AVINGER ~ HUGHES SPRINGS ~ LINDEN45th Annual Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival APRIL 23 - 25, 2015
lindenwildflowertrails.net(903) 240-1394
avingertxchamber.com(903) 562-1000
hughesspringstxusa.com(903) 639-7519
Each Spring, thousands of varieties of wildflowers bloom in East Texas and the start of the season signals a celebration.
Come enjoy the flowers, plants, art, quilts, food, crafts, exhibits, parades, and entertainment for all ages.
BEAUMONTThe Gusher Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5KMARCH 7, 2015Lamar University Montagne Center(409) 781-2932thegushermarathon.com The Exygon & Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Other distances offered include the Exxpress Mart Half Marathon and the Kinsel Ford 5K. Individual and team options available with both runners and walkers welcome.
South Texas State FairMARCH 26 - APRIL 5, 2015
Ford Park Event Center(409) 832-9991ymbl.org
It’s a good time to have a great time at the 72nd annual South Texas State Fair! The fair features a carnival midway, rodeo, food and merchandise vendors, livestock auction, kids fun zone and more.
Crawfish, Food & Music FestivalMAY 9, 2015
Parkdale Mall(409) 866-2400boyshaven.com
Join us for the 30th annual Crawfish, Food & Music Festival benefiting Boys’ Haven of America. Enjoy crawfish, food, live entertainment, a car show and fun for everyone!
CONROEConcours d’EleganceAPRIL 24-26, 2015
La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa(936) 522-3500concoursoftexas.org
Visitors to theConcours d’Elegance of Texas can look forward to a spectacular gathering of over 200 rare and exotic classic motorcars, sports cars, and racers, all assembled in the glorious lake-side setting of La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa.
CLARKSVILLE3rd Annual Langford Lake BBQ cook-offMAY 16
Langford Lake Camping Grounds(903) 427-2645redrivercoc.com
Non-sanctioned Event with two categories-Brisket and Pork
Ribs. Prize money in both categories. Rules and Registration forms: redrivercoc.com. FOR THE PUBLIC: Serving starts 5 PM, $10 a plate including drink. Live Music.
JACKSONVILLETomato FestJUNE 13, 2015
Downtown, Commerce Street(903) 586-2217jacksonvilletexas.com
Come celebrate our 31st Annual Tomato Fest! This event is free and fun for the entire family! Including many activities,arts & crafts booths, Antique Car Show, entertainment, local farmers, great food and more!
GLADEWATEREast Texas Gusher DaysAPRIL 17-19, 2015
Antique District(903) 845-5501gusher-days.com
Come celebrate the nostalgia of the Oil Boom Days in Gladewater with a Heritage Parade, Chili Cook Off, Car Show, Hip Hop Amusements, Arts & Crafts, Live Musical Entertainment and much much more.
Gladewater Round Up RodeoJUNE 10-13, 2015
Gladewater Rodeo Arena(903) 845-5501gladewaterrodeo.com
Since 1937 Gladewater has featured one of the best known, nationally sanctioned PRCA Rodeos in America. 4 days of old-west style, bronco-bustin’ rodeo.
Gladewater Main Street Art StrollAUGUST 8, 2015
Downtown Gladewater(903) 845-5753gladewatermainstreet.com
Features paintings, sculpture, pottery, drawings, photography, live entertainment and demonstrations in the Antique District.
HUNTSVILLE37th Walker County Fair, Rodeo & Barbeque CookoffAPRIL 3-10
Walker County Fair Grounds(936) 291-8763walkercountyfair.com
Enjoy a barbeque cook-off, Pro Rodeo events, livestock exhibits, a carnival, contests, dances and more at the 37th Annual Fair & Rodeo.
GENERAL SAM HOUSTONFOLK FESTIVALMAY 1-3
Sam Houston Memorial Museum(936) 294-1832Huntsvilletexas.com
Celebrate the life and times of General Sam Houston: festival includes life skill demonstrations, authentic century dress, entertainment and children’s activities.
12th Bi-Annual Airing of the QuiltsMAY 2, 2015
Downtown Courthouse Square(936) 295-8322tallpinesquiltguild.com
The “Airing the Quilts” is held annually the first Saturday in May “On the Square” in historic downtown Huntsville. New & old quilts decorate the courthouse square creating a colorful background for the largest outdoor quilt show & market in Texas.
