Event Submission Guidelines
Is there an event you’d like to see in the Texas Highways Events Calendar? We’d love to hear about it! Please follow the guidelines below to ensure we can list your event.
Each event listing is considered for use in the quarterly Texas Highways Events Calendar, the monthly Texas Highways magazine, traveltex.com and texashighways.com. To get maximum exposure for your event, please submit events in time for the Texas Highways Events Calendar deadlines (listed below).
Information Required to List Events
· Name of the event.
· City in which it occurs (or nearest city).
· Exact date(s) of the event. Dates like “the second Saturday of the month” can’t be entered into our database.
· Location/venue of the event. Please include an address, if known. “Various locations” or generic locations for outdoor events such as “Main Street” is also acceptable.
· At least one phone number, website, and/or e-mail address the public can call for more information.
· A brief description of the event, including specific activities or attractions that would be of interest to visitors.
All information is required. The Texas Highways Events Calendar reserves the right to edit listings. We generally keep event descriptions at one or two sentences in length.
Where to Send Event Information
The best way to send us your event information is through our online form.
Submitting events through this form along with a valid contact email address will give you confirmation when your event is received and let you know when it’s approved for use in our listings.
You also may email event photos and updated information to us at [email protected]. Confirmation cannot be provided for events sent here.
If you have many event listings to send us, and you have them in table format (such as an Excel or .CSV file), we can now offer bulk upload of your listings directly into our database. Just make sure your table has each type of information we require—city, event name, dates, etc.—in separate columns. Download our template here. Send your document to us via email at [email protected].
Deadlines for Entries
Deadlines for the Texas Highways Events Calendar are:
· Winter events (December, January, February): September 1
· Spring events (March, April, May): December 1
· Summer events (June, July, August): March 1
· Fall events (September, October, November): June 1
If a deadline falls on a weekend or state holiday, the deadline moves to the last business day before the 1st.
Events are reviewed and processed in the order in which they are received and according to publication deadlines. To ensure maximum exposure for your event, please submit events in time for the Texas Highways Events Calendar deadlines.
You are always welcome to submit events after deadline for possible inclusion in our online listings, but please submit these events through our online submission form. We will not accept events submitted via the bulk submission template after the deadlines listed above. Listings sent to us less than a month before the actual event date are not accepted.
That said, it’s never too early to submit event listings as long as key information–especially the name, date, and contact information–has been finalized. Our database can hold information for years in advance.
Where Listings Are Published
All eligible events received by publication deadlines are published in the printed Texas Highways Events Calendar and online databases at www.traveltex.com and www.texashighways.com. Events are also considered for use in Texas Highways magazine, but because of space constraints, publication in the magazine cannot be guaranteed.
Because of our very small staff and the volume of information we receive, it may take several weeks to review your information and publish it in our database, which feeds our publications and related websites. Submitting your events via our online form and providing your contact email address will allow you to receive updates on when your listing is received and approved.
Types of Events We List
The basic requirement for event submissions is that they should be of interest to the traveling public; open to the general public; and appeal to cultural, historical or recreational interests. Generally, events in the calendar are presented to draw people to travel and visit a specific, limited-time attraction. Items that could be considered routine commercial services or mostly of local/specialized interest and otherwise wouldn’t draw people to travel do not qualify.
· Festivals, fairs, and carnivals
· Rodeos
· Live performances (concerts, plays, etc.)
· Art and museum exhibits
· Cookoffs
· Historic tours
· Trade days
· Guided hikes
· One-day tours and workshops
Examples of events we DON’T list
· Sales and discounts (free days, etc.)
· Weekly farmers markets
· Summer camps
· Movie showings
· Local school or church events
· Pageants, bridal or fashion shows
· Religious festivals
· Trade shows or business conferences
· Regular-season sports matches
Confirmation of Event Submissions
Events sent via our online form with a valid contact email address will receive automatic messages when the event has been received and later approved by the editor. Events submitted by email or other methods are not eligible for confirmation service–because of deadline constraints and the number of listings we receive, it is not feasible for us to respond to individual emailed listings in a timely manner. Please rest assured that as long as the information was sent by publication deadlines, and you did not receive an error message, the information has been received. If in doubt, you’re welcome to send a follow-up email if you don’t see the listing when searching our website.
Get a Deadline Reminder Email
We send reminders each quarter by email to those who have requested to be on our mailing list. If you would like to be added to the list, sign up here.
Advertising in the Texas Highways Events Calendar
Inquiries for display advertising (image ads, not the free text listings) are handled by AJR Media. Please contact them at 855-Go-To-AJR (855-468-6257) or email [email protected] for ad rates and other information. A media kit is available on AJR Media’s website.
Help! My Event Got Canceled / Listing Errors / Other Issues
For requests not addressed elsewhere in this document, please email [email protected] with information about the issue.
How to Order a Copy of the Calendar
To get a free paper copy of the calendar mailed to you, request one at texashighways.com/freepubs or by calling 877-252-8150.
If you’d prefer to receive notice when a PDF copy has been posted online (which arrives approximately two weeks before mailed copies), sign up here.
How to Order Multiple Copies for Distribution
More information about getting a bulk shipment of calendars to distribute is available here or by emailing [email protected].
Contact Us
Texas Highways Events Calendar is published by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Travel Publications section. If you have questions about the calendar, please email [email protected].