September Festivals in Texas

Above: Hummer/Bird Celebration, Rockport

Abilene

Sept. 8-16. West Texas Fair and Rodeo. Parade, livestock shows, carnival rides, and rodeo displays. Taylor County Expo Center.

Amarillo

Sept. 14. Good Times Barbecue Cookoff. Teams vie for titles in this popular cookoff.

Sept. 15-23. Tri-State Fair. Carnival, food, live music, rodeo, free shows, and dancing. Tri-State Fairgrounds.

Austin

Sept. 2-3. Batfest. Austin’s famous bat colony that resides under the Congress Avenue Bridge is celebrated in this Labor Day weekend event with music, bat education, crafts, and more.

Sept. 15-17. “Austin City Limits” Music Festival. This Texas-sized music festival isn’t cheap but fans love it.

Sept. 30-Oct. 1 Old Pecan Street Fall Festival. Sixth Street is transformed back to Pecan Street for this crafts festival which also includes street music and food.

Bandera

Sept. 1-3. Celebrate Bandera. Bandera celebrates in true cowboy style with everything from arts and crafts to a cattle drive parade downtown.

Belton

Aug. 31-Sept. 3. Central Texas State Fair. Family entertainment, Little Miss/Mr. contest, educational displays, car show, bull riding. ?Bell County Expo Center.

Big Spring

Sept. 27-30. Howard County Fair. Live entertainment, dancing, food booths, "battle of the cheerleaders." Howard County Fairgrounds.

Boerne

Sept. 1-3. 101st Annual Kendall County Fair.

Brady

Aug. 31-Sept. 2. World Championship Barbecue Goat Cook-Off. Cabrito is the centerpiece of this barbecue festival which also includes an arts and crafts fair and a street dance.

Brenham

Sept. 20-23. Washington County Fair. This event features a livestock show and rodeo, arts and crafts, food, a carnival, and even a greased pig contest. County Fairgrounds.

Buffalo Gap

Sept. 1-4. Chili Super Bowl. Yes, this is your chance to taste from the world’s largest bowl of chili.

Canyon

Sept. 30. 132nd Anniversary of the Battle of Palo Duro. Reenactors bring to life this historic battle in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Comanche

Sept. 23-24. 25th Annual Comanche County Powwow. Art shows, antique tractor and car shows, crafts, food booths. City Park.

Corpus Christi

Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Bayfest. Festival by the water, boat races, fireworks, parade, live entertainment.

Dallas

Sept. 29-Oct. 22. State Fair of Texas. This is the biggest state festival in the country, now in its 120th year.

El Paso

Sept. 1-4. Fiesta de las Flores. Live mariachi performances, folklorico dancers. Washington Park. Labor Day weekend

Sept. 2. Chamizal Festival. Craft demonstrations, music, kids' activities, dancing. Chamizal National Memorial.

Gatesville

Sept. 16. Spurfest Celebration. Gatesville is the Spur Capital of Texas so this festival’s a natural. Look for demonstrations, gunfighters, food and antiques.

Grand Prairie

Sept. 8-10. 44th Annual National Championship Powwow. This expansive show features dancers from across the US as well as crafts, demonstrations, and more. At Traders Village.

Grapevine

Sept. 7-10. Grapefest. This three-day festival honors Grapevine and other vineyards. Events include wine tasting, an antique car show, tours, an auction, arts and crafts, and a children's carnival. Main Street district.

Kerrville

Sept. 1-3. Kerrville Wine and Music Festival. Texas wine and music is celebrated with musicians, arts and crafts, and seminars. Quiet Valley Ranch, 9 mi S on TX 16.

La Grange

Aug. 31- Sept. 3. Fayette County Country Fair. Livestock/poultry show, arts and crafts, live music, food booths. Fayette County Fairgrounds. Labor Day weekend.

