The top events to attend this year start with music carry through with barbeque and beads. We’ve got five of the most attended events in Texas ranging from SXSW to the Poteet Strawberry Festival for a year of fun-filled entertainment options. Find out what else you’ll want to add to your agenda whether you live in Texas or want to visit for the holidays.
South By Southwest (SXSW)
Every March Texas transforms into the world’s stage with one of the biggest creative arts celebrations at South By Southwest or SXSW. Yes, SXSW Music is a concert festival showcasing the coolest new talents across all genres and from all continents. However, it is also SXSW Interactive, SXSW Film, and SXSW EDU along with a host of exhibits, parties, and experiences. Artists in music, film, comedy, and food all attract more than 30,000 attendees in three different events. The events take place throughout Austin, Texas for a span of 10 days each March.
Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas
Hosted every year in Galveston, Texas, Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas is 12 days of partying like a rockstar prior to Lent. Here you have Port Arthur, a hot spot for the Gulf Coast where outdoor recreation adds to the excitement. During Mardi Gras, the stages come alive with a whole range of musical influences. This includes blues, Cajun, Zydeco, pop, jazz, R&B, rock, and rockabilly represented in the festival circuit.
Of course, you also get a chance to indulge in the Cajun and southern cuisine or even participate in the carnival. Games, parades, and shopping for Mardi Gras souvenirs without the bigger crowds of neighboring New Orleans is one of the reasons why 60,000 attend Mardi Gras of Southeast Texas.
Poteet Strawberry Festival
The Poteet Strawberry Festival is held every year in April as it has been since 1948. This festival brings together the earliest flavors of spring along with 100,000 visitors. The strawberries are front and center as the crop is part of the pickings. The Taste of Texas Food Show is where everyone pitches their best strawberry dish. There’s also a strawberry auction and parade during the event so plan accordingly for this three-day event.
Texas SandFest
The Texas SandFest held in Port Aransas, Texas is the nation’s largest native-sand sculpture competition. During this three-day family-friendly event, world-famous sand sculptures come out to show off their skills. As a visitor to Mustang Island for SandFest, live music along with shopping and food is readily available. Bring your totes to carry away the souvenirs, jewelry, and crafts at this event held at the end of each April since 1997.
Bedford Blues Festival
The Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival is a huge barbeque and blues spectacle attracting 20,000-plus attendees every year. The event is all about that authentic Southern-style Texas BBQ flavor so bring your appetite. Hosted sometime in August or September, this is a three-day event that rounds out the end of the summer season in Texas. Hang out with the top BBQ chefs as they smoke up some delicious meats as blues music hums in the air. The Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival is presented by the City of Bedford.
Which events will you be attending in Texas this year?