed on Sam Houston’s probate inventory in 1863, plus one who was not listed.
Port Aransas
Port Aransas Garden Club Home Tour
Jan. 28
Various locations
The 33rd annual home tour has a gorgeous lineup of historical and architecturally interesting homes that showcase island living at its best. A home which was included in the original home tour in 1988, an artist's home and studio, new and older cottages, and new construction/renovation are sure to impress.
Tyler
Lecture with Doris Kearns Goodwin
Feb. 7
UT Tyler Cowan Center, 3900 University Blvd., FAC 1120
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker, and Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times No. 1 best-selling author. Goodwin's career as a presidential historian and author was inspired when, as a 24-year-old graduate student at Harvard, she was selected to join the White House Fellows, one of America's most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. Goodwin worked with President Lyndon Baines Johnson in the White House and later assisted him in the writing of his memoirs.
Palacios
African American Heritage Day
Feb. 18
City by the Sea Museum, 401 Commerce St.
The Palacios Community Coalition presents local speakers to show contributions made and being made by the African American community of Palacios. Local speakers talk about their contributions, and tours may be provided upon request.
West Columbia
Market Day
Feb. 18
Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site, 1702 N. 13th. St.
Load up the kids, grab your canvas bags and head to Varner-Hogg State Historic Site for a day of shopping and supporting local small business owners. Plus, there's free admission to the site during market hours.
Huntsville
Experience a Day in the Life of a CCC Enrollee
Feb. 18
Huntsville State Park, 565 Park Road 40 W.
Take an interactive tour through the life of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Read about the corps' formation, get hands-on with their tools and uniforms, visit the camp store to shop the benefits of being an enrollee, and hear from members of the corps themselves, though their newsletter, as you stand in Ravens Lodge and look out at Lake Raven that they helped create.
Washington
Texas Independence Day Celebration
Feb. 25-26
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, 23400 Park Road 12
Celebrate 187 years of Texas independence at the place where Texas became Texas. The 1830s Republic of Texas era comes to life with historic interpreters, craftsmen, music, and artillery firing.
San Angelo
Buffalo Soldier Heritage Day
Feb. 26
Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, 630 S. Oakes St.
Celebrate the contributions of the buffalo soldiers to West Texas and the military frontier with displays, living history, and special talks. Buffalo soldiers were Black soldiers who mainly served on the Western frontier after the Civil War. Their duties included helping with westward expansion, building roads and infrastructure, and guarding the U.S. mail.
Ozona
Crockett County History Day
May 5
Ozona Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 505 15th St.
Learn more about the early days on the frontier in and around Ozona during Crockett County History Day on the Ozona Chamber of Commerce grounds. The informative event featurs camels, soldiers, pioneers, flintknapper, and livestock including donkeys from the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue.
