Keep the party going this summer with these 10 festivals around Texas celebrating everything from fajitas and cheeseburgers to hot air balloons and mosquitoes. It’s a surefire way to have the best summer ever!
The Great Texas Balloon Race – Longview, TX
On July 28-30, join the folks of Longview for three days of balloon races, live music and tons of fun. Don’t miss the Special Shapes Spectacular on Friday and Saturday to see giant floating balloons shaped like Tweety Bird, clowns, mice, Sylvester the Cat and more! Each night, see the hot air balloons lit up at the Balloon Glow.
Tall City Blues Fest – Midland, TX
Get a taste of the blues in Midland at this festival July 14-16. The city will be hosting performances by famous musicians all around historic downtown, leading up to an incredible Saturday night finale featuring Victor Wainwright, winner of the 2016 B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, and the multi-award winning Santini-Jensen Project wrapping up the event on Saturday night. Tickets start at $20.
Friona Cheeseburger Festival – Friona, TX
If you’re a burger fanatic, this festival on July 15 in “The Cheeseburger Capital of Texas” might just be your meaty dream come true. Each year, the folks of this Panhandle town celebrate their location in the middle of the beef, wheat and dairy country with a day-long burger competition where each contestant must prepare 200 1/3 pound burgers to serve to judges and the crowd. So ditch the idea of a “beach bod” and get ready for one delicious day!
The Great Texas Mosquito Festival – Clute, TX
Picture by Shawn Maynard.
It ain’t a Texas summer without swarms of mosquitoes flying around! Join Clute, TX, on July 27-29 for three days of craft fairs, live music, tons of food and hilarious contests! Don’t miss the Mosquito-Calling Contest where contestants hoot and holler to see who can call in the fattest, juiciest mosquito, and the Mosquito Legs Contest – a goofy competition to see who’s got the best-looking mosquito legs! Don’t forget to take a picture with the world’s largest mosquito and the festival’s mascot, Willie-Man-Chew!
Rockin’ the River – Fort Worth, TX
Picture by the Trinity River Vision Authority.
Hit up Panther Island in Fort Worth for a rockin’ time this summer every Saturday until August 5. Grab your swimsuit and head to this FREE event where you can spend the day tubing the Trinity River with a cold beer, while listening to live music by awesome musical guests. Sound like heaven? Well it gets even better — each night concludes with a spectacular fireworks display!
Movies in the Park: Christmas in July – Boerne, TX
Celebrate Christmas in July with the folks in Boerne on July 28! On this magical night, Disney’s The Santa Clause will be shown at dusk at the Main Plaza, and Christmas fun will be provided by the Cibolo Creek Community Church. Arrive before the movie starts at 6:30 for even more Christmas cheer, snow and even a visit from Santa Claus, himself!
Viva Big Bend Music Festival – Big Bend Country
The cities of Big Bend Country have teamed up to bring you ONE EPIC music festival! From July 27-30, you can check out live performances from various artists including Aaron Watson, Doug Moreland and Shane Smith & The Saints at music venues across Fort Davis, Marfa, Alpine and Marathon. It’ll be one big party with food at many of the venues and fun that the kids can join in on too! Get your tickets now because they’re selling out fast!
Food Truck Summerfest – Corpus Christi
At this foodie festival in Corpus on July 22, you can chow down from a selection of over 45 local food trucks from noon to midnight. Be sure to save room — there’s also a Food Eating Contest! And when you need to walk off your eventual food coma, you can check out the various vendors at Arts & Crafts Alley, watch the kiddos play around at the Kid’s Truck Zone and listen to live music.
Fajita Festival – Houston
Picture by Grandma’s Boys Enterprise
Get your eat on at the Fajita Festival on July 22. Bring your appetite because throughout the day, you’ll have the chance to try different entries in the Fajita Cook-off and then vote for your favorite ones in the People’s Choice Fajita Contest! Besides just eating all the fajitas you can fit in your mouth, there will also be a Jalapeno Eating Contest, a Taco Eating Competition, a live mural painting and more!
Reunion Lawn Party – Dallas
Picture by Roderick Pullum.
Head to the Reunion Lawn on July 29 for a massive block party! Not only will there be live music, over 15 local food trucks and a large selection of local craft beers and wines, but you can also play lawn games like bocce ball and corn hole, rent frisbees and Nerf balls, and dance around with checked-out hula hoops, ribbons and bubbles at the event!
