Day Trips & Beyond: September Events Roundup
Art festivals and dance halls liven up the landscape in September
By Gerald E. McLeod, 7:00AM, Sat. Sep. 1, 2018
On Memorial Day 1972, the first Texas Arts & Crafts Fair was launched on the campus of Schreiner College in Kerrville. It was a grand affair with artisans and craftspeople from around Texas and the nation selling their wares in the shade of the tree-covered campus. The fair launched many artistic careers, but it also was the beginning of the Kerrville Folk Festival. The fair’s first director brought in Rod Kennedy to produce evening concerts. The first concert featured Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Townes Van Zandt, Mance Lipscomb, and many others of Texas music royalty. With the success of those first concerts, Kennedy started the folk festival at the Quiet Valley Ranch just south of town. By 2004, the arts and crafts fair began to sputter and was quietly discontinued after 2013. This year the Hill Country Arts Foundation of Ingram relaunches the fair with more than 100 artists, an opening night concert of KFF veterans, and a music stage throughout the weekend event.
Sept. 28-30, Texas Arts & Crafts Fair, Ingram, www.txartsandcraftsfair.com
Make your reservations now for the Texas Dance Hall Tour. Hosted by Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, the tour visits the historic Gruene Hall, Albert Ice House, Quihi Dance Hall, and Twin Sisters Dance Hall on successive nights. Full packages include shuttle service, hotel accommodations, reserved seating, and special events. Don’t hesitate; last year’s tour sold out. As Ray says, “There wouldn’t be Texas music without Texas dance halls.”
Nov. 1-4, Texas Dance Hall Tour, 866-998-6305 x702, www.texasdancehalltour.com
Travel Notes:
After a two-year restoration project, the landmark Stagecoach Inn in Salado has reopened to overnight guests with 48 modern rooms. Lay your head where Sam Houston, Jesse James, Sam Bass, and many other notable Texans have spent the night along Salado Creek. Opened in 1861 as the Shady Villa Hotel, the inn was adjacent to the Chisholm Trail and then I-35. Since 1943, the lodging has been most famous for its restaurant which reopened in 2017 after an extensive remodeling.
The Texas Alliance for America’s Fish & Wildlife, the Hill Country Conservancy, and other conservation groups are asking the public to support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647) by contacting their representatives in Congress. The bill would redirect $1.3 billion of existing revenue annually to state-led wildlife conservation efforts. The money would come from existing energy and mineral fees on federal lands. According to the Alliance, Texas would be eligible for more than $63 million per year for habitat restoration, scientific research, land protection, and other conservation initiatives.
Other September Events:
Yellow City Sounds Music Festival
Sept. 1, Amarillo, www.panhandlepbs.org
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Rodeo + adventureFEST
Sept. 1, Boy’s Ranch, www.calfarley.org/rodeo
Doss VFD Benefit Fish Fry
Sept. 1, Doss, www.dossvfd.org
Fayette County Fair
Sept. 1-2, La Grange, www.fayettecountyfair.org
Sorghum Festival
Sept. 3, Waco, www.homesteadheritage.com
South Texas International Film Festival
Sept. 5-9, Edinburg, www.edinburgarts.com
Fall Planting Days
Sept. 7-9, Fredericksburg, www.wildseedfarm.com
Gregg County Fair
Sept. 7-15, Longview, www.greggcountyfair.com
Bluebonnet Air Show
Sept. 8, Burnet, www.bluebonnetairshow.com
Kolache Festival
Sept. 8, Caldwell, www.burlesoncountytx.com
Chocolate Festival
Sept. 8, Dallas, www.dallaschocolate.org
Dripping With Taste
Sept. 8, Dripping Springs,
www.destinationdrippingsprings.com
Hit the Bricks
Sept. 8, Tyler, www.visittyler.com/secondsaturday
Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza
Sept. 8-9, Lake Jackson, www.gcbo.org
Grapefest – A Texas Wine Experience
Sept. 13-16, Grapevine, www.grapevinetexasusa.com/grapefest
HummerBird Celebration
Sept. 13-16, Rockport-Fulton, www.rockport-fulton.org/hb
Texas Word Wrangler Book Festival
Sept. 14-15, Giddings, www.texaswordwrangler.com
Blues Fest
Sept. 14-16, Denton, www.dentonblackchamberonline.org
Independencia de Mexico
Sept. 15, Alpine, www.visitalpinetx.com
