Day Trips & Beyond: June Events Roundup
No more pencils, no more books, just tons of fun for everyone
By Gerald E. McLeod, 7:00AM, Fri. May 31, 2019
Gas up and hit the road for fishing, fireworks, and fests.
On June 9, 1994, Saint Arnold Brewing Company shipped their first keg of Amber Ale. From humble home-brewing beginnings, Texas’s first craft brewery has become a giant among the 50 craft breweries in Houston and more than 300 around Texas. On Saturday, June 8, the brew crew of 200 will throw open the doors for a Texas-sized 25th Anniversary Party. They’ll have free music, art cars, local vendors, artists, mariachis, and more fun all evening long.
June 8, 25th Anniversary Party, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, 800/801-6402, www.saintarnold.com
The banks of Salado Creek couldn’t be any nicer of a place to get together with friends and sample a select few Texas craft beers. Barrow Brewing Company is a little brewery doing big things in Salado and they have invited 14 of their like-minded brewing buddies to spend a Saturday afternoon talking beer on their huge patio. It is dad’s weekend, so bring him out to raise a glass to the diversity of beer. There’ll be music, food, and games for the whole family to enjoy.
June 15, Salado Springs Beer Festival, Salado, 254/947-3544, www.saladospringsbeerfest.com
“Just don’t call them kolaches,” the good-natured gal told me from behind the glass bakery counter at Hruskas Store and Bakery on TX 71. “Kolaches are the open-face pastries,” she pointed out. I’d stopped in for my favorite road food: a soft bread pillow filled with sausage and melted cheese. Having been born and raised around Fayetteville, my server exuded the country charm of a local farm girl of Czech descent. I had asked her how to pronounce “klobasniky,” the proper word for these perfect highway snacks. “Klo-ba-sneaky” she said slowly, before asking me not to use her name in print because she wasn’t sure her boss would approve. The gas station, gift store, bakery, and cafe has been offering travelers between Austin and Houston comfort since 1912.
Hruska’s and Store Bakery, Ellinger, 979/378-2333, www.hruskas-bakery.com
Travel Notes:
South Padre Island becomes “The Fireworks Capital of Texas” this summer with pyrotechnics every weekend through Labor Day. On Friday evenings the fireworks sparkle over the Laguna Madre Bay with “The Green,” a waterfront park, being a great place to catch the free show. On Friday and Saturday evenings through October, the show launches on the beach side of the island with Clayton’s Beach Bar being the center of the action. All fireworks begin at 9:15pm. For more information, go to www.sopadre.com.
Start your summer off with a fishing trip. On June 1 everyone can fish recreationally without a license in any state waters. Ordinarily anyone over the age of 17 is required to possess a fishing license. The only exception is in waters completely surround by private property or a state park.
Speaking of fishing, if you intend to use shrimp as bait, be sure that is not imported and is native to the Gulf of Mexico. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, imported shrimp, even from non-coastal states such as California, could harbor white-spot syndrome virus. While not harmful to humans, the disease could have devastating consequences to the ecosystem.
Other June Events:
Pearl Bluegrass Festival
June 1, Gatesville, www.pearlbluegrass.com
2019 Atlas Ride
June 1, Lampasas, www.texas4000.org/event/atlas-ride
Fiesta Charro
June 1, Lewisville, www.cityoflewisville.com
EatingWell and Health Fit Foodie Festival
June 1, Round Rock, www.fitfoodierun.com/austin-texas.html
Comic Con
June 1-2, Longview, www.longviewcomiccon.com
Garden Fest
June 1-2, Port Arthur, www.visitportarthurtx.com/event/buu-mon-garden-festival
Kerrville Folk Festival
June 1-6, Kerrville, www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org
Bach Festival
June 1-8, Victoria, www.victoriabachfestival.org
Agave Festival
June 1-9, Marfa, www.agavemarfa.com
Hatchling Releases of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles
June 1-Aug. 31, Corpus Christi, www.nps.gov/pais
Texas Two-Step -- 2Ring Miniature Dairy Goat Show
June 2, Boerne, www.hillcountryminimilkers.org
Swing Dance Lessons
June 4, 11, 18, 25, Gruene, www.gruenehall.com
Children’s Art & Literacy Festival
June 6-8, Abilene, www.abilenecac.org/calf
Shakespeare in the Park
June 7-8, Cleburne, www.cleburneshakes.org
Robert E. Howard Days
June 7-8, Cross Plains, www.howarddays.com
Shakespeare in the Park
June 7-8, Kerrville, www.fb.com/playhouse2000
Volunteer Fire Department Barbecue Cook-off
June 7-8, Llano, www.fb.com/llanovfdannualbbqcookoff