LONGVIEWAlleyfestMAY 16, 2015
Downtown(903) 237-4000alleyfest.org
AlleyFest is one day packed with fun. Come enjoy Marketplace, Kids Fest, Alley Run, and Music Fest all in downtown Longview, Texas. It’s a day full of activity for the whole family.
T Bone Walker Blues FestivalJUNE 5 - 6, 2015
Maude Cobb Activity Center100 Grand Blvd.(903) 237-1230tbonewalkerbluesfest.com
A 2-day, 2-stage celebration of the legendary bluesman, Aaron “T-Bone” Walker and Blues music.
The event features delta blues and electric blues musicians, food and merchandise vendors. There is an indoor stage and an outdoor stage.
U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships & Great Texas Balloon RaceJULY 21 - 26, 2015
East Texas Regional Airport(903) 237-4000greattexasballoonrace.com
It’s a world class event attracting the very best competitive pilots. On Friday and Saturday Balloon Glows provide an awesome display of color and Live Concerts rock the stage. Food and merchandise vendors will also be there.
Image by Brinda Mandella
WELCOME TO EAST TEXASTHE PLACE WHERE TEXAS BEGINS!
The Texas Forest Trail Region is a 35-county area of East Texas where legendary trails and towns pre-dating the Lone Star State are nestled among towering pines and refreshing lakes, proving that our history and culture come naturally.
Bird, hike, kayak, or camp in our national forests, state parks, and abundant rivers. Explore Texas history from the pre-historic Caddo Indians, to the Texas Revolution, to the boom of oil, railroad, and timber industries at our museums and historic sites. Luxurious bed and breakfasts, historic downtown shops, friendly folks, and restaurants serving uniquely-Texas cuisine await to welcome you to the right side of Texas.
For more information about what to see and do while you’re in the area visit our web site www.TexasForestTrail.com.
plains trail
fortstrailpecos
trail
forest trail
independence trail
tropical trail
lakes trail
brazos trail
hill countr y
trailImage by Rebecca Narramore
March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-31 Nacogdoches,TX:AzaleaTrail•nacogdochesazaleas.com1-8 Palestine,TX:1836ChuckwagonRaces•1836chuckwagonrace.com20-31 Tyler,TX:Azalea&SpringFlowerTrail•visittyler.com/azaleatrail7 Beaumont,TX:TheGusherMarathon•thegushermarathon.com12-14 Orange,TX:CelebrateOrchids!•shangrilagardens.org14-15 Huntsville,TX:RustyChippyVintageHippy&GardenShow•Huntsvilleantiqueshow.com20-22, 27-29Palestine,TX:Love,Sex&theIRS•historictexastheatre.wordpress.com20-22, 27-29Palestine,TX:DogwoodTrailsCelebration•texasdogwoodtrails.com21 Center,Texas,TX:ShelbyCountyGrillFest•shelbycountychamber.com21 Conroe,TX:SoundsofTexasMusicSeries•soundsoftexasmusicseries.com26-31 Beaumont,TX:YMBLSouthTexasStateFair•ymbl.org26-28 Palestine,TX:OldTimeMusic&DulcimerFestival•museumpalestine.org29 Palestine,TX:DogwoodSpecialBrunchTrain•texasstaterr.com
April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Tyler,TX:Azalea&SpringFlowerTrail•visittyler.com/azaleatrail3-5 Palestine,TX:DogwoodTrailsCelebration•texasdogwoodtrails.com3-10 Huntsville,TX:WalkerCountyFair&Rodeo•walkercountyfair.com10-19 Conroe,TX:58thAnnualMontgomeryCountyFair&Rodeo•mcfa.org11 Mineola,TX:Highway80ProgressiveCarCruise•Highway80carcruise.com11 Center,TX:Bloomin’ontheSquare&ButterflyRelease•shelbycountychamber.com18 Orange,TX:Eco-Fest•shangrilagardens.org18 MountVernon,TX:TourdeCypressRideandRun•tourdecypress.com18 Gladewater,TX:EastTexasGusherDays•gusher-days.com23-26 Avinger,HughesSprings&Linden,TX:WildflowerTrailsofTexasFestival24-26 Conroe,TX:Concoursd’EleganceofTexas•concoursoftexas.org24-26 Nacogdoches,TX:OTTMotorcycleRally•ottrally.com24-26 Palestine,TX:SteampunkExpress•texasstaterr.com
