February includes Mardi Gras, Presidents Day, and the Lunar New Year with plenty of celebrations to honor them all.
We’re coming up on the Year of the Dog, a year that is marked by loyalty, kindness, and love. Look for Lunar New Year special events in Dallas, Grand Prairie, San Antonio, and at least three celebrations in Houston over two weekends, Feb. 17-18, 24-25.
Travel Notes:
Get a sneak peek at the Old Settler’s Music Festival’s (April 19-22) new digs in Tilmon outside of Lockhart on Sun., Feb. 25, 2-5pm. There will be free music, kids’ activities, food, drinks, and tours of the new layout. www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org.
Sixty-one miles northeast of Austin and a world away, Rockdale is small-town America at its finest. Back in 1918, Monroe Bullock and his brother Ira opened the Rainbow Courts, one of the first “tourist courts” in Milam County. In 1992, Joan Ratliff, Ira’s granddaughter, and her husband Dan turned the aging cottages and cabins into a modern bed & breakfast with up-to-date conveniences and comfort. TripAdvisor patrons have voted the 32-room hotel No. 9 on their list of best bargain hotels in the U.S. www.rainbowcourts.com.
Crawfish season generally runs from February to June. Try these three Texas providers for the freshest mudbugs:
• Doc’s Seafood and Steaks, 13309 S. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi, 361/949-6744, www.docsseafoodandsteaks.com.
• Crawfish Shack, 5822 FM 2100, Crosby, 281/462-2121, www.crawfishshack.com.
• JuJu’s Cajun Crawfish Shak, 18277 FM 365, Fannett, 409/794-2020, www.facebook.com/JuJus-Cajun-Crawfish-238819609960.
Other February Events:
Cowboy Mardi Gras
Feb. 1-3, Bandera, www.11thstreetcowboybar.com
SPI Kitefest
Feb. 1-3, South Padre Island, www.spikitefest.com
Spring Blossoms Quilt Show
Feb. 2-3, Brenham, www.friendshipquiltguild.weebly.com
Hot Rods & Hatters Car Show & Festival
Feb. 2-3, Lockhart, www.hotrodsandhatters.com
Mardi Gras! Galveston
Feb. 2-13, Galveston, www.mardigrasgalveston.com
San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo
Feb. 2-18, San Angelo, www.sanangelorodeo.com
Mardi Gras Parades
Feb. 3, 10, 11, Shreveport-Bossier City, La., www.shreveportmardigras.org
Adults Only Tours
Feb. 5, 25, Johnson City, www.sciencemill.org
Laredo Birding Festival
Feb. 7-10, Laredo, www.laredobirdingfestival.org
Oxford Film Fest
Feb. 7-11, Oxford, Miss., www.oxfordfilmfest.com
Planetarium Show
Feb. 7, 14, 21, 24 & 28 Clute, www.bcfas.org
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
Feb. 8-25, San Antonio, www.sarodeo.com
Hug-In and Valentine Ball
Feb. 9-10, Luckenbach, www.luckenbachtexas.com
Czech Music Festival
Feb. 9-10, Ennis, www.ennisczechmusicfestival.com
On Cloud Wine
Feb. 9-11, Nacogdoches, www.visitnacogdoches.org
Asia Times Square Lunar New Year
Feb. 9-11, 16-18, Grand Prairie, www.visitgrandprairietx.com
Boerne Chocolate Walk
Feb. 10, Boerne, www.visitboerne.org
Boerne Market Days
Feb. 10-11, Boerne, www.visitboerne.org
Hot Rod Riot
Feb. 10, Goliad, www.schroederhall.com
Bloodless Bullfights
Feb. 10, 24, La Gloria, www.fredrenk.com
Taste of the Triangle
Feb. 13, Beaumont, www.facebook.com/tasteofthetriangle
Inspire Film Festival
Feb. 15-19, The Woodlands, www.inspirefilmfest.com
Star Party
Feb. 16, Georgetown, www.southwestern.edu/offices/observatory
9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit & First Responders Weekend
Feb. 16-19, Rockport, www.rockport-fulton.org
Hueco Rock Rodeo
Feb. 16-18, El Paso, www.americanalpineclub.org
Chinese New Year Festival
Feb. 17, Dallas, www.crowcollection.org
Lunar New Year Festival
Feb. 17, Houston, www.ccchouston.org/lunarnewyear
Asian Festival
Feb. 17, San Antonio, www.texancultures.com
Billy Mata & the Texas Tradition
Feb. 17, Anhalt Dance Hall, Spring Branch, www.anhalthall.com
Presidents Day at the Arboretum
Feb. 17-19, Dallas, www.dallasarboretum.org
Fiesta Edinburg
Feb. 22-25, Edinburg, www.edinburg.com/fiesta.html
Whooping Crane Festival
Feb. 22-25, Port Aransas, www.whoopingcranefestival.org
Lunar New Year
Feb. 24, Houston, www.texaslunarfest.net
Best Little Quilt Show in Texas
Feb. 24-25, La Grange, www.visitlagrangetx.com
Toast & Roast
Feb. 25, Driftwood, www.winefoodfoundation.org
Lunar New Year Houston
Feb. 24-25, Houston, www.lunarnewyearhouston.com
Buffalo Soldier Day
Feb. 25, San Angelo, www.fortconcho.com
Old Settler’s Music Festival Open House
Sun., Feb. 25, Tilmon, www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org
Victoria Livestock Show
Feb. 26-Mar. 5, Victoria, www.victorialivestockshow.com
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Feb. 27-Mar. 18, Houston, www.rodeohouston.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.
This article appears in January 26 • 2018.
