Day Trips & Beyond: April Events Roundup

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

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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.