Day Trips & Beyond: April Events Roundup
Spring has sprung, and here's 100 ways to celebrate
By Gerald E. McLeod, 3:30PM, Mon. Apr. 1, 2019
Spring is finally here with warmer temperatures and lots of music festivals, Renaissance festivals, and reasons to go day trippin’.
The beach between mile markers 9 and 13 at Port Aransas becomes an art gallery of strange creations during Texas SandFest, April 26-28. The three-day pass gives you access to watch the master, semi-pro, and amateur sculptors turn their piles of sand into amazing creations from castles to statues. The annual beach festival includes music, food, games, and even lessons for creating your own sand sculpture.
April 26-28, SandFest, Port Aransas, 381/749-5919, www.texassandfest.org
There is something about the high desert air in the Far West Texas town of Marfa that seems to separate it from the rest of world. Founded in 1880 as a railroad water stop, the sleepy little village’s biggest claim to fame was as the Presidio County seat and the strange lights in desert outside of town. That all changed in 1971 when New York artist Donald Judd turned it into an art mecca. For the fifth year a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based music label and a local arts foundation bring a unique music and cultural arts festival to town. Marfa Myths Festival mixes music, art, comedy, and film for four days of creativity and collaboration to benefit Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, nonprofit law firm.
April 25-28, Marfa Myths Festival, Marfa, 432/729-4772, www.marfamyths.com
Travel Notes:
Since 2010, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and several private partners have worked toward a 10-year goal of restoring 10 self-sustaining wild populations of the Guadalupe bass, the official state fish. Their efforts paid off and the goal was realized a year early. To reward anglers for the success and to showcase the San Gabriel River from Leander to Jonah as an outstanding fishing stream, the department is offering prizes for snagging one of 40 tagged Guadalupe bass stocked in the river. From now until March 31, 2020, anyone catching one of the fish will be entered into a monthly drawing for fishing gear from Bass Pro Shops. For more information, go to www.sgflyfishers.com/TPWDSanGabrielGuadalupeBassPrizeGiveaway.html.
The Overtime Theater in San Antonio presents the world premiere of “Curranderas & Chocolate: Cuentos of a Latina Life” on April 12 and 14. The one-woman show written and performed by Patricia Zamora, a graduate of St. Edward’s University, is a semiautobiographical work of love, loss, and hardship.
One of the oldest and most respected southern music festivals in America, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival brings a stellar lineup of young and legendary musicians to the Louisiana state capital. Slim Harpo put the Red Stick City on the musical map with the release of “I’m a King Bee” in 1957. This year the 25th edition of the Blues Festival features Mavis Staples, Deacon John Moore, Kenny Neal, Henry Gray, and William Bell. The music comes from six stages around Galvez Plaza, Repentance Park, and the old state Capitol in downtown Baton Rouge, Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14. The festival is free, but VIP tickets get you pampered with special seating and free food and drinks.
The snow pack in the Upper Colorado River Basin in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming is the highest it has been in seven years. That meant a good snow skiing season, and translates into good to exceptional river rafting this summer. The Green River and the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park are expected to have higher than average water levels after several years of drought. For information of river expeditions, go to www.westernriver.com.