Longview

Sept. 12-16. Gregg County Fair and Expo. In operation since 1949, this fair includes a rodeo and music. Gregg County Fairgrounds.

Lubbock

Sept. 7-8. 18th Annual National Cowboy Symposium & Celebration. Cowboy poets and special demonstrations recognize the contributions of the cowboy; the event also includes a Native American powwow with dancing, music, and crafts.

Sept. 7-9. Buddy Holly Music Festival. Live music, food, classic cars, induction ceremony for artists and entertainers connected to Lubbock, street festival. Historic Depot District.

Sept. 22-30 South Plains Fair. Livestock judging, food judging, carnival rides, and more old-fashioned family fun fill this Panhandle festival.

Lufkin

Sept. 20-24. Texas Forest Festival. Southern hushpuppy Olympics, fun run, lumberjack competition. Angelina County Expo Center.

Madisonville

Sep 22-23 Annual Barbecue Cook-Off

Magnolia

Sept. 22-23. Barbecue Cook-Off & Fiddlers Contest. Listen to fiddlers compete as you sample the barbecue at this IBCA-sanctioned cookoff.

Marfa

Sept. 1-3. Marfa Lights Festival. This festival offers live music, arts and crafts, food and drink, a 5K run, and dancing. Vizcaino Park. Labor Day weekend

Mount Pleasant

Sept. 27-30. Titus County Fair. This fair includes art contests, a junior livestock show, live entertainment, and cookoffs. Titus County Fairgrounds.

Nacogdoches

Sept. 16. 22nd Annual Do Dat Barbecue. Check out East Texas style barbecue in this cookoff which includes prizes for beef, pork, and poultry as well as beans.

Plano

Sept. 22-24. Plano Balloon Festival. Arts and crafts fair, entertainment, numerous hot air balloons. Bob Woodruff Park.

Plantersville

Sept. 30-Nov. 19. Texas Renaissance Festival. Return to the days of the Renaissance with this authentic village which features period costumes, food, music, jousting, and more.

Port Arthur

Sept. 16. Mexican Fiesta. Mariachi bands, folklorico dancers, crafts, food booths, kids' activities.

Quanah

Sept. 9. Fall Festival. Arts and crafts, food, music, game booths, seminars, classic car and tractor shows.

Rockport

Sept. 2-3. Fiesta en la Playa. Along with live Tejano bands, this festival includes tamale and jalapeno eating contests, arts and crafts, mariachis, folkorico dancing, and kids' activities. Ski Basin Festival Grounds.

Sept. 14-17. Hummer/Bird Celebration. Bird lovers came to see the annual fall hummingbird migration so loyally that this pilgrimage grew into an annual event. The festival highlights the migration of hummingbirds and other species from throughout the United States on their way through the Coastal Bend to Mexico and Central America. Activities include birding tours, seminars, and an art show. The Coastal Bend Audubon Society together with the neighboring communities of Rockport and Fulton host the four-day event, which is always in early Sept.

Serbin

Sept. 24 Wendish Festival. This unique event celebrates Serbin’s Wendish heritage with blacksmithing demonstrations, Czech music, Wendish Easter Eggs, and more.

South Padre Island

Sept. 2. Fireworks Over the Bay. Fireworks on the bay side of the island..

Taylor

Sep 22-23. SPJST Sixth Annual BBQ Cook-Off.

Temple

Sept. 16-17. Texas Train Festival. Temple’s rich railroad history is showcased in this special event which includes train and model train equipment as well as crafts and food.

Texarkana

Sept. 9-10. 25th Annual Quadrangle Street Festival. This downtown festival features a little bit of everything, from a pet show to crafts.

Tyler

Sept. 21-30. East Texas State Fair. Live entertainment, arts and crafts, exhibits, livestock shows.

West

Sept. 1-3. Westfest. West’s Czech heritage is showcased in this Labor Day weekend event which includes a kolache cookoff, a Polka Mass, lots of live music, and more.