https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/travel/2023-10-05/day-trips-and-beyond-october-events-roundup/

Day Trips & Beyond: October Events Roundup

By Gerald E. McLeod, October 5, 2023, 9:00am,

We’ve got news about the October annular eclipse and lots of fun events during the month.

There goes the sun. Darn. I thought the best place to view the annular eclipse would be in my backyard. That may still be true if the hordes of sun watchers descend upon the Hill Country as is predicted, but here in Austin it will only be a partial annular eclipse (93.1%). The “ring of fire” will be less impressive here than it will be in a long swath across Texas to the south and west of the capital city.

The eclipse enters North America over the Oregon coast and cuts a 125-mile-wide path to the Texas coast on Oct. 14. The eclipse enters Texas from New Mexico at 10:16am then exits at Corpus Christi at 11:56am. If you draw a line roughly from the Texas-New Mexico border through Midland-Odessa to Corpus Christi you have the area of the most intense light show.

To see a perfectly symmetrical ring effect at the peak of the event, you should be close to the center line of the eclipse. You will be able to see the moon cover the sun about 60 miles on either side of the line, but it won’t be quite as complete. Some of the towns that will see the longest duration of 4 minutes, 59 seconds or more are Devine, Jourdanton, Natalia, Oakville, Mathis, Portland, Sinton, and Three Rivers. Corpus Christi will see the ring of fire for the longest time in the state beginning at 11:55am and lasting for 5 minutes, 1.2 seconds.

Below in the “Other October Events” section is a list of special happenings related to the annular eclipse. We’ll see you back here for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Remember, you must wear protective eyewear throughout the annular eclipse. Never look directly at the sun.

Traveling with Tom. TexasTimeTravel.com recently added “The Tom Lea Trail” to the Texas Historical Commission’s mobile-device-compatible library of 14 trails and tours around the state. A native son of El Paso, Lea (1907-2001) produced an amazing body of work from post office murals in Odessa, Seymour, and Pleasant Hill, Mo., to writing and illustrating a two-volume history of the King Ranch. After working as a war correspondent for LIFE magazine, he painted The Two-Thousand-Yard Stare (1944), which defined traumatized combatants for the public. Done in conjunction with the Tom Lea Institute, the Tom Lea Trail goes to 13 towns with descriptions of the artist’s connection to each with links, video, and narration.

Travel Notes:

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Slàinte Mhath to Saint Arnold. The Houston-made beer that is only distributed in Texas garnered two gold medals and Brewery of the Year (15,001-100,000 bbls) at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival held last month. Saint Arnold Brewing Company also won the honor in 2017. The gold medals for Lawnmower and Elissa IPA bring to 29 the number of medals the brewery has brought home from Denver. Texas’ oldest craft brewery shipped its first keg in 1994. Texas brewers won a combined total of 19 medals this year at the Olympics of brewing.

Self-guided tours. A little more than an hour south of Austin is San Antonio, one of the coolest cities on the planet. A good place to begin your exploration of the Alamo City is with the new 2023/2024 Official Visitors Guide. The digital version gives all the pertinent information on world-class museums, events, restaurants, and theme parks. It’s almost as good as having a local show you around.

Other October Events:

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RipFest
Oct. 1, Eastland, www.eastlandchamber.com/ripfest

Floore’s Dine and Dance
Oct. 1, 15, Helotes, www.liveatfloores.com

State Fair of Texas
Oct. 1-22, Dallas, www.bigtex.com

Scarecrow Invasion
Oct. 1-31, Comfort, www.comfortchamber.com

Quarter Horse Racing
Oct. 1-Nov.25, Grand Prairie, www.lonestarpark.com

Gruene Music and Wine Festival
Oct. 5-8, Gruene, www.gruenemusicandwinefest.org

Big Bend Bluegrass Festival
Oct. 6-7, Alpine, bigbendbluegrass.com

Conjunto Festival
Oct. 6-7, Los Fresnos, www.narcisomartinezculturalartscenter.org

Port Aransas Days
Oct. 6-7, Port Aransas, www.portaransas.org

Haunted House Aboard USS Lexington
Oct. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Corpus Christi, usslexington.com/haunted-house

Come and Take It
Oct. 6-8, Gonzales, gonzalestexas.com/come-and-take-it

Oktoberfest
Oct. 6-9, Fredericksburg, www.oktoberfestinfbg.com

Fighting: Ukrainian War Photographers
Oct. 6-Nov. 18, Houston, fotofest.org

Pedernales Falls Fest
Oct. 7, Johnson City, www.tpwd.texas.gov

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Fall Public Ranch Tour
Oct. 7, Fredericksburg, roamranch.com

