Summer is a great time for huge concerts and popular festivals, and there is definitely not a shortage of them. However, expensive ticket prices, hoards of people, and the let down that often comes with big expectations for popular events can be a real bummer.
Instead of spending a ton of money to watch a band from the parking lot, or see girl after girl in high-waisted shorts and flower crowns, why not try one of these six festivals that you've probably never heard of? No, you haven't heard of them because you're not hipster enough; these festivals are either in small towns, have an interesting, specific niche, or are brand new!
Here are six Texas festivals you need to try this summer.
1. The Best Damn Food Truck Festival Ever
This is a big claim, but this brand new festival at NRG Park in Houston, TX sounds like a delicious and fun time! Taking place on Saturday, July 18 from 3 p.m.-9 p.m., a $36 general admission ticket will grant you access to all the food you want from over 18 different food trucks! I don't know about y'all, but I will definitely be hitting up this food festival. Get your tickets here.
2. Blanco Lavender Festival
A free festival from June 12-14 that celebrates all things lavender? Yes, please! Blanco, TX, is hosting its 11th annual Lavender Festival, where you can tour lavender farms, buy lavender products from local artisans, listen to music, try lavender flavored foods, and even take home some of your own fresh cut lavender! Visit their site here.
3. Kerrville Chalk Festival
Come to Kerrville to enjoy a free festival featuring street art, June 6-7! Kerrville's featured artist this summer is Henry Darnell who has worked in art, animated film, and visual effects for many years; one of his credits in film is Beetlejuice! The Kerrville Chalk Festival will be featuring over 50 street artists, so come check out tons of beautiful art this summer.
(For real, this was done in chalk on a street. I can barely draw a flower in pencil.)
4. 26th Annual Texas Blueberry Festival
Taking place in the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches will be throwing it's annual blueberry festival in June. It will kick off on the night of June 12 with a Bluegrass concert and continue the next day with tons of activities: pie eating contests, a 5k run, Little Miss Blueberry Pageant, an old-time soda fountain, and much more! This is a fun festival if you enjoy small towns, old fashioned southernness, and of course, blueberries! Visit the site here.
5. Voyager Progressive Music and Art Festival
This festival definitely looks the most unusual to me, but also a lot of fun! You have to give props to a festival that strives to "go beyond the boundaries" of music. Plus, they have a band called Pony Trap that uses "robotic drums" and impressive violin skills! If you're into progressive music or want to experience a new sound, come to the Rusty Mule in Austin, TX on June 13 from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Get tickets (which are cheap) here and see the event's full line up of artists on their site!
6. Stonewall's 54th annual Peach JAMboree and Rodeo
Every third weekend of June, the birthplace of President LBJ throws a festival celebrating all things peach! Buy a $30 weekend pass (individual day tickets are available too) for a good ole' southern rodeo, dancing, live music, Peach Pit Spit contest, all kinds of peach delicacies and more! Visit their site here.
If you want to stray away from the regular concert and festival-ooza scene, try visiting one of these festivals instead! Whether you want to travel to a small, country town, love street art, want to experience unique music, or want to stuff yourself with food, these festivals are for you. Happy summer!
