Day Trips & Beyond: June Events Roundup

Things are starting to heat up around the state as fairs and festivals take to the streets.

More than 20 bronze sculptures sprinkled around downtown Abilene turn storybook characters into 3-D beings. The annual festival features movies, workshops, readings, and five works of art added to the city’s impressive collection. (Photo by Gerald E. McLeod)

Abilene, the Storybook Capital of Texas, celebrates youth reading with the annual Children’s Art and Literacy Festival. This year’s event hosts the unveiling of five new bronze sculptures based on characters in children’s books illustrated by Garth Williams. The new works of art at the Abilene Civic Center Sculpture Garden will bring the city’s collection of Storybook Sculptures to 23. The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, 102 Cedar St., will also be showing original artwork by Williams, who illustrated Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and other iconic children’s books.

A baker’s dozen of the best barbecue joints in Houston will stretch your taste buds with unusual and exotic dishes not normally on their menus. Get your tickets before they're gone. (Photo by Gerald E. McLeod)

Tickets have gone on sale for the Houston BBQ Throwdown at Saint Arnold Brewing Company in Houston on Sept. 24. The event showcases 14 of H-town’s best barbecue restaurants competing for diners’ votes. The cook-off’s limited number of tickets usually sell out, so order early.

Speaking of Texas’ oldest craft brewery, Saint Arnold Brewing Company celebrates its 23rd anniversary this year with special events, music, brews, and a Rock Paper Scissors tournament on June 9-11. Find out more at www.saintarnold.com.

Texas has many fine opportunities to see and appreciate sea turtles, but if you’re in Florida this summer check out one of the chances to see mother turtles make their nests or baby turtles race to the waves. Florida’s sea turtle season runs through October and you can find sanctioned events at www.myfwc.com/education/wildlife/sea-turtle/where-to-view.

Chisholm Trail Roundup Barbecue Cook-Off
June 2-3, Lockhart, www.chisholmtrailroundup.com

Big Pines Blues Festival
June 2-3, Longview, www.visitlongviewtexas.com

Taylor International Barbecue Cook-Off
June 2-3, Taylor, www.taylorchamber.org

Billy the Kid Festival
June 2-4, San Elizario, www.billythekidfestival.com

Texas Outdoor Musical
June 2-Aug. 19, Canyon, www.texas-show.com

Live Thoroughbred Racing
June 2-July 30, Grand Prairie, www.lonestarpark.com

AIA Sandcastle Competition
June 3, Galveston, www.aiahouston.org

Food Truck Championship of Texas
June 3, Graham, www.foodtruckchampionshipoftexas.com

Fly-In, Drive-In
June 3, San Marcos, www.centraltexaswing.org/events/airshow

LBJ Fishing Day
June 3, Stonewall, www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson

Stomp 'N' Holler Taylor BBQ + Music Fest
June 3, Taylor, www.stompnhollerfest.com

Watt Casey Jr. Photo Exhibit
June 3-Aug. 26, Albany, www.theojac.org

Juneteenth Celebration
June 4-19, Galveston, www.galveston.com/africanamericanguidebook

Round Top Music Festival
June 4-July 16, Round Top, www.festivalhill.org

Wine and Food Week
June 5-11, Houston, www.wineandfoodweek.com

West Texas Western Swing Festival
June 7-10, Snyder, www.snyderchamber.org

Children’s Art and Literacy Festival
June 8-10, Abilene, www.abilenecac.org

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
June 8-10, Fort Worth, www.texasmotorspeedway.com

Burnet County Fair
June 9-10, Burnet, www.burnetcountyfair.com

Pie Fest
June 9-10, Cisco, www.ciscotxpiefest.com

Robert E. Howard Days
June 9-10, Cross Plains, www.rehupa.org

Shrimporee
June 9-11, Aransas Pass, www.aransaspass.org

Lions Balloonfest
June 9-11, San Angelo, www.fb.com/salionsballoonfest

Bacon, Blues, and Brews
June 10, Belton, www.seebelton.com

Czech Kolache Klobase Festival
June 10, East Bernard, www.kkfest.com

Antique Tractor and Engine Show
June 10, Fredericksburg, www.rustyiron.org

Photo Tour
June 10, 24, Glen Rose, www.fossilrim.org

Tomato Fest
June 10, Jacksonville, www.jacksonvilletexas.com/tomato-fest

Kite Festival
June 10, Texas City, www.texascitykitefestival.com

Book Festival
June 10, Wimberley, wimberley.bookfestival.network

Bach at the Bach
June 15, Luckenbach, www.fredericksburgorchestra.com

Legends of Western Swing Music Festival
June 15-17, Wichita Falls, www.thelegendsofwesternswing.com

Stonewall Peach JAMboree and Rodeo
June 16-17, Stonewall, www.stonewallchamber.com

Fort Griffin Fandangle
June 16-17, 23-24, Albany, www.fortgriffinfandangle.org

Soapbox Classic
June 16-18, Marble Falls, www.adultsoapboxderby.com

Summer Solstice
June 17, Boerne, www.cavewithoutaname.com

Pick-Your-Own Tomatoes
June 17, Garfield, www.jbgorganic.com/upick

VegFest Houston
June 17, Houston, www.vegfesthouston.com

Aztec Dance Extravaganza
June 17, LaGrange, www.visitlagrange.com

Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame Induction Awards and Dance
June 17, San Benito, www.texasconjuntomusic.org

Juneteenth Fest at Emancipation Park
June 17-18, Houston, www.juneteenthfest.com

Pride Houston Festival and Parade
June 18-25, Houston, www.pridehouston.org

Western Days Festival
June 20-24, Elgin, www.elgintxchamber.com

Watermelon Thump
June 23-25, Luling, www.watermelonthump.com

Polish Festival Days (Polski Dzien)
June 23-24, Bremond, www.bremondtexas.org

Williamson County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo
June 23-24, Georgetown, www.georgetownrodeo.com

Pirate Festival
June 23-24, Palacios, www.palaciospiratefestival.com

RiverFest
June 24, Bandera, www.banderariverfest.com

Tomato Roundup
June 24, Dripping Springs, www.cityofdrippingsprings.com

Hill County Food Truck Festival
June 24, Luckenbach, www.luckenbachtexas.com

Texas’ Last Frontier Heritage Celebration and Texas Buffalo Soldier Living History Encampment
June 24-25, Morton, www.facebook.com/texaslastfrontier

Texas Shakespeare Festival
June 29-July 30, Kilgore, www.texasshakespeare.com

VFW Rodeo
June 30-July 2, Wimberley, www.wimberleyvfwrodeo.com

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. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 40312, South Austin, TX 78704.