Other April Events:
LaBahia Antiques Show
April 1-6, Burton, www.labahiaantiques.com
Round Top Antiques Week
April 1-6, Round Top, www.roundtoptexasantiques.com
Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival
April 4-7, Fort Worth, www.fwfwf.com
Independent Film Festival
April 4-7, Victoria, www.vtxiff.com
First Friday Art Walk
April 5, Fredericksburg, www.ffawf.com
Tartan Day
April 5, San Antonio, www.sahga.org/p/about_us/tartan_day
Llano River Chuckwagon Cook-off
April 5-6, Llano, www.llanochuckwagoncookoff.com
Texas Vintage Motorcycle Fandango
April 5-7, Fredericksburg, www.cherokeeamca.org
Fiddle Fest
April 5-7, Llano, www.llanofiddlefest.com
Texas Packard Meet
April 5-7, Salado, www.texaspackardmeet.org
Friday Afternoon Club at Gruene Hall
April 5, 12, 19, 26, Gruene, www.gruenehall.com
Bandera Market Days
April 6, Bandera, www.banderacowboycapital.com
Bierfest
April 6, Boerne, www.boernebierfest.org
Chalk Art Festival
April 6, Brownsville, www.cmofbrownsville.org
Heritage Festival & Cedar Fest
April 6, Cedar Park, www.cedarparktexas.gov
Big Bloom Plant Sale, Garden Festival
April 6, Corpus Christi, www.stxbot.org
Woofstock
April 6, El Lago, www.bayareapetadoptions.org
Historic Country Schools Open House Tour
April 6, Fredericksburg, www.historicschools.org
Earth Day Family Festival and Picnic
April 6, Houston, www.recipe4success.org
Hill Country Swap Meet
April 6, Kerrville, www.kerrmarketdays.org
Polo at McFaddin
April 6, McFaddin Ranch, www.navemuseum.com
San Antonio Book Festival
April 6, San Antonio, www.saplf.org
Sausagefest
April 6, Schulenburg, www.schulenburgsausagefest.com
Art Car Parade
April 6, Victoria, www.fivepointsmuseum.com
Market Days
April 6, Wimberley, www.shopmarketdays.com
San Antonio Highland Games & Celtic Music Festival
April 6-7, Helotes, www.sahga.org
Heart of Texas Airshow
April 6-7, Waco, www.heartoftexasairshow.com
Sherwood Forest Faire
April 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, McDade, www.sherwoodforestfaire.com
Avalon Faire
April 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Kilgore, www.avalonfaire.com
Scarborough Renaissance Festival
April 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28; May 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-27, Waxahachie, www.srfestival.com
Nuevo Siglo Drama Festival
April 6-13, El Paso, www.nps.gov/chamizal
Saturday Night Rodeo
April 6, 13, 20, 27, Bulverde, www.tejasrodeo.com
Wildflower Celebration
April 6-21, Fredericksburg, www.wildseedfarms.com
Trappings of Texas
April 11-13, Alpine, www.museumofthebigbend.com
Old Settlers Music Festival
April 11-14, Dale, www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org
Houston Art Car Parade
April 11-14, Houston, www.thehoustonartcarparade.com
Battle of the Swing Bands
April 12, New Braunfels, www.swingbattle.org
Wild Women Weekend
April 12-13, Blanco, www.wildwomanweekend.org
Handmade Market
April 12-13, Boerne, www.boernehandmademarket.com
Fiesta de la Flor
April 12-13, Corpus Christi, www.fiestadelaflor.com
Bluebonnet Trails Festival
April 12-13, Ennis, www.bluebonnettrail.org
Fort Inge Days
April 12-13, Uvalde, www.visituvalde.com
Wooden Boat Festival
April 12-14, Port Aransas, www.portaransaswoodenboatfestival.org
“Fort Griffin Fandangle” Sampler
April 13, Albany, www.fandangle.org
Caddo Culture Day
April 13, Alto, www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/caddo-mounds-state-historic-site
Two Dudes & A Diva
April 13, Boerne, www.cavewithoutaname.com
Park Day
April 13, Brownsville, www.battlefields.org/events/park-day/volunteer-opportunities/fort-brown-earthworks-and-stillman-house-museum
Wine and Roses Festival
April 13, Bryan, www.messinahof.com
Rip’s Rib Cook-off
April 13, Eastland, www.ripsribscookoff.com
Fredericksburg Jazz Festival
April 13, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgjazzfestival.com
Market Days
April 13, Kyle, www.cityofkyle.com/recreation
San Jacinto Day and Battle Reenactment
April 13, LaPorte, www.sanjacinto-museum.org
Ranch Day
April 13, Lubbock, www.nrhc.ttu.edu
Texas Ladies Championship Chili Cook-off
April 13, Seguin, www.seguintexas.gov
Baton Rouge Blues Festival
