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Day Trips & Beyond: October Events Roundup
The weather cooling down in October means it’s time to check out a new outdoor light show or join a Día de los Muertos celebration.
Premiering this month on the outside wall of the Gonzales Memorial Museum, “Texas Legacy in Lights” tells the story of the Battle of Gonzales and the Texas Revolution. The 24-minute video will show twice nightly, six nights a week. Credit: Austin Film Crew
Historical light show. The history of the Battle of Gonzales comes alive on the outside wall of the Gonzales Memorial Museum with a new state-of-the-art immersive light show, “Texas Legacy in Lights.” The 24-minute video by Austin Film Crew blends cinematic visuals, reenactment footage, and immersive sound to tell the history of Gonzales and the Texas Revolution. The 3D projection covers a 32-by-96-foot wall of the museum built in the 1930s. The presentation will transport visitors back to 1835, when a small group of Texan settlers took their stand against the Mexican army and sparked a revolution. “Legacy in Lights” is a short movie depicting the early days of the Texas Revolution. After the premiere on October 2 at 9pm, which also happens to be the 190th anniversary of the Battle of Gonzales, the free show will be on permanent display Tuesday through Sunday at 9pm and 9:30pm.
The Battle of Gonzales was the first military engagement of the Texas Revolution. It was fought west of Gonzales on Oct. 2, 1835. The skirmish pitted rebellious Texian settlers against a detachment of Mexican soldiers who had come to retrieve a small cannon loaned to the town for defense against hostile Indians. The rebels waved a flag with a cannon and “Come and Take It” painted on it.
Oct. 2, Texas Legacy in Lights, Gonzales, 830/672-6350, www.texaslegacyinlights.com
The tallest “La Catrina” statue in the U.S. stands in San Antonio’s Maverick Plaza welcoming visitors to La Villita. This statue by Mexican artists Jesus and Amauri Sanabria is decorated with a lighted butterfly and a flower-covered hat, embodying the elegance and tradition of the iconic Day of the Dead figure. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Day of the Dead. Few cities in the U.S. celebrate Día de los Muertos with the gusto of San Antonio. The party begins in mid-October leading up to the traditional Mexican holiday commemorating deceased loved ones on November 1 and 2. Rather than a time of mourning, the holiday is a vibrant celebration of life, death, and the continuation of family bonds.
La Villita, the “old” section of downtown, could be described as the epicenter of the holiday in San Antonio. The centerpiece of the celebration is the tallest La Catrina statue in the U.S. standing 38.5 feet tall in Maverick Plaza. She is a famous image of a skeletal woman from Mexican culture, originally created by artist José Guadalupe Posada as a satirical political cartoon around 1910 to mock the wealthy elite and highlight that death is the ultimate equalizer. The skeleton dressed in fancy clothes is the iconic symbol of the Mexican holiday representing the universal experience of death by approaching it with humor and as an unavoidable part of life. Scattered around the historic arts district are Mexican Alebrijes, fantastical creatures are handcrafted art pieces that blend the forms of animals and mythical beings; and the Calavera Collection, more than 40 giant skulls intricately hand painted by San Antonio artists. It’s a fun time to wander the streets of the historic district.
Oct. 24-26, Day of the Dead, San Antonio, www.dayofthedeadsa.com
Travel Notes:
Using funds approved by voters, the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife purchased 1,720 acres for a new state park in Uvalde County. Credit: Sonja Sommerfeld for TPWD
On the drawing board. In August, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced the purchase of 1,720 acres in Uvalde County for a new state park. Bear Creek State Park is a rugged section of Hill Country that fronts the Frio River less than a mile from Garner State Park, one of the most popular parks in the state system. The park will be developed through the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, a $1 billion endowment approved by the voters in 2023. It will be several years before infrastructure can be built, and the park opens to the public. No timeline was given at the time of the land purchase of when the park will be opened to the public.
