Texas Festivals and Events
The rodeos, music festivals, fairs and parades that come back every year.
The Texas calendar runs on rodeos and festivals. From January to March, the Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston stock shows and rodeos follow one another, mixing livestock competitions and bull riding with big-name concerts. Spring is festival season, with SXSW filling Austin in March and Fiesta taking over San Antonio in April. Summer is slower inland but busy on the coast.
Fall brings the biggest crowds of all: the State Fair of Texas runs for more than three weeks at Fair Park in Dallas, Austin City Limits brings two weekends of music to Zilker Park, and German heritage festivals fill Fredericksburg and New Braunfels. December ends the year with Dickens on The Strand in Galveston and holiday lights along the San Antonio River Walk.
Annual Festivals and Events
A long-running stock show with rodeo performances and a western parade downtown.
Rodeo, concerts, livestock shows and a carnival at the Freeman Coliseum grounds.
Parades, balls and street parties in the Strand district, one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the state.
The world's largest livestock show and rodeo, with nightly concerts in NRG Stadium.
South by Southwest, a conference and festival of music, film and technology across downtown venues.
More than a week of parades, including a river parade, plus street parties and food.
Readings, parades and events in the city where the end of slavery in Texas was announced in 1865.
More than three weeks of fried food, livestock, concerts and Big Tex, plus the Texas-Oklahoma football game.
A large outdoor music festival with several stages over two weekends.
German music, beer and food on the town square, the Marktplatz.
The American round of the Formula 1 world championship, with concerts on race weekend.
Ten days of sausage, polka bands and German heritage on the banks of the Comal River.
A Victorian holiday street festival with costumed performers and parades in the Strand district.
Dates move from year to year — confirm on the organizer’s site before you plan around an event.
Official Event Calendars
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Get free trip quotes »Texas Events — FAQ
When is rodeo season in Texas?
The big stock shows and rodeos run from January through March: Fort Worth first, then San Antonio, then Houston. Book lodging early in Houston during the rodeo.
How long does the State Fair of Texas last?
Usually a little over three weeks, from late September into late October, at Fair Park in Dallas. Weekends and the weekend of the Texas-Oklahoma game are the busiest.