on location: west ❖
melinda hughey
Top Texas
&EvEnts FEstIvALs
From food fests to Western lore, each of the state’s travel regions boasts a jam-packed calendar of annual celebrations
Christmas festivities take center stage during the popular Fiesta de las Luminarias, a San Antonio tradition.
San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau
I
t’s been said that “everything’s bigger in Texas.” Even the state’s tourism slogan likens the Lone Star State to “a whole other country.” Granted, it is as big as some other countries and this largesse is not limited to land mass. It also extends to the overwhelming “to do” list of Texas events and festivals, which average in excess of 3,350 throughout the year. With the state divided into seven travel regions, ferreting out the “best-ofthe-best” is a daunting task and a subjective one. To be sure, fairs, rodeos and roundups still reign supreme in this, the 40 April 2010
capital of all things Western-flavored. But wandering off the traditional path can yield some delightful, off-beat and well-attended surprises, like the Great Texas Mosquito Festival staged every July in Clute, the Watermelon Thump each June in Luling, the World’s Largest Rattlesnake Roundup every March in Sweetwater and Marshall’s famous Fire Ant Festival in October. Broken down another way, Texas events celebrate everything from cultural heritage (with festivals devoted to Czech, German, Irish and Scottish traditions, not to mention major Cinco de
Mayo celebrations) to cuisine (seafood on the Gulf Coast, the Chili Super Bowl in Buffalo Gap). Sports star in longstanding mainstream events like football bowl games (think Cotton and Sun) to more specialty genres, such as the Great Texas Balloon Race in Longview or the Hotter ‘n Hell Hundred Bicycle Event in Wichita Falls. Several major NASCAR and Indy Car events heat up the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, while the PGA tour swings through Texas each May. Music and drama certainly aren’t overlooked, with some events so longLeisureGroupTravel.com