Fly me to the moon. At 128 feet, the flyover ramp at Interstate 10 and Loop 1604 in northwest San Antonio is the tallest highway structure in the region, is purported to be the tallest flyover ramp in Texas, and among the tallest in the U.S. The ramp connects westbound Loop 1604 to eastbound Interstate 10. Opened on August 28, the 13-story bridge is just over 1.5 miles long and took almost three years to build. Drivers can access it by taking Loop 1604 westbound. After the Northwest Military Highway exit, they should keep right to enter the new flyover ramp, according to MySA.
San Antonio Saga is back after being quiet for several months while equipment was repaired and
upgraded. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Stunning light show. After being out of action for a few months because of broken part to the proprietary projectors, San Antonio Saga is back in action. The 24-minute video covering the 7,000-sqare-foot façade of the San Fernando Cathedral happens Tuesday through Sunday at 9pm. The light show debut in 2014 and is the work of French artist Xavier de Richemont. The show loosely tells the history of San Antonio and Texas.
Butterfly spirits. Get ready for Día de los Muertos by reserving a paper monarch butterfly with the name of loved one who has passed. Butterflies represent the souls of the departed returning to visit loved ones. For a $10 donation the Main Plaza in San Antonio will print and install the paper butterflies in the trees around the Plaza as part of the community ofrenda. People are then welcome to walk the candlelit butterfly path and enjoy acoustic music in the River Walk Portal on November 1, 7-9pm.
The Big Bend Sentinel has changed to nonprofit ownership, but the Sentinel cafe and store will continue to support the newspaper. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Print is not dead. Published since 1926, the The Big Bend Sentinel, a lively independent newspaper based in Marfa, covers an area in the southwest corner of Texas larger than Connecticut. The newspaper along with Marfa Public Radio are the main news sources for the region. On Sept. 15 ownership of the newspaper was transferred to Sentinel News Project, a nonprofit led by Roger Black, a graphic artist, typographer, and former art director for Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and Newsweek. The Big Bend Sentinel includes it sister Spanish-language publication the Presidio International. The newspaper with a half-dozen reporters and administrative employees was owned by documentary filmmaker Maisie Crow and her husband Max Kabbat since 2019. The couple will retain ownership of The Sentinel, a coffee shop, cafe, and store that supports the newspaper.
Mission San Jose in San Antonio will glow in vibrant colors again on November 7. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Make plans now. When Mission San Jose was completed in 1782, the plaster on the outside walls was painted in vibrant colors to attract the indigenous people’s attention. If you look closely at the nearly 300-year-old masonry you can still see faded remains of the frescos. On November 7, Restored by Light will bring back the colors through the magic of projected light. The church was incorporated into the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in 1978. Mission San Jose is known as the “Queen of the Missions” and is the largest of the San Antonio missions. In 2015, the five Spanish missions were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of 26 sites in the U.S.
Other October Events: BIG BENDHorsehead Crossing Celebration
Return to the days of Goodnight-Loving Trail, Butterfield State Line, Emigrant Trail, and Comanche War Trail at the historic crossing of the Pecos River.
Oct. 10-11, Imperial, www.pecoscountyhistoricalcommission.org/horsehead-crossing-celebration
Artist Donald Judd purchased buildings and the former Fort D.A. Russell in Marfa in the 1970s, transforming the town into an artist-centered community. The Chinati Foundation was founded in 1986 to present large-scale art in the repurposed fort buildings. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Chinati Weekend
Donald Judd began the tradition by inviting friends and colleagues from the community and around the world to Chinati for a weekend of viewing, special exhibitions, talks, music, and meals. The annual benefit weekend coincides with the opening of two exhibitions, Fred Sandback: Sculpture and Oscar Hagerman: Sillas de México, as well as a presentation of new work by Artist in Residence Klara Lidén, and a performance by jazz musician Roscoe Mitchell.
Oct. 10-12, Marfa, https://chinati.org/october-10-12-2025-chinati-weekend-2025/
Big Bend Open Road Race
Drivers take on the challenge of a 118-mile stretch of US285 between Sanderson and Fort Stockton. Called “one of the most exciting open road races in the world” for a reason. In the last 50 miles leading to Sanderson there are 59 turns, a great many elevation changes, and two lanes that turn into four lanes that turn back into two lanes.