Texas Navy Day
Sept. 15, Angleton, www.brazoriacountytx.gov/departments/parks-department/munson-park-stephen-f-austin-statue
Oktoberfest Train
Sept. 15, Cedar Park, www.austinsteamtrain.org
Que Bueno! Taco Fest
Sept. 15, Corpus Christi, www.quebuenotacofest.com
Lumberjack Festival
Sept. 15, Cloudcroft, NM, www.coolcloudcroft.com/lumberjacks_knik_knaks
Beer & Wine Festival
Sept. 15, Ingleside, www.inglesidetxchamber.com
Texas Heroes Day
Sept. 15, La Grange, www.visitlagrangetx.com/texas-heroes-day
Davy Crockett Festival
Sept. 15, Ozona, www.ozona.chamber.com
Adopt-a-Beach
Sept. 15, Quintana/Surfside Beach, www.brazoria-county.com/parks
Living History Saturday
Sept. 15, Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/washington-on-the-brazos
Mermaid Week SMTX
Sept. 15-22, San Marcos, www.mermaidsocietysmtx.com
Spurfest at the Museum
Sept. 15-23, Gatesville, www.coryellmuseum.org
Yekwon Sunwoo, Piano Concert
Sept. 16, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgmusicclub.com
Gillespie County Historic School Open House
Sept. 16, Lower South Grape Creek, www.historicschools.org
Texas State Forest Festival
Sept. 19-23, Lufkin, www.texasstateforestfestival.com
Come and Taste It
Sept. 20, Gruene, www.grapevineingruene.com
Beachtoberfest
Sept. 20-Oct. 28, Port Aransas, www.portaransas.org/beachtoberfest
Howard County Fair
Sept. 21-23, Big Spring, www.hcfair.org
Plano Balloon Festival
Sept. 21-23, Plano, www.planoballoonfest.org
Quarter Horse Racing
Sept. 21-Nov. 10, Grand Prairie, www.lonestarpark.com
Pioneer Day
Sept. 22, Dripping Springs, www.drpoundhistoricalfarmstead.org
Cajun Festival & Gumbo Cook-off
Sept. 22, Lakehills, www.banderacowboycapital.com
Woodforest Craft Beer Fest
Sept. 22, Montgomery, www.woodforesttx.com
BayFest
Sept. 22, Palacios, www.palacioschamber.com
BisonFest
Sept. 22, Quitaque, www.bisonfest.com
Indian Artifact, Mineral & Gem Show
Sept. 22, Lampasas, www.visionlampasas.com
White Gold: Cotton in Texas
Sept. 22, Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/washington-on-the-brazos
Stab High Aerial Surf Competition
Sept. 22, BSR Cable Park, Waco, www.surfparkcentral.com/stab-high-aerial-wave-pool-surf-competition
Barton Hill Farms Fall Festival
Sept. 22-Nov. 3, Bastrop, www.bartonhillfarms.com
“Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty”
Sept. 22-Dec. 31, Dallas, www.aamdallas.org
Jerk Fest
Sept. 23, Houston, www.houstonjerkfestinc.com
Wendish Fest
Sept. 23, Serbin, www.texaswendish.org
Czech Heritage Festival
Sept. 23, Victoria, www.victoriaczechs.org
Comal County Fair
Sept. 25-30, New Braunfels, www.comalcountyfair.org
Titus County Fair
Sept. 26-29, Mount Pleasant, www.tituscountyfair.com
Southern States Chainsaw Carving Championship
Sept. 27-29, Graham, www.facebook.com/southernstates.ccc
Day Out With Thomas
Sept. 28-30, Burnet, www.austinsteamtrain.org
Galveston Island Shrimp Festival
Sept. 28-29, Galveston, www.galvestonislandshrimpfestival.com
Wind Energy Capital of Texas Cook-off and Festival
Sept. 28-29, McCamey, www.windenergycapitaloftexascookoff.com
Port A Music Fest
Sept. 28-29, Port Aransas, www.portaransas.org/beachtoberfest
Taylor SPJST Barbecue Cook-off
Sept. 28-29, Taylor, www.taylorspjst.com
Texas Arts & Crafts Fair
Sept. 28-30, Kerrville, www.txartsandcraftsfair.com
Fort Bend County Fair
Sept. 28-Oct. 7, Rosenberg, www.fortbendcountyfair.com
Waller County Fair
Sept. 29-Oct. 7, Hempstead, www.wallercountyfair.org
State Fair of Texas
Sept. 28-Oct. 21, Dallas, www.bigtex.com
Screams Halloween Theme Park
Sept. 28-29, Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, Waxahachie, www.screamspark.com
Fired Up Community Festival
Sept. 29, Tucumacari, N.M., www.tucumcarimainstreet.org/fired-up-2018
Paranormal Expo
Sept. 29-30, Granbury, www.granburyparanormalexpo.com
Texas Arts & Crafts Fair
Sept. 29-30, Ingram, www.txartsandcraftsfair.com
Wingfest & Home Brew Beer Competition
Sept. 29, Smithville, www.explorebastropcounty.com
Beachtoberfest
Sept. 29-Oct. 28, Port Aransas, www.visitportaransas.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.
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, June 6, 2025
Gerald E. McLeod, May 22, 2025
Day Trips, Texas Arts & Crafts Fair, Kerrville Folk Festival, Texas Dance Hall Tour, Stagecoach Inn, HR 4647
