Day Trips & Beyond: October Events Roundup
Fall is full of fairs and fests
By Gerald E. McLeod, 4:00PM, Mon. Oct. 1, 2018
Fall colors and women’s undergarments are showing as the temperatures become ideal for getting outdoors.
The British are coming! There is something about the British monarchy that intrigues Americans. Perhaps it is our ancient connection to the kings and queens of the British Isles or that the crown keep a running drama going over several centuries. Whatever it is the blue bloods will arrive at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston by way of the exhibition “Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol.” The exhibition features 150 objects from the National Portrait Gallery, London, including paintings, sculptures, and photographs, many of which have never traveled outside of England. Tickets are discounted on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Oct. 7-Jan. 27, 2019, Museum of Fine Art, Houston, 713/639-7300, www.mfah.org.
Take a trip back in time as the Menard County Historical Commission leads a morning program at the ruins of Presidio San Saba. Built in 1757 to protect a nearby Spanish mission, the fort lasted until 1768. The Spaniards came to the area to convert the Lipan Apache and to mine for silver. Neither endeavor was successful. The program will feature docents in period attire, dashing horsemen, cannon fire, and lots of fun and history. The stone ruins two miles west of Menard are open year-round free of charge during daylight hours for self-guided tours.
Fri. & Sat., Oct. 5 &6, 10am, Menard, 325/456-0709, www.presidiodesansaba.org/index.html.
Women’s undergarments have finally become the subject of serious study in the exhibition “Inside Out” at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. More than a fashion statement, the collection speaks to women’s roles in American society over the centuries. Organized by the staff of SAMFA, the artifacts are on loan from various museums and private collections from all over the U.S. The exhibition leaves little to the imagination and attempts to answer the question: “What were they thinking?”
Through Jan. 20, 2019, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, 325/653-3333, www.samfa.org.
Travel Notes:
Lost Maples State Park outside of Vanderpool is known for its gorgeous fall colors as the trees put on their fall show. Beginning around Oct. 11 (depending on Mother Nature) until the end of November, the park will post fall foliage reports on their Facebook page or you can get updates by calling 830/966-3413. Keep in mind that crowds on weekends can overwhelm the park. Once the parking lots are full, the park is closed to addition visitors until the next day.
The leaves of the trees are turning beneath October skies in East Texas. To find suggested driving routes and attractions, visit www.east-texas.com/east-texas-fall-foliage.htm.
Tibetan Buddhist Monks from Drepug Loseling Monastery travel to the Crow Museum of Asian Art to build a Green Tara sand mandala. The public is invited to watch the sand painting from Oct. 6-13. Free and open to the public, the museum showcases ancient to contemporary art of Asia. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
October is the last month of the year that Brenham’s Antique Carousel at Fireman’s Park will be open on weekends. Rides are only $1 per rider. Built around 1911, the carousel has been a feature in Brenham since 1932. The carousel operates on Saturday from 11am to 4pm and Sunday from 1 to 4pm.
Other October Events:
Tom Lea Month
Oct. 1-31, El Paso, www.tomlea.com
Texas Super Chef Throwdown Series
Oct. 3-6, Port Aransas, www.texassuperchefs.com
Red River Celebrity Softball Game
Oct. 4, Frisco, www.rrcsg.org
Gruene Music & Wine Fest
Oct. 4-7, Gruene, www.gruenemusicandwinefest.org
Sand Castle Days
Oct. 4-7, South Padre Island, www.sandcastledays.com
Pirate Festival
Oct. 5-6, Palacios, www.palaciospiratefestival.com
Glampasas Tour of Christmas Glampers
Oct. 5-6, Lampasas, www.fb.com/events/458573564624485
A Walk Through Time
Oct. 5-6, Menard, www.presidiodesansaba.org/index.html
Bootfest
Oct. 5-6, Victoria, www.bootfest.org
Oktoberfest
Oct. 5-7, Fredericksburg, www.oktoberfestinfbg.com
Galveston Island Film Festival
Oct. 5-7, Galveston, www.galvestonislandfilmfestivalandconference.com
Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch
Oct. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29, Medina, www.lovecreekorchards.com
Spanish Influenza Epidemic Exhibit
Oct. 5-Nov. 11, Lampasas, www.lampasasmuseum.org
Fall Native Plant Sale & Festival
Oct. 6, Kerrville, www.riversidenaturecenter.org
Camerata Salon
Oct. 6, Kerrville, www.cameratasa.org
Oktoberfest on the Square
Oct. 6, La Grange, www.visitlagrangetx.com
Evening with the Authors
Oct. 6, Lockhart, www.eveningwiththeauthors.com
Cottonwood Art Festival
Oct. 6-7, Richardson, www.cottonwoodartfestival.com
Columbus Day Weekend at the Arboretum