Oct. 15-18, Sanderson, www.bborr.com
Telescopes 101
In the market for a telescope or received one as a gift? Get help on how to use it and where to point it in the night sky from the astronomers at McDonald Observatory for $10. At the conclusion of this session, you should have a better understanding of how telescopes work and how to find objects in the sky.
Oct. 29, Fort Davis, www.mcdonaldobservatory.org/visitors/programs/telescopes-101
GULF COAST
Sand sculptures come in all sizes and shapes at SPI. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Sandcastle Days
Master sandcastle builders amaze the crowds with their works of art on the beach.
Oct. 2-5, South Padre Island, www.sandcastledays.com
The Trunk Show
The nursery at the John Fairey Garden opens its doors for a sale of rare and difficult to find trees.
Oct. 4, Hempstead, https://jfgarden.org
Bayou City Art Festival
Showcasing the works of 300 artists which support local nonprofit organizations.
Oct. 10-12, Houston, www.bayoucityartfestival.com
Shrimporee
This is a music festival surrounded by a carnival and food booths where jumbo shrimp are the prime attraction.
Oct. 17-19, Aransas Pass, www.aransaspass.org/shrimporee
Texas Jazz Festival
Now in its sixth decade, this is the longest continuously running free jazz festival in the world. Musicians from across the country take over the downtown park for three days of live performances, artisan markets, global eats, and local flair.
Oct. 17-19, Corpus Christi, www.texasjazz-fest.org
Wooden Boat Festival
Admire the handcrafted wooden boats while enjoying the music and food booths.
Oct. 24-26, Port Aransas, www.woodenboatfestival.org
HILL COUNTRY
Enchanted Rock SNA is growing. Be the first to see the new areas. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Guided Hikes at New Enchanted Rock Properties
Join a ranger for a guided hike at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area’s newly acquired northern and southern properties. Advance registration is required for these hikes, and attendance will be capped at 25 visitors.
Oct. 2, 24, Fredericksburg, https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock
Oktoberfest
Grab your lederhosen and get ready for the Chicken Dance at the biggest sausage festival in the county.
Oct. 3-5, Fredericksburg, www.oktoberfestinfbg.com
Austin City Limits Music Festival
More than 100-performers and thousands of music fans converge on Zilker Park over two weekends.
Oct. 3-12, Austin, www.aclfestival.com
Boo at the Zoo
Experience the zoo in costume after dark on weekend from 5:45 to 9pm.
Oct. 3-25, Austin, www.austinzoo.org
Book Festival
Famous Texas authors along with members of the Texas Writers’ League and Folklore Society converge on the local library for a day of talks and panel discussions.
Oct. 4, Boerne, www.boernebookfest.com
After a busy summer season the river needs some TLC. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Fall River Cleanup
This year’s event features 16 watersheds and hot spots in our community that need your help to stay clean and healthy. 9-11am.
Oct. 4, San Marcos, https://sanmarcostx.gov/353/Keep-San-Marcos-Beautiful
Sacred Springs Powwow
Celebrate the Indigious Peoples cultures through art, music, dance, and food. The powwow is set on the shores of Spring Lake, which is the longest continually inhabited location in North America and serves as a sacred site to the Coahuiltecan people.
Oct. 4-5, San Marcos, www.sspowwow.com
Texas Archeology Fair
This event features a wide array of hands-on activities, artifact displays, crafts, games, and expert demonstrations highlighting the diverse cultures and traditions that have shaped Texas history.
Oct. 5, Austin, https://thc.texas.gov/events/texas-archeology-fair
Gruene Hall, live music and good times since 1878. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Gruene Music & Wine Fest
Texas wine and craft beers are paired with a rotating lineup of live music in the old dance hall.
Oct. 9-12, Gruene, www.GrueneMusicAndWineFest.org
Anhalt Oktober Classic
The historic dance hall presents two days of classic music beginning in the afternoon and into the bewitching hour.
Oct. 10-11, Spring Branch, www.anhalthall.com
Songwriters Festival
Seven stages host 70 shows from over 35 songwriters who perform “in the round” Nashville-style song-swaps.
