APRIL FESTIVALS

MARBLE FALLS, BURNET, LAKE TRAVIS LLANO, BUCHANAN DAM, KINGSLAND and LAMPASAS

Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail

Late march and early April Highland lakes Tourist Association, P.O. Box 1967, Austin 78767, 512-478-9085 Admission: free; fees for some activities

The Bluebonnet, the official state flower of Texas, blooms in late March and early April. Several towns in the Hill Country along the Colorado River, where bluebonnets grow in abundance, have festivals and arts and crafts fairs during the flowering period.

BURNET

Burnet Bluebonnet Festival

Second weekend in April Burnet Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Drawer m, Burnet 78611, 512-756-4297 Admission: Free Burnet’s salute to the sate flower features a parade, dances, arts and crafts, food booths, 5K and 10K runs, and a 25 mile bike race through the country side. there’s also a bluebonnet and wildflower arrangement contest and a flower photography contest. Other entertainment includes the Fort Hood Army Band and other live music snake handlers, a domino tournament, a fly-in at the airport, a carnival and a beauty pageant.

KINGSLAND

Bluebonnet Festival First weekend in April Kingsland/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce, P.O. box 465, Kingsland 78639, 915-388-6211 Admission: Free, but charges for food, etc.

Kingsland’s activities include a 10K volksmarch, bluebonnet trails, bicycle tour, bicycle rode, music, children’s games, chili cook-off, horseshoe pitching, arts and crafts, washer pitching contest, martial arts exhibition and barbecue dinner.

LLANO

Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail Second and Third weekends in April Llano Chamber of Commerce, 700 Bessemer, Llano, 78643, 915-247-5354

Llano has been celebrating the bluebonnet spring show for 25 years. besides bluebonnet tours, Llano has an old time fiddler’s contest, food booths, and an arts and crafts fair.

LAMPASAS

Bluebonnet Fair First Saturday in April Lampasas County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 627, Lampasas 76550, 512-556-5172 Admission: Free

The Bluebonnet Fair features a fish fry, antique car show, live music, food booths, a bike and tricycle decorating contest, and an arts and crafts fair.

ALVIN

Rice and Crawfish First Saturday in April Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 2028, Alvin 77512, 713-585-8662 Admission: Free

The low, flat, easy to flood land of Alvin is ideal for both rice and crawfish farming. the festival includes a gumbo cook-off, an arts and crafts exhibit, a crawfish dinner, and live music. You’ll also find children’s games, dancing, horseshoe pitching, a dunking booth, and food booths.

BAY CITY

Heritage Day First Saturday in April Bay City Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 768, Bay City 77414, 409-245-8333 Admission: Free

Bay City greets spring with activities at the town square and old railroad depot. They have a mini-parade, historic crafts demonstrations, food booths, and live entertainment all day.

Demonstrations include butter churning, fling knapping, square dancers, cloggers, and ballet. Also a pie eating contest, carriage rides, a wildflower exhibit, and kids games.

HARLINGEN

Riofest First or second weekend in April Harlingen Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 189, Harlingen 78551, 512-423-5440 Admission: $2.00

Riofest celebrates the arts and the ethnic diversity of Harlingen’s community on the border with Mexico.

Arts and crafts, music and food abound in this event. You’ll see all kinds of arts and crafts demonstrations, and hear a variety of ethnic music representing all types of Texans - German, Mexican, Scottish ,and others.

Held in Harlingen’s Fair Park, the festival features several craft and entertainment areas. You may also hear lectures on various topics ranging from bird rescue to Mayan culture, and attend workshops in such folk arts as pottery, basketweaving and silk screening. there’s a kid’s area with games, face painting and the works.

Other events include a chili cook-off, a bicycle race, and 5K and 10K runs.

ROUND TOP/WINDEDALE

Windeale Spring Festival and Texas Crafts Exhibition First weekend in April Winedale Historical Center, box 11, round Top 78954, 409-278-3530 Admission: #2.00 adult; 50 cents students

Some of Texas’ leading contemporary artists show their work at Winedale in a juried crafts show. You’ll find wood workers, potters, basketweavers, jewelry makers, metal workers and others, all in the quiet, green setting of Winedale’s restored pioneer building complex.

While touring the buildings, you can watch demonstrations of crafts such as spinning and weaving, soapmaking, fireplace cooking, corn shucking and rawhide chair making.

Other events include a German play, hands on pottery demonstrations, dinner, and music performances. There’s a dance, folk, jazz and classical music performances, and an outdoor dinner.

While you’re in the area, you could visit nearby Round Top, where the Square Fair and Antique Fair are going on.