Shrimporee
June 7-9, Aransas Pass, www.aransaspass.org/shrimporee
Lavender Festival
June 7-9, Blanco, www.blancolavenderfest.com
Chicago Blues Festival
June 7-9, Chicago, Ill., www.chicagobluesfestival.us
Texas Folklife Festival
June 7-9, San Antonio, www.texasfolklifefestival.org
Summer Rodeo
June 7, 14, 21, 28, Bandera, www.banderacowboycapital.com/events/2018/bandera-summer-rodeo
YappoPalooza Kids Fest and Bands and Brewskies
June 8, Brownsville, www.yappopalooza.net
Artisans, Antiques, and Edibles Market Days
June 8, Castroville, www.castroville.com/events-festivals
Czech Kolache Kolbase Festival
June 8, East Bernard, www.kkfest.com
Juneteenth Parade and Celebration
June 8, Elgin, www.elgintxchamber.com
Saint Arnold 25th Anniversary Party
June 8, Houston, www.saintarnold.com/25th-anniversary-party
Canal Fest
June 8, Irving, www.cityofirving.org/1311/Canal-Fest
Stars and Scars Mud Run
June 8, Kilgore, www.kilgorechamber.com
Texas Blueberry Festival
June 8, Nacogdoches, www.tbf.nacogdoches.org
Texas History Days
June 8, Salado, www.visitsaladotexas.com/event/texas-history-days-in-salado
Texas Water Safari
June 8, San Marcos, www.texaswatersafari.org
Chisholm Trail Roundup Rodeo and Music Festival
June 13-15, Lockhart, www.chisholmtrailroundup.com
Honey Festival
June 14, Uvalde, www.uvaldehoneyfestival.com
Pie Fest
June 14-15, Cisco, www.ciscotxpiefest.com
Summer Powwow
June 14-15, Llano, www.crazycrow.com
Alpine Photo Weekend
June 14-16, Alpine, www.museumofthebigbend.com
Berges Fest
June 14-16, Boerne, www.bergesfest.com
Tattoo Expo
June 14-16, Tyler, www.inkmasterstattooexpo.com
Celebrity Fan Fest
June 14-16, San Antonio, www.celebrityfanfest.com
Red River Art and Wine Festival
June 14-16, Red River, N.M., www.redriver.org/events/art-wine-festival
Route 66 Heart of Amarillo Festival
June 15, Amarillo, www.amarillo66.com
Brew HaHa Craft Beer Festival
June 15, Corpus Christi, www.brewhahacc.com
New Orleans Sauce vs. Texas Playboys
June 15, Far East Austin, www.thelongtime.com
Meusebach Creek School and Grapetown School Open House
June 15, Fredericksburg, www.historicschools.org
Sunflower Festival
June 15, Gilliam, La., www.redrivercrossroadshistorical.org/sunflowertrail
Father’s Day Sunset Safari Dinner and Tour
June 15, Glen Rose, www.fossilrim.org
Skateboard Competition
June 15, Kerrville, www.kerrvilletx.gov/1452/Kerrville-Skateboard-Competition
Bird Banding
June 15, Lake Jackson, www.gcbo.org
Salado Springs Craft Beer Festival
June 15, Salado, www.barrowbrewing.com/salado-springs-beer-fest
Juneteenth Festival
June 19, Berkeley, Ca., www.berkeleyjuneteenth.org
Gulf Coast Juneteenth
June 19, Houston, www.milleroutdoortheatre.com/performance/a-gulf-coast-juneteenth
Juneteenth
June 19, Port Arthur, www.visitportarthurtx.com/event/juneteenth/2019-06-19
Juneteenth at the Ranch
June 19, Richmond, www.georgeranch.org/event-calendar/juneteenth-at-the-ranch
Fort Griffin Fandangle
June 21-22, 28-29, Albany, www.fortgriffinfandangle.org
Come and Taste It
June 20, Gruene, www.grapevineingruene.com
Peach JAMboree and Rodeo
June 20-22, Stonewall, www.stonewalltexas.com/peach-jamboree
Schlitterbahn 40th Anniversary
June 21, New Braunfels, www.schlitterbahn.com
Polish Festival
June 21-22, Bremond, www.bremondtexas.org
Tattoo Expo
June 21-23, New Braunfels, www.inkmasterstattooexpo.com
“Our Lady of the Tortilla”
June 21-23, 28-30, July 5-7, Alpine, www.sulross.edu/theatre
Summer Solstice – Celebration Circle
June 22, Boerne, www.cavewithoutaname.com
Audie Murphey Day
June 22, Farmersville, www.farmersvilletx.com
The Merchant of Venice
June 22, Winedale Historical Center, www.liberalarts.utexas.edu/winedale
Frank Schlather Day
June 23, Gruene, www.gruenehall.com
Texas Humanities Traveling Photo Exhibit: Rural Texas Women at Work 1930-1960
June 24-July 31, Canadian, www.rivervalleymuseum.org
Watermelon Thump
June 27-30, Luling, www.watermelonthump.com
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
June 27-July 6, Montreal, QC, www.montrealjazzfest.com
RiverFest
June 29, Bandera, www.banderariverfest.com
Return to the Metal Capital
June 29, San Antonio, www.texancultures.com/featured-event/metal062919
Dragon Boat Festival
June 29-30, Cleburne, www.cleburnechamber.com
AsiaFest
June 29-30, Houston, www.asiasociety.org
Asteroid Day
June 30, Dallas, www.perotmuseum.org
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.
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Gerald E. McLeod, June 1, 2023
Gerald E. McLeod, May 16, 2023
June 2, 2023
Day Trips, Saint Arnold Brewing, Barrow Brewing, Salado Springs Beer Festival, kolaches, Hruskas, South Padre Island, fishing, sea turtles, Laguna Madre Bay, Clayton's Beach Bar, Juneteenth