Oct. 17-19, Dripping Springs, www.drippingspringssongwritersfestival.com
Oktoberfest
The Germania Farmer Verein (German Farmers Club) celebrates its 150th anniversary with a day of German food, dancers, entertainers and Jody Mikula Orchestra playing for free in the historic dance hall.
Oct. 19, Spring Branch, www.anhalthall.com
Fredericksburg Food and Wine Festival
Texas’ premier wine region showcases the regional food, craft beverages, and culture.
Oct. 21-26, Fredericksburg, www.fbgfoodandwine.com
Llano River Pumpkin Float
If you love your jack-o’-lantern, light the candle and set it free with others floating down the river.
Oct. 25, Llano, www.facebook.com/llanoriverpumpkinfloat
Texas Clay Festival
Potters and sculptors from around Texas display, sell their wares, and demonstrate a variety of techniques. Hands-on activities are available for children.
Oct. 25-26, Gruene, www.TexasClayFestival.com
Texas Furniture Makers Show
Don’t miss this annual statewide competition of the finest custom furniture makers in Texas at the beautiful Kerr Arts & Cultural Center.
Oct. 30-Dec. 12, Kerrville, www.kacckerrville.com
PANHANDLE PLAINS
Old Rip can be seen at the county courthouse. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
RipFest
After 97 years they still celebrate the horned lizard that was pulled from the courthouse cornerstone in 1928 with parades, music, and shopping.
Oct. 4, Eastland, www.eastlandchamber.com/ripfest
Cottonwood Faire
The days of medieval combat, knights, and ladies return to Thompson Park for a fun-filled weekend.
Oct. 11-12, Amarillo, www.cottonwoodfaire.com
Boys Ranch Rodeo
Since 1945, the boys at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch have hosted a free rodeo to show off their skills.
Oct. 18, Amarillo, www.calfarley.org/rodeo
Cisco TX Pie Fest
Between 10am and 5pm, there will be an all-you-can-eat pie buffet, pie baking contests, pie-in-the face contest, live music, children’s area with petting zoo, and arts & crafts vendors.
Oct. 18, Cisco, www.ciscotxpiefest.com
PRAIRIES AND LAKES
The Memorial Museum in Gonzales becomes the screen for a new documentary about the town’s role in the Texas Revolution. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Texas Legacy in Lights
The premiere of the story of the Battle of Gonzales and the Texas Revolution projected on the wall of the Gonzales Memorial Museum blends cinematic visuals, reenactment footage, and immersive sound to create an unforgettable historical experience. The permanent installation plays twice nightly at dusk, six nights a week.
Oct. 2, Gonzales, www.gonzales.texas.gov/p/departments/gonzales-memorial-museum
State Fair of Texas
Go for the food like Brisket and Brew Stuffed Pretzels and stay for the music, exhibitions, and midway rides.
Oct. 1-19, Dallas, www.bigtex.com
American Modernism from the Charles Butt Collection
The first exhibition dedicated to the collection of businessman, philanthropist, and Texas native Charles Butt. This exhibition includes paintings and works on paper from the turn of the 20th century through the end of the 1970s and features works by American modernist icons.
Through Jan. 2026, Fort Worth, www.cartermuseum.org/exhibitions/american-modernism-charles-butt-collection
Ride the historic carousel in Brenham. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
Antique Carousel Rides
The oldest merry-go-round in the state opens for $1 a ride in Fireman’s Park on Saturdays.
Oct. 4-25, Brenham, www.cityofbrenham.org/city_government/departments/parks_and_recreation/flying_horses_carousel.php
Night in Old Luling
Old-fashioned small-town fun with bingo, cake auction, music, and food.
Oct. 11, Luling, www.facebook.com/NightInOldLuling2022/
Scarecrow Festival
Drive the scenic backroads to see front yards decorated with scarecrows and then visit downtown for a look at the vendors, entertainment, and food.
Oct. 11-12, Chappell Hill, www.facebook.com/ChappellHillScarecrowFestival
Texas Renaissance Festival
The largest Renaissance festival in the country transports you to a 16th-century European village with food from around the world, more than 400 shoppes, multiple stages filled with music, and other entertainment. Saturdays, Sundays, and Thanksgiving Friday.