POTEET

Poteet Strawberry Festival Second weekend in April (depends on Easter) Poteet Strawberry Festival Association, Box 227, 78065, 512-742-8144 Admission: yes; covers all activities except food.

A short drive south from San Antonio lies the Strawberry Capital of Texas - Poteet. Its annual festival attracts 90,000 visitors to sample the luscious crop. Activities include a parade, a dance, strawberry judging and auction, a fiddler’s contest, an arts and crafts fair, a rodeo, and a carnival.

Six large stages feature continuous entertainment, including music, ethnic dancing and clowns. food booths sell strawberry ice cream, Poteet Strawberry Festival Wine, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, and strawberry parfait.

BELLVILLE

Country Livin’ Festival Second weekend in April Bellville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 670, Bellville 77418, 409-865-3407 Admission: Free

Bellville attracts about 13,000 people with this spring festival, which includes a dance, self guided bluebonnet trails, antique show, craft demonstrations and horseshoe tournament. there’s also a hayride, an arts and crafts fair, tours of county jail museum, Little Mr. and Miss bluebonnet pageant, a biergarten, a stage show, and food booths.

FREER

Rattlesnake Round-Up Mid-April Freer Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 717, Freer 78537, 512-394-6891 Admission: $2.00 for adults

This began in 1965 as the Freer Oil-O-Rama with oil field equipment displays, airshow and beauty pageant. Back in those days, oil field crews often met face to face with rattlesnakes, which made their work dangerous, not to mention unpleasant. so they began having snake catching contests during Oil-O-Rama. Eventually the snake hunting became so popular it dominated the festival and inspired the new name.

PORTLAND

Portland Pioneer Days Mid-April (depends on Easter) Portland Chamber of Commerce, P.O. box 388, Portland 78374, 512-643-2475 Admission: Free

Pioneer Days host a crowd of about 25,000 people who come for the parade, outdoor music, a street dance, games arts and crafts, and food booths. There’s also a fajita cook off, a style show, a pageant, a golf tournament, a carnival, and an auction.

SMITHVILLE

Smithville Jamboree Weekend after Easter Smithville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 716, Smithville 78957, 512-237-2313 Admission: $5.00 for adults; includes dances

The Jamboree features two downtown parades, dances at night, an arts and crafts fair, a fireworks display, and horse shoe and washer pitch tournaments. They usually have a day when senior citizens get free admission.

The festivities take place at Crockett River Bend Park on the Colorado River just outside Smithville. there’s plenty of food for sale, so bring your folding chair, picnic basket, and enjoy.

BEAUMONT

Neches River Festival Week after Easter Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 3827, Beaumont 77704, 409-880-3749 or 1-800-392-4401 Admission: Free

This festival celebrates both the Neches River and the school students of Beaumont, with many activities centering around educational accomplishments.

The second weekend of the festival is probably the best for visitors with its downtown parade, boat show, and chili cook-off. You’ll also find a costume contest, a bicycle race, a flower show, a flotilla, and an arts and crafts show. There’s plenty of music and other entertainment. many festival activities are at the city’s Riverfront Park.

BURTON

Cotton Gin Festival Third weekend in April Operation Restoration Inc., P.O. Box 132, Burton 77835, 409-289-5102 Admission: $2.00 per adult

The Burton Farmer’s Gin is one of the few remaining complete cotton gin and mill complexes in the United States. that is, it contains cotton gin technology from the beginning of ginning up to 1974. Plans are in the works to make the gin a national museum, in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution.

The festival raises money for restoration of the buildings, as well as celebrating Burton’s heritage. there’s plenty of live entertainment both Saturday and Sunday, including contemporary and country and western bands, folk music and vocalists.

Other activities include a parade, a fireworks display, a sausage cook-off, ice cream and pie eating contests, farm equipment displays, an arts and crafts fair, food booths, and a carnival.

DRIPPING SPRINGS

Founders Day and Chicken Cook-Off Third weekend in April Dripping Springs Founders Day, P.O. Box 578, Dripping Springs 78620, 512-858-4740 Admission: Free

This celebration includes a parade, a chicken cook-off, a street dance, arts and crafts, contests, live music, a fiddler’s contest, horseshoe and washer pitch contests, and a car show.

HUNTSVILLE

General Sam Houston Folklife Festival Third weekend in April Huntsville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 538, Huntsville 77342, 1-800-289-0389 Admission: $5.00 per adult

Dozens of civic groups in the Huntsville area work together to honor General Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas, and to celebrate the state’s folklife heritage.

The festival takes place on the grounds of the Sam Houston memorial museum, where Houston built his home, and in Pritchett Field, on the campus of Sam Houston State university, next to the museum grounds.