Oktoberfest
Oct. 7, La Grange, www.cityoflg.com/tourism/oktoberfest.php

Pearl Bluegrass Jam
Oct. 7, Gatesville, www.pearlbluegrassjam.org

Sirena’s Creekside Carnaval
Oct. 7, Salado, www.sirenafest.org

OddFest
Oct. 7, Waxahachie, www.oddfestwaxa80.com

Hogg-toberfest
Oct. 7, West Columbia, www.thc.texas.gov

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Sacred Springs Powwow
Oct. 7-8, San Marcos, www.sspowwow.com

Albuquerque Balloon Festival
Oct. 7-15, Albuquerque, N.M., balloonfiesta.com

Texas Renaissance Festival
Oct. 7-Nov. 26, Todd Mission, www.texrenfest.com

Welcome Home Fest
Oct. 12-15, Kerrville, www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org

Lost River Film Fest
Oct. 12-15, San Marcos, www.thelostriverfilmfest.org

Fall Antiques Show
Oct. 12-29, Round Top, www.exploreroundtop.com/antiques-show

Burger Showdown 4.0
Oct. 13, San Antonio, www.eventbrite.com

Living History Days
Oct. 13-14, Albany, www.thc.texas.gov

Annular Solar Eclipse
Oct. 14, statewide, science.nasa.gov (Click here to jump to a list of eclipse events)

The Market at Sawyer Yards
Oct. 14, Houston, sawyerstreetmarket.com

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Fossil Day
Oct. 14, Ladonia, www.cocladonia.org

Folk Fest
Oct. 14, New Braunfels, www.texashandmadefurniture.com

Bonnie and Clyde Days
Oct. 14, Pilot Point, www.bonnieandclydedays.org

International Festival
Oct. 14, Plano, www.planointernationalfestival.org

Scarecrow Festival
Oct. 14-15, Chappell Hill, www.chappellhillhistoricalsociety.com

Greek Festival
Oct. 14-15, Galveston, www.galvestongreekfestival.com

Blueberry Plant Sale
Oct. 14-15, Edom, www.blueberryhillfarms.com

Edom Art Festival
Oct. 14-15, Edom, visitedom.com/art-festival

Chalk Festival
Oct. 14-15, Kerrville, www.kerrvillechalk.org

American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection
Oct. 14-Jan. 7, 2024, San Antonio, www.samuseum.org

Texas Archaeology Month Fair
Oct. 15, Austin, www.thc.texas.gov

Rastrelli Cello Quartet in Concert
Oct. 15, Fredericksburg, www.fredericksburgmusicclub.com

South Texas Symphonic Orchestra Free Concert
Oct. 15, San Antonio, www.eventbrite.com

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Rembrandt to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the Armand Hammer Collection
Oct. 15-Jan. 21, Houston, www.mfah.org

Texas Rose Festival
Oct. 18-21, Tyler, www.texasrosefestival.com

Bandera Beerfest
Oct. 19-22, Bandera, www.banderabrewery.com/banderabeerfest

Texas Bigfoot Conference
Oct. 20-21, Jefferson, visitjeffersontexas.com/bigfoot-in-jefferson

Día de los Muertos Celebration
Oct. 20-21, San Angelo, www.sanangelohispanicheritage.org

Corpus Christi Jazz Fest
Oct. 20-22, Corpus Christi, www.texasjazz-fest.org

Davis Mountains Preserve Open Days
Oct. 20-22, Fort Davis, www.nature.org

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Wooden Boat Festival
Oct. 20-22, Port Aransas, portaransasmuseum.org

La Bahia Fall Antiques Show
Oct. 20-28, Burton, www.labahiaantiques.com

Music at the Cave: The Haunted Show
Oct. 21, Boerne, www.banderacowboycapital.com

NDR Soap Box Derby Rally
Oct. 21, Hockley, www.ghsbd.org

History Boat Tour
Oct. 21, Houston, buffalobayou.org

Taste Highland Lakes Food and Wine Festival
Oct. 21, Kingsland, www.kingslandchamber.org

