9 Local Street Fairs in Texas Worth Discovering

Have you ever had one of those weekends where you just need out; out of routine, out of your own overthinking? That’s when you grab your most spontaneous friend and hit a street fair. Texas doesn’t do “ordinary” when it comes to celebrating. Here’s your cheat sheet to the kind of local fairs that make you go, “Why don’t we do this more often?”

1. Pecan Street Festival, Austin

Ever felt like your senses were set to “surprise me?” Pecan Street Festival in Austin hands you that on a silver, slightly sticky funnel-cake platter. The festival was traditionally on Sixth Street but recently relocated. However, the vibe stayed the same: murals, food trucks, and families. Over 600 artists show up, and so does every dog in the city, apparently.

You can lose hours just people-watching. Local bands play on several stages, and there’s always that one booth selling tie-dye shirts that looks straight out of 1977. I bought earrings here once from a woman who said she only makes jewelry during full moons. Classic Austin.

Fun fact: This festival got its start in 1978. Now it runs twice a year, typically in May and September. Don’t skip the roasted corn, and if you happen to see a guy parading in a rubber chicken suit, just smile and wave. He’s part of the charm.

2. Wurstfest, New Braunfels

My friend, if you’ve never witnessed a grown man proudly dual-wielding bratwursts in one hand and a stein in the other, you haven’t lived. Wurstfest is German heritage with a Texas-sized appetite for fun. Locals don their best lederhosen and twirl to polka like they’re auditioning for a quirky music video.

Ten days of beer, sausage, and live music. One year I met a retired teacher who returns every November just to judge the sauerkraut contest. She takes it very seriously.

Founded in 1961, Wurstfest sits beside the Comal River. The smell alone: pretzels, smoked meats, and something sweet, could lure you from three blocks away. It’s the kind of festival where you walk in a little skeptical and leave wanting to yodel. Don’t fight it.

3. Scarborough Renaissance Festival, Waxahachie

You haven’t truly people-watched until you’ve seen a man in full plate armor order a turkey leg from a fairy. Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie is what happens when history majors and improv comedians join forces. Every spring, the grounds turn into a 16th-century village: jousting, jesters, and more corsets than sense.

I once chatted with a woman selling hand-poured candles who swore she was descended from a pirate. You buy the story, or at least the candle. There’s also glassblowing, falconry, and shops selling everything from mead to dragon puppets.

The festival started in 1981 and now spans April and May. It’s family-friendly, but honestly, adults seem to have more fun. If you leave without a flower crown or at least a questionable accent, did you even go?

4. Texas Renaissance Festival, Todd Mission

Imagine a small town transformed into a Middle Ages fever dream, but with better plumbing and way more turkey legs. The Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission is the country’s biggest of its kind, and it knows it. The cast is half the fun; over 500 actors in character, and at least three sword fights before lunch.

I watched a woman dressed as Queen Elizabeth I. judge a pie contest with the kind of power most of us only dream of. Even the skeptics get drawn in by the jousting tournaments and fire eaters. It’s eight weekends in October and November, so you have options.

Started in 1974, it covers 55 acres. That’s a lot of space for misplacing your dignity after too much mead. After the passing of founder George Coulam in May 2025, the festival continues under new ownership, keeping the tradition alive. You’ll leave with a new appreciation for chainmail and a handful of phone numbers you’ll never call, and that’s okay.

5. Bayou City Art Festival, Houston

There’s something magical about seeing a child’s sticky hands clutching a $40 ceramic mug their parents absolutely did not plan to buy. Bayou City Art Festival in Houston brings together around 300 artists twice a year and nobody leaves uninspired, or empty-handed.

I saw a sculptor create a metal heron on the spot while a jazz trio played behind him. It was like watching someone build a future heirloom. The festival’s in March and October, held downtown or at Memorial Park, depending on the season.

Started in 1972, as the Westheimer Colony Art Festival before becoming Bayou City. It’s a juried show, so the art’s top-notch. But don’t worry, you don’t need a background in art history to enjoy yourself. Just bring sunscreen, a sense of humor, and maybe a tote bag with more willpower than mine.

6. Deep Ellum Arts Festival, Dallas

If you ever wanted to watch a dog dressed as Beyoncé strut past a graffiti mural, Deep Ellum Arts Festival in Dallas is your moment. It’s three days of local art, music, and enough food trucks to make your inner twelve-year-old weep with joy.

The pet parade is legendary; one year, someone entered a ferret in a tiny cowboy hat. There are live bands, open-air galleries, and more than a few opportunities to accidentally buy a ceramic frog you never knew you needed.

The neighborhood itself wears a badge of creative rebellion, with murals on nearly every corner. For decades, the festival has showcased emerging and established artists every spring. Bring a friend who appreciates weird, or come alone and make some.

7. Round Top Antique Weekend, Round Top

In Round Top, time moves differently; maybe it’s the antique clocks, maybe it’s just the comfort of old things. Antique Weekend is a haven for treasure hunters and people who appreciate stories behind objects. The town swells from a few hundred to thousands, all on the hunt for something rare.

I found a set of Depression glass teacups once, still glowing faintly pink in the afternoon light. The vendors are chatty; you’ll hear the kind of backstories that make you laugh, cringe, or wonder if they’re true.

It started as a handful of booths in the 1960s, and now it covers up to 17 miles. Bring cash, good shoes, and the willingness to haggle (nicely). Your next favorite thing is probably waiting in a barn.

8. Marfa Lights Festival, Marfa

Marfa is where you go when you want answers to questions you didn’t know you had. The Marfa Lights Festival celebrates the town’s famously unexplained glowing orbs; with pie competitions, local bands, and a parade thrown in for good measure.

One year, I watched a ballet troupe perform while everyone craned their necks to spot the lights. Nobody saw them that night, but nobody cared either. The mystery brings you, but the small-town weirdness makes you stay.

Held every Labor Day weekend since the 1980s, the festival is equal parts community gathering and playful speculation. Everyone leaves with a new theory about the lights, plus probably a sunburn. Best enjoyed at night, obviously.

9. Kolache Festival, Caldwell

Kolaches are the kind of food you eat with your sleeves rolled up and your expectations high. Caldwell’s Kolache Festival is pure celebration: dough, fruit, and proud Czech heritage rolled into one delicious package. There are eating contests, baking competitions, and at least one person who’ll insist their grandmother makes the best.

Live polka music gets everyone moving, even the self-conscious teens. I once saw an entire family in matching aprons, dancing while holding pastries. If that doesn’t make you want to join in, check your pulse.

Held every September for decades, the festival turns the town square into a dance floor. You’ll leave sticky, happy, and maybe plotting a trip to Prague, Texas: yes, that’s a real place.