May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3 Huntsville,TX:GeneralSamHoustonFolkFestival•Huntsvilletexas.com2 Huntsville,TX:CincoDeMayoCelebration•Huntsvilletexas.com2 Huntsville,TX:AiringoftheQuilts•Huntsvilletexas.com7 Huntsville,TX:WineDownShopSmall•Huntsvilletexas.com9 Conroe,TX:SoundsofTexasMusicSeries•soundsoftexasmusicseries.com9 Beaumont,TX:Crawfish,Food&MusicFestival•boyshaven.com10 Palestine,TX:Mother’sDayBrunchTrain•texasstaterr.com10-31 Center,TX:TheLilyFarm•lilyfarm.com15-16 MountVernon,Texas,TX:PineyWoodsWineTrailFestival•mtvernonwine.com16 Clarksville,TX:3rdannualLangfordLakeBBQcook-off•redrivercoc.com16 Longview,TX:AlleyFest•alleyfest.org28-30 MountPleasant,TX:MountPleasantRodeo•mtpleasanttx.com
June. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-21 Center,TX:TheLilyFarm•lilyfarm.com5-6 Longview,TX:T-BoneWalkerBluesFest•tbonewalkerbluesfest.com6-7 MountPleasant,TX:DawgFest•mtpleasanttx.com6-15 Conroe,TX:SoundsofTexasMusicSeries•soundsoftexasmusicseries.com10-13 Gladewater,TX:GladewaterRoundUpRodeo•gladewaterrodeo.com13 Jacksonville,TX:TomatoFest•jacksonvilletexas.com17-21 Clarksville,TX:GatewayToTexasGet*A*WAYTour•redrivercoc.com21 Palestine,TX:Father’sDayBBQLunchTrain•texasstaterr.com
July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-11 Center,TX:WHAT-A-MelonFestival•shelbycountychamber.com11-12 MountPleasant,TX:QuakeonTownLake•mtpleasanttx.com21-26 Longview,TX:TheGreatTexasBalloonRace•greattexasballoonrace.com23-26,30-31Palestine,TX:MaryPoppins•historictexastheatre.wordpress.com
August. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-2 Palestine,TX:MaryPoppins•historictexastheatre.wordpress.com5-31 Beaumont,TX:September11,2001:ATimeline(exhibit)•firemuseumoftexas.org8 Gladewater,TX:GladewaterMainStreetArtStroll•gladewatermainstreet.com28 Palestine,TX:MoonlightDinnerTrain•texasstaterr.com
September. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-30 Beaumont,TX:September11,2001:ATimeline(exhibit)•firemuseumoftexas.org
October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Center,TX:39thEastTexasPoultryFestival•shelbycountychamber.com3 Clarksville,TX:FallBazaar•redrivercoc.com9-10 Clarksville,TX:GatewayToTexasTandemCycleRide•redrivercoc.com
PALESTINEHistoric Texas Theatre
213 W. Crawford Street903/922-1327historictexastheatre.wordpress.com
MARCH 20-22 & 27-29Love, Sex & the IRS
JULY 23-26 & JULY 30- AUGUST 2Mary Poppins
SHELBY COUNTY - CENTERShelby County Grill FestMARCH 21, 2015
Windham Civic CenterCenter, Texas(936) 598-3682shelbycountychamber.com
Cook teams compete in Brisket, Chicken and Pork Spare Rib categories. Cash prizes for top cookers in each category. Spectator tasting, live entertainment, game contests. Sanctioned by the Lone Star Barbecue Society.
TYLERAzalea & Spring Flower TrailMARCH 20 - APRIL 5
Azalea District(903) 592-1661visittyler.com/azaleatrail
Join us for the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail featuring mile after mile of blooming azaleas, dogwoods, & spring flowers. Enjoy springtime in Tyler: stroll the beautiful gardens, attend one of the many community events, and try the local cuisine!