April 13-14, Baton Rouge, La., www.batonrougebluesfestival.org
Official Bluebonnet Festival of Texas
April 13-14, Chappell Hill, www.chappellhillhistoricalsociety.com
Attwater Prairie Chicken Booming and Blooming Festival
April 13-14, Eagle Lake, www.fws.gov/nwrs/threecolumn.aspx?id=2147500747
Folkfest
April 13-14, New Braunfels, www.texashandmadefurniture.org
Train Show
April 13-14, New Braunfels, www.nbrrm.org
UT Trombone Choir Concert
April 14, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgmusicclub.com
Gospel Brunch
April 14, Gruene, www.gruenehall.com
Bidi Bidi Party: Selena Tribute
April 16, San Antonio, www.atpearl.com
Florescence
April 16-17, Houston www.gchouston.org/florescence
SystemsGo Rocket Launch
April 16-17, Jal, N.M., www.systemsgo.org
Bat Appreciation Day
April 17, Various locations, www.batworld.org
Thirst for Nature
April 18, Boerne, www.cibolo.org
Fiesta
April 18-28, San Antonio, www.fiestasanantonio.org
Thoroughbred Racing
April 18-July 21, Grand Prairie, www.lonestarpark.com
Earth Day Butterfly Bonanza
April 19, www.sciencemill.org
Alpine Gem and Mineral Show
April 19-21, Alpine, www.visitalpinetx.com
Trade Days
April 19-21, Fredericksburg, www.fbgtradedays.com
Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay
April 19-21, Horseshoe Bay Resort, www.balloonsoverhsbresort.com
Spring Native Plant Sale and Festival
April 20, Kerrville, www.riversidenaturecenter.org
Free Entrance Day to National Parks
April 20, National Parks, www.nps.gov
Cajun Festival
April 20, Port Arthur, www.visitportarthurtx.com
Riverside Food Truck Fest
April 20, Victoria, www.explorevictoriatexas.com
Old Gruene Market Days
April 20-21. Gruene, www.gruenemarketdays.com
Day in Old Mexico Charreada
April 21, 28, San Antonio, www.sacharros.org
Big Bend Open Road Race
April 24-27, Sanderson, www.bborr.com
Birdiest Festival in America
April 24-28, Corpus Christi, www.birdiestfestival.org
Marfa Myths Festival
April 25-28, Marfa, www.marfamyths.com
MerleFest
April 25-28, Wilkesboro, N.C., www.merlefest.org
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
April 25-28, May 2-5, New Orleans, LA, www.nojazzfest.com
SAACAM Fiesta Family Blues Festival
April 26, San Antonio, www.fiestasanantonio.org/events/fiesta-family-blues-festival
Galveston Island Wine Festival
April 26-27, Galveston, www.galvestonislandwinefestival.com
SystemsGo Rocket Launch
April 26-27, Jacksboro, www.systemsgo.org
Grillin’ for Grads
April 26-27, Shreveport, La., www.arklatexambassadors.com
Bloomin Texas Festival
April 26-27, Temple, www.bloomintemple.com
Earthx2029
April 26-28, Dallas, www.earthx.org
Red Poppy Festival
April 26-28, Georgetown, www.poppy.georgetown.org
Adult Soapbox Derby
April 26-28, Marble Falls, www.adultsoapboxderby.com
1836 Chuckwagon Races at the Diamond B Ranch
April 26-28, Palestine, www.1836chuckwagonrace.com
Texas SandFest
April 26-28, Port Aransas, www.texassandfest.org
Culinary Ranch Retreat at Llano Springs Ranch
April 26-28, Rocksprings, www.eventbrite.com/e/culinary-ranch-retreat-at-llano-springs-ranch-tickets-53212153985
Texas Corvette Open Car Show
April 27, Boerne, www.texas-corvette-association.com
Cotton Gin Festival
April 27, Burton, www.cottonginmuseum.org
Art Walk
April 27, Johnson City, www.artjc.org
Earth Day and Trade Days
April 27, Seguin, www.visitseguin.com
Butterfly Festival
April 27, Wimberley, www.emilyann.org
Fortress Festival
April 27-28, Fort Worth, www.fortressfestival.com
Fire on the Border Living History Program
April 27-28, Goliad, www.presidiolabahia.org
Market Days
April 27-28, Johnson City, www.lbjcountry.com
Crawfish Festival
April 27-28, New Braunfels, www.crawfishfestivalnewbraunfels.com
Kite Festival
April 27-28, Rockport, www.rockport-fulton.org
Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival
April 28, Linden, www.lindenwildflowertrails.net
Gerald E. 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.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
Gerald E. McLeod, July 3, 2024
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Day Trips, Texas travel, Texas SandFest, Marfa Ballroom, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Overtime Theater, Baton Rouge Blues Fest, skiing, river rafting
