Day Trips & Beyond: March Events Roundup
Spring is full of festivals and flowers
By Gerald E. McLeod, 7:00AM, Thu. Mar. 3, 2022
March begins on Fat Tuesday and finishes in the heart of wildflower season.
Rocking on the river. Before there were cave paintings there was rock stacking. OK, there is no proof our ancient forefathers stacked rocks for fun and pleasure, but making temporary artistic pilings of rocks must be as old as humans' desire for artistic expression. Once you see what the artists can do with a bunch of river rocks, you’ll be amazed and inspired. The amateur and professional rock stackers build towers of balanced rocks that defy gravity, arches that defy logic, and designs that please the eye.
The Llano Earth Art Festival held each year (unless there’s a raging pandemic) under the bridge over the Llano River in Llano is one of the most unique and fun art events of the year. There’s music under the trees, food trucks lining the street, and championship rock stacking in the riverbed with an endless supply of building materials and creativity.
March 11-13, Crenwelge Park, Llano, 325/247-5354, www.llanoearthartfest.org
Extra Escher. During the 1960s M.C. Escher (1898-1972) was one of the artists that helped define a generation’s appreciation of art. His mathematically inspired drawings tease the eye with what seemed like an inside joke to which everyone was privy. The Dutch artist’s work spread around the world on calendars, T-shirts, coffee mugs, and neckties.
This March, “Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection,” an exhibit of more than 400 pieces of Escher’s prints, sketchbooks, and tools, begins a six-month engagement at the Museum of Fine Art, Houston. One of the largest and most comprehensive exhibitions of the artist’s work ever put together, the show draws from the private collection of Michael S. Sachs. The works gathered over 50 years include 90 percent of the Escher estate, and most of it has never been shown together before. Organized by MFAH, this is currently the only public showing planned for this unique collection.
March 13-Sept. 5, “Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection,” Museum of Fine Art, Houston, 713/639-7300, www.mfah.org/mcescher
Travel Notes:
Tiptoe through the tulips. The fields north of Denton are ablaze with color at Texas-Tulips. Started by a couple from the Netherlands, the farm has the earliest blooming tulips in the state. With nearly 100 varieties of the flowers, the U-pick farm is open daily through March. A little closer to Austin, Sweet Berry Farms outside of Burnet says their U-pick crop of tulips and strawberries should be ready soon.
Cherry blossom time. You don’t have to travel to Washington, D.C., to be wowed by a colorful display of cherry trees. The Dallas Arboretum has more than 100 cherry trees that turn a magnificent white or pink for about a week in mid-to-late March. Watch their social media pages for updates. It’s a spectacular show of color when mixed with the blooming tulips and other plants during Dallas Blooms Spring Festival now through April 10.
Mudbug season. Generally, crawfish season begins in late February and is at its peak in March, April, and May. The little town of Fannett, just off I-10 southwest of Beaumont, is the unofficial crawfish capital of Texas (Mauriceville is the official crawfish capital of Texas). When it comes to restaurants famous for fresh crawfish boils, Fannett has an embarrassment of riches with JuJu’s Cajun Crawfish Shak, Fannett Seafood, Red Tailz Crawfish, and Pine Tree Lodge. Pincher’s Boil’n Pot Restaurant in El Campo raises its own mudbugs, and the season for fresh crawfish runs from January to August.
Don’t bug me. If you suffer from entomophobia (the fear of insects), then the exhibit at the Fort Worth Botanical Garden, March 11-June 12, might disturb your sleep for several nights. David Rogers’ Big Bugs uses all-natural materials to create whimsical sculptures of buglike creatures. Maybe these larger-than-life insects will alleviate your fears of our beneficial neighbors. Or maybe just entertain you.
Kudos. At this year’s Texas Historical Commission annual conference, Texas Dance Hall Preservation was presented with the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation. Founded in 2007 by Texas music historian and entrepreneur Stephen Dean, historical preservation professional Steph McDougal, and structural engineer and preservationist Patrick Sparks, the nonprofit organization works to save and support old dance halls. So far the group has documented more than 60 historic structures where Texas music was born and nurtured.
