Day Trips & Beyond: May Events Roundup

It’s May and the fun around the state is heating up. Now’s the time to find something to celebrate at one of the festivals or just get your toes wet in a river before the summer crowds arrive.

Teach a boy to fish and you’ll give him a reason to head to the lake for a lifetime. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department increases the chances of landing a big one at urban ponds and lakes around the state by stocking channel catfish by the thousands. The Neighborhood Fishin’ program has stocked 18 ponds and lakes. In Travis County East Metropolitan Park’s Kingfisher Lake and Bullfrog Pond are included in the stockings that happen every few weeks. Children fish for free, but adults who fish need a fishing license.
Through November 2018, various locations, www.tpwd.texas.gov

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., recognizes the importance of Austin’s Armadillo World Headquarters and Redneck Rock with a new exhibit “Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring '70s.” Along with memorabilia and artifacts that tell the story of the Cosmic Cowboys there will be special concerts, films, and programs highlighting the people and events that put Austin music on the map. In a side note: The late Johnny Gimble – fiddler extraordinaire, native Texan, and sometime Austin resident – is one of the 2018 inductees in the Hall of Fame that also includes Dottie West and Ricky Skaggs.
May 25, 2018-Feb. 14, 2021, Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, Tenn., 615/416-2001, www.countrymusichalloffame.org

Travel Notes:

Uvalde County has some of the most pristine rivers in the state, and visitors can help keep them that way. All summer the Texas Hill Country Region will host “Don’t Trash Where You Splash” river cleanup programs. Organized cleanups occur on Sundays and Tuesdays with volunteer groups of six or more given $10 per person per hour to their favorite charity. Individuals not participating in the scheduled cleanups, but who would like to help collect trash along the waterways, can get yellow trash bags at the Uvalde Visitor’s Center, 21170 Highway 127 in Concan, and at other businesses around the county.

Summer is sea turtle nesting season along the Texas coast, and the Turtle Island Restoration Network asks that anyone seeing a sea turtle, a nest, or even tracks on the beach call 866/TURTLE-5 (866/887-8535). Kemp’s ridley and other sea turtles are endangered species. Trained volunteers will respond to the reports to protect the nests.

How do dinosaurs celebrate Mother’s Day? They give mothers free admission to Dinosaur World in Glen Rose on Sun., May 13, with a paid child’s admission.
www.dinosaurworld.com/texas

Route 66 is one of the most iconic roads in the world. The New Mexico Tourism Department has proclaimed this the "Summer of the Mother Road," by releasing a short film, itineraries, and an interactive map to guide drivers to historic places and events along the route. Visitors to NewMexico.org will find information about the 300-mile stretch of Route 66 between Glenrio, N.M. and Manuelito, N.M.

Other May Events:

Buc Days
May 1-5, Corpus Christi, www.bucdays.com

RiverFest
May 2-6, Port Neches, www.pnriverfest.com

CineMarfa
May 3-6, Marfa, www.cinemarfa.org

Wild West Brewfest
May 4-5, Katy, www.katybrewfest.com

Hill Country Run Motorcycle Rally
May 4-6, Luckenbach, www.hillcountryrun.com

Medina River Cleanup
May 5, Bandera, www.banderacowboycapital.com/events/2017/medina-river-cleanup

Tejano Hill Country
May 5, Bandera, www.banderacowboycapital.com/events/2018/tejano-hill-country

Deutsch-Texanisher Saengerbund Saengerfest
May 5, Houston, www.houstonsaengerbund.org

Wein & Saengerfest
May 5, New Braunfels, www.weinandsaengerfest.com

Gusher Days
May, 5, Oil City, La., www.gusherdaysfestival.com

AsiaFest
May 5, Plano, www.asianamericanheritage.org

Red Dirt Barbecue Festival
May 5, Tyler, www.reddirtbbqfest.com

Mayfest
May 5-6, Fort Worth, www.mayfest.org

Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance
May 5-6, Seabrook, www.keels-wheels.com

Lavender Festival
May 5-6, Stonewall, www.beckervineyards.com

Scarborough Renaissance Festival
May 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-28, Waxahachie, www.srfestival.com