As many as 16,000 people may attend over three days. The festival showcases different parts of Texas’ ethnic culture, including Indian, German, Hispanic, Irish, African-American, Polish, Scottish and others. In each area, you can sample ethnic food, hear music, and observe folk art demonstrations.

You’ll experience a variety of other entertainment on the wooded grounds of the museum, including music, storytellers, dancing, singing and dramatic performances. You may see people dressed as historic figures who knew Houston. You can visit the museum, see Sam Houston’s home and eat plenty of good food.

MAURICEVILLE

Crawfish Festival Third weekend in April Crawfish Festival Committee, P.O. Box 683, Mauriceville, 77626, 409-745-3777 Admission: $2.00 per adult

Crawfish farming is a new industry in Texas, started in the early 1980s. Of course, people in Southeast Texas have been eating crawfish Cajun-style for a long time.

The Crawfish Festival includes a parade, a dance, a crawfish eating contest, a crawfish cooking contest, a crawfish calling contest, an arts and crafts fair, and music.

SOMERVILLE

Spring Festival Third Weekend in April Somerville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 352, Somerville 77879, 409-596-2383 Admission: $ 2.00 per car entrance fee to state park

The boat parade visible from Welch park at lake Somerville makes this festival unique. Decorated boats of all shapes and sizes plow the waves between the mainland and an island. There’s also a dance at night, a variety of games, food booths, horseshoe pitching, a chili cook-off, an arts and crafts fair, live entertainment, and bingo.

KIRBYVILLE

Magnolia Festival Third Weekend in April Kirbyville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 417, Kirbyville, 75956, 409-423-5827 Admission: Free

The tallest Pyramid Magnolia in the United States grows near Kirbyville, at the edge of Newton County. In Texas, this small version of magnolia grows naturally only in Newton and Jasper counties, in the eastern part of the Big Thicket.

This tree on private property has a circumference of 76 inches, a height of 57 feet and a crown spread of 37 feet, said Ron Dosser of the Texas Forest Service.

The largest Southern Magnolia in Texas is in the next county, just outside of Jasper. This giant tree has a trunk circumference of 194 inches, is 112 feet tall, and has a 45 foot crown. It grows on property owned by the Louisiana-Pacific Timber Company.

The Festival honoring this tree with the fragrant flowers features a parade, a dance, contests, an arts and crafts fair, live entertainment, a pancake breakfast, a 5k run and walk, food booths, and a carnival.

WEST COLUMBIA

San Jacinto Festival Third Weekend in April West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 837, West Columbia 77486, 409-345-3921 Admission: Free

This festival pays tribute to the Texan victory over the Mexican Army at San Jacinto in 1836, when Texas won its independence from Mexico. West Columbia became the first official capital of the Republic of Texas and the meeting place of the Columbia Congress, which elected Sam Houston president and signed the constitution.

The festival includes historical tours, the Belle of the Brazos pageant, a volleyball tournament, helicopter rides, a parade, a dance, contests, arts and crafts, entertainment, and food booths.

MONTGOMERY

Trek and Trades Third week in April West Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1, Montgomery 77356, 409-597-4155 Admission: Free, except for homes tour

They’ve been holding the Trek, a tour of historic homes, since 1954 in Montgomery. The Trades part of the festival includes a parade, an arts and crafts fair, food booths, country cooking, and a variety of entertainment.

SNOOK

Snookfest Third Saturday IN April Snookfest, P.O. Box 10, Snook 77878, call City Hall at 409-272-3021 Admission: Free

Snookfest features a parade at 10 a.m., antique farm equipment exhibits, an arts and crafts fair, games, and horseshoe, washer, and domino tournaments.

You can hear Czech and country music in the park all day while you sample some of the Mexican, Czech and other foods for sale. A children’s barnyard and an evening dance at the fire station complete the schedule.

CRYSTAL BEACH

Texas Crab Festival Last weekend in April Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1170, Crystal Beach 77650, 409-684-5940 Admission: small parking fee

Bring a folding chair to this beach festival, where you can see a crab cook-off and a sandcastle building contest. They also have crab races, the crab legs contest, live entertainment by area bands, food booths, arts and crafts, carnival rides, seafood and a variety of beach games.

HALLETSVILLE

Texas State Championship Fiddler’s Frolics Fourth weekend in April Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 313, Hallettsville 77964, 512-798-2662, or Knights of Columbus hall, 798-2311 Admission: $5.00

LA PORTE

Sylvan Beach Festival Last Saturday in April La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 996, La Porte 77572-0996, 713-471-1123 Admission: $1.00 per adult

Since 1956, La Porte Has celebrated its seashore, Sylvan Beach, with this festival that draws about 25,000 people. Events include a parade, dance, live entertainment, music, a chili cook-off and a variety of games. There’s also a Miss Sylvan contest.