Other March Events:
Mrs. Lee’s Estate Daffodil Garden
March 1-15, Gladewater, www.texasforesttrail.com/plan-your-adventure
“Aliento a Tequila”
March 1-16, Temple, www.templeparks.com
“Texas as Art”
March 1-April 2, Alpine, www.museumofthebigbend.com
Antique Carousel Rides
March 1-Oct. 31, Brenham, visitbrenhamtexas.com
Historic Gruene’s Texas Independence Day Celebration
March 2, Gruene, www.gruenetexas.com
Sam Houston’s Birthday and Texas Independence Day Celebration
March 2, Huntsville, www.huntsvilletexas.com
Dinosaur World Live
March 3, Cedar Park, www.hebcenter.com
Matagorda County Fair and Livestock Show
March 3-5, Bay City, www.matagordacountyfair.com
BuzzFest
March 3-5, Bee Cave, www.beecavebuzzfest.com
Oysterfest
March 3-6, Fulton, www.fultonoysterfest.org
Friday Afternoon Club at Gruene Hall
March 4, Gruene, www.gruenetexas.com
Mountainfilm on Tour
March 4, San Antonio, www.sariverfound.org
North Texas Irish Festival
March 4-5, Dallas, www.ntif.org
Texas Birthday Bash
March 4-5, Navasota, www.texasbirthdaybash.com
“Music IS the Scene: Jazz Fest’s First Decade, 1970-1979”
March 4-May 27, New Orleans, LA, library.tulane.edu/locations/tusc/exhibitions
Fresh Farmers and Artisan Market
March 5, Bellville, www.discoverbellville.com
Fort Clark Day
March 5, Brackettville, www.fortclarkdays.org
Texas History Celebration
March 5, Brazoria, www.brazoriahf.org
Spring Bison Field Harvest
March 5, Fredericksburg, roamranch.com
Georgetown Swirl
March 5, Georgetown, swirl.georgetown.org
Dallas Blues Festival
March 5, Grand Prairie, www.texastrustcutheatre.com
Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta
March 5, Houston, www.buffalobayou.org
Kerr County Market Days and Hill Country Swap Meet
March 5, Kerrville, www.kerrmarketdays.org
Abner Jackson Plantation Site Tour
March 5, Lake Jackson, www.ljhistory.org
Texas Independence Day Celebration
March 5, Luckenbach, www.luckenbachtexas.com
County Courthouse Tours
March 5, Wharton, www.whartonchamber.com
Guided Morning Tours
March 5, 12, 19, 26, Wimberley, hayscountytx.com
Audubon Raptor and Education Center Tours
March 5, 26, Houston, www.houstonaudubon.org/
Sherwood Forest Faire
March 5-April 24, McDade, www.sherwoodforestfaire.com
Best Little Cowboy Gathering
March 10-12, La Grange, www.facebook.com/thebestlittlecowboygatheringintexas
Texas Storytelling Festival
March 10-13, Denton, www.tejasstorytelling.com
Texas Steel Guitar Association Jamboree
March 10-13, Irving, www.texassteelguitar.org
Tyler County Dogwood Festival
March 10-April 2, Woodville, www.tylercountydogwoodfestival.org
Concerts by the River
March 11, Kerrville, www.kerrvilletx.gov/1582/Concerts-By-The-River
Llano Earth Art Fest
March 11-13, Llano, www.llanoearthartfest.org
Margarita Madness
March 11-April 5, Port Aransas, www.visitportaransas.com
Texas Ranger Day
March 12, Burton, www.burtonheritagesociety.org
Pride of the Pacific Living History Reenactment
March 12, Fredericksburg, www.pacificwarmuseum.org
History Boat Tour
March 12, Houston, www.buffalobayou.org
Rajun’ Cajun Throwdown
March 12, Luling, www.lulingmainstreet.com
Living History Event
March 12, New Braunfels, www.texashandmadefurniture.com/livinghistory
Black History River Cruise
March 12, San Antonio, saaacam.org/event/black-history-river-tour-2
Museum Market
March 12, San Antonio, www.samuseum.org
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 12, Surfside Beach, www.beachblarney.com
Dallas Literary Festival
March 12-22, Dallas, www.dallasliteraryfestival.org
“Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher”
March 13-Sept. 5, Houston, www.mfah.org
White Oak School Spring Break Week
March 14-19, Fredericksburg, www.historicschools.org
Azalea Season in Texas’ Largest Azalea Garden
March 15-April 15, Nacogdoches, www.visitnacogdoches.org/nacogdoches-azalea-trail
Free Third Thursdays
March 17, Corpus Christi, www.artmuseumofsouthtexas.org
Come and Taste It
March 17, Gruene, www.grapevineingruene.com
Antiques Show
March 17-April 3, Round Top, www.exploreroundtop.com/antiques
Herb Society of America: Pioneer Unit Plant and Gift Sale
March 18-19, Round Top, www.herbsocietypioneer.org/events
Ceramic Expo and Handcrafted Items
March 18-19, Tolar, www.westceramicshow.com
Trade Days
March 18-20, Fredericksburg, www.fbgtradedays.com
Tulipalooza
March 18-27, Waxahachie, www.tulipalooza.org
Dogwood Celebration
March 18-April 3, Palestine, www.visitpalestine.com/dogwood
Bluebonnet Airshow
March 19, Burnet, www.bluebonnetairshow.com
Mud Dauber Festival and Chili Cook-off
March 19, Luckenbach, www.luckenbachtexas.com
Fredericksburg Cheese and Wine Festival
March 19, Fredericksburg, bestoftexas.ticketbud.com/fredericksburg-cheese-and-wine-festival-bc22fb8f2a7a
Dogwood Trails Festival
March 19, Palestine, www.visitpalestine.com/dogwood
Texas Food Truck Showdown
March 19, Waco, www.thetexasfoodtruckshowdown.com
Market Day at Varner-Hogg Plantation
March 19, West Columbia, www.visitvarnerhoggplantation.com
Old Gruene Market Days
March 19-20, Gruene, www.gruenemarketdays.com
Celtic Festival and Highland Games
March 19-20, Sherman, www.shermancelticfest.com
Lone Star Brass in Concert
March 20, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgmusicclub.com
Eastside Market
March 20, Waco, www.eastsidemarketwtx.com
Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival
March 24-26, Palestine, oldpalmusic.com
Outlaws and Legends Music Fest
March 25-26, Abilene, www.outlawsandlegends.com
Texas Pinball Festival
March 25-27, Frisco, texaspinball.com/tpf
La Bahia Antique Show
March 25-April 2, Burton, www.labahiaantiques.com
Hill Country Indian Artifact Show
March 26, Fredericksburg, www.hillcountryindianartifacts.com
Herb Festival at the Wynne Home
March 26, Huntsville, www.texasthymeunit.org
Texas Onion Fest
March 26, Weslaco, www.weslaco.com/event-information
Red River Wine & Beer Festival
March 26, Wichita Falls, www.redriverwineandbeerfestival.com
Living History Weekend
March 26-27, College Station, www.americangimuseum.org
Goliad Massacre and Living History Program
March 26-27, Goliad, presidiolabahia.org/upcoming-events-1
Wildflower Arts and Crafts Festival
March 26-27, Salado, www.salado.com
“Lonesome Dove”
March 26-June 25, Temple, www.templeparks.com
Night of the Artist Show and Sale
March 27-May 8, San Antonio, www.briscoemuseum.org/noa
Texas Hill Country Wineries’ Wine and Wildflower Journey
March 28-April 22, Fredericksburg, www.texaswinetrail.com
Fiesta San Antonio
March 31-April 10, San Antonio, www.fiestasanantonio.org
In search of more travel ideas and info? Visit our Out of Town listings.
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 and follow him on Facebook.
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, April 2, 2024
Gerald E. McLeod, March 2, 2024
April 19, 2024
April 12, 2024
Day Trips, Llano, rock stacking, Llano Earth Art Festival, M.C. Escher, Houston, Texas Tulips, Sweet Berry Farms, Denton, Burnet, Dallas Arboretum, crawfish, Fort Worth Botanical Garden, Texas Historical Commission, Texas Dance Hall Preservation