Oct. 11-Nov. 30, Todd Mission, www.texrenfest.com
Texas Arts and Music Festival
During the day downtown becomes an art gallery of murals and art vendors; during the evening Shineyribs headlines a lineup of Texas music.
Oct. 17-19, Brenham, www.texasartsandmusicfestival.com
Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree and Uncle Fletch Festival
The black-eyed pea capital of Texas and birthplace of the hamburger hosts a hamburger cook-off along with turtle races, music, food vendors, and more.
Oct. 18, Athens, www.athenstxchamber.org/jamburgeree
Tricks, Treats and Trails
This family-friendly celebration invites guests to get into the spooky season with Halloween face painting, a petting zoo and a trick-or-treat trail filled with goodies.
Oct. 18, Bastrop, https://lcraparks.com/events/tricks-treats-trails-2025
Wingfest
Chicken wing cook-off, chicken bingo, poultry beauty contests, and more make this a family-fun outing in Railroad Park.
Oct. 18, Smithville, https://business.smithvilletx.org/events/details/7th-annual-wingfest-9374
Bastrop Boo Bash
This free, family-friendly event will be packed with interactive Halloween activities, including two bounce houses and plenty of trick-or-treating opportunities.
Oct. 31, Bastrop, www.explorebastropcounty.com/calendar-event/bastrop-boo-bash-2025
SOUTH TEXASSan Antonio Black International Film Festival
It’s a full weekend of food, music, and films in Lockwood-Dignowity Park.
Oct. 2-5, San Antonio, www.sabiff.tv
Going to Texas: Five Centuries of Texas Maps
Showcasing 66 original maps from the Yana and Marty Davis Map Collection, the exhibition spans nearly 500 years. The maps trace Texas’ remarkable transformation from “New Spain” to colonial days, statehood and beyond.
Oct. 3-Jan. 19, San Antonio, https://briscoemuseum.org/gtt
See incredible 7,000-year-old murals on the rock art tours. Credit: Gerald E. McLeod
White Shaman Tours
Every Saturday from September to May guided tours visit the White Shaman mural, painted thousands of years ago, illustrates the lifeway and belief systems of the first Indigenous people of what we now call Texas.
Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25, Comstock, www.wittemuseum.org/white-shaman-preserve
Native American Film Series
Every year the Briscoe Museum of Western Art presents a series of contemporary films that explore how Native American communities navigate the complexities of reconnecting with ancestral traditions while engaging with the modern world. This month’s entry is Lakota Nation Vs. The United States in November it will be Thunderheart. Films are free (pre-registration required) and are shown on Saturday at 1:30-4:30pm.
Oct. 11, Nov. 15, San Antonio, https://briscoemuseum.org
Rock Art Tours: Halo Shelter
Near the pristine Devils River, Halo Shelter features some of the best-preserved Pecos River style pictographs in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands archaeological district. The complex hundred-foot mural has been radiocarbon dated to be 2,000 years old and features over 100 anthropomorphic figures intermixed with enigmatic and animalistic icons. The site gets its name from the unique “halos” that are painted above the heads of several anthropomorphic, or human-like figures.
Oct. 18, Comstock, www.wittemuseum.org/event/rock-art-tours-halo-shelter-feb2025
Monarch Butterfly & Pollinator Festival
Immerse yourself in an educational playland to celebrate the monarch butterfly, pollinators, and the ecosystem around us, 9am-2pm.
Oct. 18, San Antonio, https://brackenridgepark.org/event/monarch-butterfly-pollinator-festival
Elaborate lighted barges float down the San Antonio River. Credit: San Antonio River Walk
Día de los Muertos River Parade
See elaborately decorated floats with altars, La Catrinas, and costumed riders, all celebrating life and loved ones. Each barge represents a different figure or tradition associated with the Day of the Dead. Tickets are on sale for the best viewing areas. Parade begins at 7pm at Lexington Avenue.
Oct. 24, San Antonio, www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/events/day-of-the-dead-san-antonio
Gerald McLeod has been traveling around Texas and beyond for his “Day Trips” column for more than 30 years. Keep up to date with his journeys on his archive page and follow him on Facebook.
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