Oct. 6-8, Dallas, www.dallasarboretum.org
Mystical Arts of Tibet
Oct. 6-13, Dallas, www.crowcollection.org
“Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits”
Oct. 7-Jan. 27, 2019, Houston, www.mfah.com
Fort Concho After Dark
Oct. 11, San Angelo, www.fortconcho.com
Seafair
Oct. 11-14, Rockport-Fulton, www.rockport-fulton.org/seafair-home
Guadalupe County Fair & Rodeo
Oct. 11-14, Seguin, www.gcfair.org
Tyler Film Festival
Oct. 11-14, Tyler, www.tylerfilmfest.com
Moonlight in the Gardens
Oct. 12, Corpus Christi, www.stxbot.org
Wings Over Port Aransas
Oct. 12-13, Port Aransas, www.portaransasparrotheads.com/events
Texas Mesquite Art Festival
Oct. 12-14, Fredericksburg, www.texasmesquiteartfestivals.com
Comic Con
Oct. 12-14, San Angelo, www.sanangelocomiccon.com
Turkeyfest
Oct. 12-14, Cuero, www.turkeyfest.org
Stagecoach Days
Oct. 13, Anderson, www.wheretexasbecametexas.org/about/fanthorp-inn
Fort Croghan Day
Oct. 13, Burnet, www.fortcroghan.org
Octoberfest
Oct. 13, Burnet, www.burnetoctoberfest.com
Cedar Bark Fest
Oct. 13, Cedar Park, www.cedarparkparks.com
Monarch Celebration
Oct. 13, Fredericksburg, www.wildseedfarms.com
Texas Mushroom Festival
Oct. 13, Madisonville, www.texasmushroomfestival.com
Shorty’s 35th Annual Pig Party
Oct. 13, Port Aransas, www.portaransas.org/beachtoberfest
South Texas Music Festival
Oct. 13, San Benito, www.sanbenitoevents.com
Smithville Photo Festival
Oct. 13, Smithville, www.smithvilletx.org
Stonewall VFD Fall Fish Fry
Oct. 13, Stonewall, www.fb.com/events/376055255806028
Food & Wine Festival
Oct. 13, Waco, www.humanesocietycentraltexas.org
Edom Art Festival
Oct. 13-14, Edom, www.visitedom.com/edom-art-festival
Alliance Air Show
Oct. 13-14, Fort Worth, www.allianceairshow.com
Kerrville Chalk Festival
Oct. 13-14, Kerrville, www.kerrvillechalk.org
Choo Choo Fest
Oct. 14, Coupland, www.susangarry.wixsite.com/choochoofest
Taste of Cedar Park
Oct. 16, Cedar Park, www.cedarparkchamber.org
Humphrey Bogart Film Festival
Oct. 17-21, Key Largo, Fla., www.bogartfilmfestival.com
Come and Taste It
Oct. 18, Gruene, www.grapevineingruene.com
Texas Bigfoot Conference
Oct. 19-20, Jefferson, www.fb.com/texasbigfootresearch
Llano River Chuckwagon Cook-off
Oct. 19-20, Llano, www.llanochuckwagoncookoff.com
Texas Jazz Festival
Oct. 19-21, Corpus Christi, www.texasjazz-fest.org
Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
Oct. 19-21, Dripping Springs, www.drippingspringssongwritersfestival.com
Las Cruces Country Music Festival
Oct. 19-21, Las Cruces, N.M., www.lccountryfest.com
Hill Country Living + Rainwater Revival Festival
Oct. 20, Dripping Springs, www.hillcountryalliance.org/rainwaterrevival
Country Schools and Vineyards Trail
Oct. 20, Fredericksburg, www.historicschools.org
T-Bone Walker Day
Oct. 20, Linden, www.fb.com/lindenecondevcorps
Old Town Fest
Oct. 20, Port Aransas, www.portaransasmuseum.org
Shiner Music Fest
Oct. 20, Shiner, www.shinermusicfest.com
ARToberFEST
Oct. 20-21, Galveston, www.artoberfest.com
Texas Guitar Quartet
Oct. 21, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgmusicclub.com
State Fair of Texas
Through Oct. 21, Dallas, www.bigtex.com
State Fair of Louisiana
Oct. 25-Nov. 11, Shreveport, La., www.statefairoflouisiana.com
Island Oktoberfest
Oct. 26-27, Galveston, www.galvestonoktoberfest.com
Ghost Tours of the 1859 Ashton Villa
Oct. 26-27, Galveston, www.galvestonhistory.org
Czhilispiel 46
Oct. 26-28, Flatonia, www.flatoniachamber.com
Pecan Fest Heritage Days
Oct. 26-28, Seguin, www.seguingonuts.com
Heritage Scaritage Festival
Oct. 27. Baytown, www.baytownhistory.org
Dia de los Muertos Street Festival
Oct. 27, Corpus Christi, www.diadelosmuertoscc.com
Day of the Dead Festival
Oct. 27, Denton, www.dentondayofthedeadfestival.com
Hogeye Festival
Oct. 27, Elgin, www.hogeyefestival.com
Chamizal Cultural Festival
Oct. 27, El Paso, www.nps.gov/cham
Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
Oct. 27, Fredericksburg, www.fbgfoodandwinefest.com
Llano River Pumpkin Float
Oct. 27, Llano, www.llanochamber.org
Kooky Spooky Chemistry Day
Oct. 27, Johnson City, www.sciencemill.org
Hot Pepper Festival
Oct. 27, Palestine, www.cityofpalestinetx.com
Port A Brew N’ Que
Oct. 27, Port Aransas, www.portaransas.org/beachtoberfest
Dia de los Muertos
Oct. 27, San Antonio, www.guadalupeculturalarts.org/dia-de-los-muertos
Texas Country Reporter Festival
Oct. 27, Waxahachie, www.waxahachiecvb.com
Screams
Through Oct. 27, Waxahachie, www.screamspark.com
Cemetery Tours
Oct. 27-28, Fort Worth, www.stockyardsmuseum.org
Texas Clay Festival
Oct. 27-28, Gruene, www.texasclayfestival.com
Cemetery Tour
Oct. 27-28, Victoria, www.victoriapreservation.com
“Dali: Poetics of the Small”
Through Dec. 9, Dallas, www.meadowsmuseumdallas.org
Gerald McLeod has been traveling around Texas and beyond for his "Day Trips" column for more than 25 years. Keep up to date with his journeys on his archive page.
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