St. Stanislaus Parish Festival
May 6, Bandera, www.ststanislausbandera.com/upcoming-events.html

Maifest German Chorale Concert
May 6, Fredericksburg, www.visitfredericksburgtx.com/events/maifest-a-german-chorale-concert

Howdy-Roo CASI Regional Chili Cookoff/Lonestar Barbecue State Championship
May 6, Marble Falls, www.howdyroo.com

Taste of Bishop Arts, Food and Historical Tours
May 6, 13, 20, 27, Dallas, www.dallasbitesfoodtours.com

Texas Historic Sites Free Day
May 6, Various Locations, www.thc.texas.gov/news-events/events/state-historic-sites-free-day

Pedal Car Races
May 6, Wylie, www.wylietexas.gov

Electra Goat Barbecue and Craft Show
May 11-12, Electra, www.electratexas.org

Texas Crab Festival
May 11-13, Crystal Beach, www.texascrabfestival.org

SystemsGo Rockets 2018
May 11-13, Houston, www.systemsgo.org

Maypole Festival
May 12, Beaumont, www.beaumontbotanicalgardens.org

Canadian River Music Festival
May 12, Canadian, www.canadianrivermusicfestival.com

Audie Murphy Day
May 12, Greenville, www.cottonmuseum.com

National Train Day
May 12, Temple, www.templerrhm.org

Cajun Fest
May 12, Wichita Falls, www.fb.com/canjunfestwf

Tejano Conjunto Festival
May 16-20, San Antonio, www.guadalupeculturalarts.org/tejano-conjunto-festival

Come & Taste It
May 17, Gruene, www.grapevineingruene.com

Dennis Hopper Day
May 17, Taos, N.M., www.dennishopperday.com

Lee County Fair & Charcoal Challenge Barbecue Cook-off
May 17-19, Giddings, www.leecountyfairtx.com

Culinaria Wine + Food Festival
May 17-20, San Antonio, www.culinariasa.org

Magnolia Days
May 18-19, Columbus, www.magnoliadays.org

Fort Lancaster Western Frontier Days
May 18-19, Sheffield, www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-lancaster-state-historic-site

Main Street Fest – A Craft Brew Experience
May 18-20, Grapevine, www.grapevinetexasusa.com

East Texas Folk Festival
May 18-20, Huntsville, www.samhoustonmemorialmuseum.com

New Mexico Fiber Arts Crawl
May 18-20, various locations, www.nmfibercrawl.org

Strawberry Festival
May 18-20, Pasadena, www.strawberryfest.org

Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival
May 18-20, Richardson, www.wildflowerfestival.com

Barbecue Smoke-Off at Langford Lake
May 19, Clarksville, www.redrivercoc.com

Corsicana AirSho
May 19, Corsicana, www.coyotesquadron.org

Texas Steak Cook-off & Wine Fest
May 19, Hico, www.texassteakcookoff.com

Bird Banding
May 19, Lake Jackson, www.gcbo.org

KNBT Americana Music Jam
May 20, Gruene, www.gruenehall.com

Kay & Friends Ensemble Concert
May 20, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgmusicclub.com

Slavnost (May Fest)
May 21, LaGrange, www.czechtexas.org

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
May 23-27, New Orleans, La., www.nowfe.com

Burger Showdown to Benefit Chef Cooperatives
May 24, San Antonio, www.homegrowncheftv.com/events

Kerrville Folk Festival
May 24-June 10, Kerrville, www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org

Mudbug Madness Festival
May 24-27, Shreveport, La., www.mudbugmadness.com

"Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring '70s"
Opens May 25, Nashville, Tenn., www.countrymusichalloffame.org

National Polka Festival
May 25-27, Ennis, www.nationalpolkafestival.com

Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival
May 25-27, Fredericksburg, www.fbgjaycees.com/crawfish-festival.html

“Andy Warhol: Cowboys and Indians”
May 25-Sept. 3, San Antonio, www.briscoemuseum.org

Kerrville Festival of the Arts
May 26-27, Kerrville, www.kvartfest.com

Festival of Wine and Food
May 26-27, Rockport, www.texasmaritimemuseum.org

Blueberry Picking Season
May 26-July 31, Edom, www.blueberryhillfarms.com

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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.