Bird Banding
Oct. 21, Lake Jackson, www.gcbo.org

Las Cruces Air and Space Expo
Oct. 21, Las Cruces, N.M., www.visitlascruces.com

Best Little Brewfest
Oct. 21, Lewisville, www.bestlittlebrewfestintexas.com

International Observe the Moon Night
Oct. 21, Needville, my.hmns.org

Food and Wine Festival
Oct. 21, Plano, www.planofoodandwinefestival.com

SA Beer Festival
Oct. 21, San Antonio, sanantoniobeerfestival.com

Water Lantern Festival
Oct. 21, San Antonio, www.waterlanternfestival.com/sanantonio.php

Food and Wine Festival
Oct. 21-22, El Paso, www.elpasowinefest.com

Fall Train Show
Oct. 21-22, New Braunfels, www.newbraunfelsrailroadmuseum.org

Living History Weekend
Oct. 21-22, Washington-on-the-Brazos, www.thc.texas.gov

Spook-Track-Ula
Oct. 21-22, 28-29, San Antonio, www.txtransportationmuseum.org

Glass in Flight
Oct. 21-April 19, Houston, www.hbg.org

Dachshund Races
Oct. 22, New Braunfels, www.krausescafe.com

Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival
Oct. 26-29, San Antonio, www.culinariasa.org/tasting-texas

Moonlight in the Gardens
Oct. 27, Corpus Christi, www.stxbot.org

Island Oktoberfest
Oct., 27-28, Galveston, www.galvestonoktoberfest.com

Arkansas Scottish Festival
Oct. 27-29, Batesville, Ark., www.arscottishfest.com

Fossilmania
Oct. 27-29, Glen Rose, www.dallaspaleo.org/fossilmania

Texas Fleece and Fiber Festival
Oct. 27-29, Kerrville, www.texasfleeceandfiber.com

Haunted Harbor Tours
Oct. 27-31, Galveston, www.galvestonhistory.org

Golden Sweet Potato Festival
Oct. 28, Alba, www.goldensweetpotatofestival.org

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Día de los Muertos Festival
Oct. 28, Corpus Christi, www.diadelosmuertoscc.com

Hogeye Festival
Oct. 28, Elgin, www.elgintexas.gov

Llano River Pumpkin Float
Oct. 28, Llano, www.facebook.com/llanoriverpumpkinfloat

Fall Arts and Wine Festival
Oct. 28, Mason, www.masontxcoc.com

Día de Los Muertos Festival
Oct. 28, New Braunfels, www.chamberinnewbraunfels.com/dia-de-los-muertos

Día de los Muertos Celebrando Las Misiones
Oct. 28, San Antonio, www.missionmarquee.com

Texas Country Reporter Festival
Oct. 28, Waxahachie, texascountryreporter.com/festival

Texas Clay Festival
Oct. 28-29, Gruene, www.texasclayfestival.com

Orange Seal Kerrville Mountain Bike Festival
Oct. 28-29, Kerrville, kerrvillemountainbikefestival.com

Shumla Treks
Oct. 28-29, Comstock, shumla.org/shumlatreks

Special Annular Eclipse Events:

Annular Solar Eclipse Experience
Oct. 13-14, Boerne, www.cavewithoutaname.com

Texclipse Pre-Party
Oct. 13-14, Junction, www.texclipsemusicfestival.com

Utopia Festival
Oct. 13-14, Utopia, www.eclipseutopia.com

Annular Eclipse
Oct. 14, Bandera, www.banderacowboycapital.com

Annular Eclipse Viewing
Oct. 14, Buda, budalibrary.libguides.com/eclipse

Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site Solar Viewing and Fall Festival
Oct. 14, Clarendon, www.thc.texas.gov

Annular Eclipse Viewing
Oct. 14, Comfort, www.comforteclipse.com

Annular Eclipse and Fall Star Party
Oct. 14, Fort McKavett, www.thc.texas.gov

Annular Eclipse at Stonehenge II
Oct. 14, Ingram, www.hcaf.com/eclipse-events/eclipse

River Festival and Annular Solar Eclipse
Oct. 14, Kerrville, kerrvilletx.gov

George Observatory Annular Solar Eclipse
Oct. 14, Needville, my.hmns.org

Annular Solar Eclipse Watch Party
Oct. 14, San Antonio, www.thc.texas.gov

Second Saturdays with Steve: Solar Eclipse of February 1831
Oct. 14, San Felipe, tpwd.texas.gov

Annular Solar Eclipse at the Tasting Room
Oct. 14, Stonewall, www.pedernalescellars.com

Sutton County Park Free Concert
Oct. 14, Sonora, www.sonoratexas.org/eclipse

State Parks in Annular Solar Eclipse
Oct. 14, various locations, tpwd.texas.gov

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.