PALESTINEThe Annual 1836 Chuckwagon RacesMARCH 1-8, 2015
Diamond B Ranch(903) 723-30141836chuckwagonrace.com
A true Texas event! Enjoy trail rides, Dutch oven cooking classes, cowboy poetry, herd dog demonstrations, hoof care clinics, bull whip demos, wagon races, barn dances, live music, cowboy church, Texas food and much more.
77th Annual Dogwood Trails CelebrationMARCH 20-22, MARCH 27-29 & APRIL 3-5, 2015
Citywide(903) 723-3014texasdogwoodtrails.com
Enjoy the delicate beauty of the dogwood trees in Davey Dogwood Park the last two weekends in March and first weekend in April. Activities are scheduled each weekend to compliment the Celebration, including the festival the first weekend.
Moonlight Dinner TrainAUGUST 28, 2015
Texas State Railroad(877) 726-7245texasstaterr.com
Enjoy a full moon and dinner with a side order of Piney Woods scenery. A Texas treasure since 1881, The Texas State Railroad hosts year-round steam excursions, including brunch & dinner trains.
MINEOLAHighway 80 Progressive Car CruiseAPRIL 11, 2015
Downtown Mineola, Grand Saline, and Wills Point(903) 569-6983Highway80carcruise.com
Classic car cruise on historic Hwy 80. Start off with breakfast in Wills Point, have lunch in Grand Saline, and end with dessert & awards in historic downtown Mineola. Don’t forget to visit the Mineola Nature Preserve before you hit the road.
MOUNT VERNONTour de Cypress Ride and RunAPRIL 18, 2015
Downtown Square(903) 537-4241tourdecypress.com
Can you tame the most wicked, winding 100K in Texas? Or keep it low-key with a 45, 30, or a friendly 10-mile cruise. After your ride, enjoy beer, burgers, and live music on the beautiful town square.
The Piney Woods Wine Trail FestivalMAY 15-16, 2015
Downtown Square(903) 537-4070mtvernonwine.com
The Piney Woods Wine Festival is the most anticipated wine festival in east Texas. Bring your friends and enjoy upscale vendors, artisanal foods, live music....and of course, WINE!
NACOGDOCHESAzalea Trail MARCH 1-31, 2015
Azalea SeasonMARCH 1 - APRIL 13, 2015
City Wide(936) 564-7351nacogdochesazaleas.com
The Garden Capital of Texas boasts more than 20 miles of Azalea Trails and the largest Azalea Garden in the state. Find a full schedule of events online.
ORANGE Celebrate Orchids!MAR 12-14, 2015
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center(409) 670-9113shangrilagardens.org
Discover the many ways orchids have fascinated plant
lovers far & wide, and why they are known as one of the world’s most beautiful flowers. Enjoy hands-on workshops, lectures & greenhouse tours. Fun for the whole family!
Eco-FestAPRIL 18, 2015
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center(409) 670-9113shangrilagardens.org
Bring friends & family to experience a butterfly release, earth-friendly activities & live animal shows for all ages. See spring blooms throughout the Gardens & nesting birds from the heronry; then take a relaxing Outpost Tour along Adams Bayou.
MOUNT PLEASANTMount Pleasant RodeoMAY 28-30, 2015
MPRA Priefert Arena, 2800 Greenhill Road(903) 572-8567mtpleasanttx.com
Come celebrate the Mount Pleasant Rodeo with UPRA excitement each night, including a Mutton Bustin’ Competition, food, shopping and much more!! Guaranteed fun for the entire family!
Dawg FestJUNE 6-7, 2015
Mount Pleasant Civic Center(903) 572-8567mtpleasanttx.com
Rev up your motors for Dawg Fest! The event includes a motorcycle rally, car/truck/bike shows, live music and more. Ride along the beautiful Northeast Texas country side or show off your bike at one of the contests. Fun for all!
Quake on Town LakeJULY 11-12, 2015
Town Lake(903) 572-8567mtpleasanttx.com
Enjoy the “best of the best” outboard boat racing as you rest in the shade on the shores of Town Lake. Speed boat racing on a quarter mile drag strip. Fast and furious! Image by Janie Fontenot
Download our brochure and keep up-to-date with our events online.
Katie Stephens - Davy Crockett Park - Crockett, TX
TEXAS FORESTTRAIL REGION
2015 Spring & Summer Events