May, this picnic dates back to 1884, making it the oldest regularly celebrated pioneer festival in the state of Texas. The event takes place at Doan’s Crossing, established in 1878, where a trading post served cattle drivers who used the nearby Western Trail to transport their herds to market. Attendees can peruse a variety of vendor booths and farmer’s markets as they await the crowning of the pic- nic king and queen.
Visitors can enjoy mock gun- fights, rifle and artillery dem- onstrations, Native American and cowboy camps, daily parades and period music, all featuring dozens of reenac- tors portraying the myriad soldiers, settlers and curious characters that made the Lone Star State such a color- ful place in the 1800s.
Armed Forces Weekend
Celebration and Fly-In BRADY May 20–21, 2016
morganmilitaryaviationmu-
seum.com
(325) 456-6726
For the sixth year now, attendees can travel back in time to the 1940s in Brady to experience a Friday night celebration on the square, followed by a fly-in at Curtis Field, featuring World War II re-enactors, military vehicles, photo exhibits, warbird rides and more. The Sentimental Journey Orchestra will play crowd favorites at a home- style dinner and hangar dance Saturday night.
Fort Lancaster Western Frontier Days
Western
Heritage Classic ABILENE
May 12–15, 2016
westernheritageclassic.com (325) 677-4376
This annual four-day event showcases the essence of the cowboy lifestyle and his- tory, complete with chuck wagon cook-offs, matched horse races, parades, poetry and music performances, and a rodeo where working cowboys from some of the largest U.S. ranches show off their skills in riding, roping, penning and beyond. Daily grounds passes cost $7-10 and rodeo tickets range from $25-30. Dances, chuck wagon meals and certain children’s activities require special entry tickets.
SHEFFIELD May 20–21, 2016
visitfortlancaster.com (432) 836-4391
Experience the story of Texas Army post Fort
Kerrville Folk Festival KERVILLE
May 26–June 12, 2016
kerrvillefolkfestival.org (830) 257-3600
National Polka Festival
Lancaster via a living history of soldiers, settlers, wagons and livestock on 82 acres in the Pecos River valley. Visitors can wander through the ruins of 25 permanent buildings on the site, includ- ing a blacksmith shop, hospi- tal, sutler’s store and bakery, while enjoying the natural wildlife of west Texas.
Songwriters. This year’s line- up features Judy Collins, Terri Hendrix, Slaid Cleaves, Ruthie Foster and more.
National Polka Festival ENNIS
May 27–29, 2016
nationalpolkafestival.com (972) 878-4748
Help celebrate 50 years of Czech heritage with a week- end of colorful costumes, polka dancing, parades and kolache-eating contests, held in the heart of downtown Ennis. Enjoy 14 live polka bands, includ- ing the Grammy- winning Denton ensemble Brave
Combo, in three spacious
Frontier Forts Day FORT WORTH
May 13–14, 2016
fortworthstockyards.org (817) 625-9715
This free two-day event transforms the Fort Worth Stockyards into an authentic representation of Texas fron- tier life, lined with encamp- ments of historic fort sites.
Frontier Forts Day, Fort Worth
An annual event since 1982, the Kerrville Folk Festival is the longest continuously running music festival of its kind in North America. Come for a day, a weekend or the entire fest to experi- ence live performances, songwriting schools, hill country bike rides, campfire jam sessions, canoe trips on the Guadalupe River and the annual Grassy Hill New Folk Competition for Emerging
air-conditioned dance halls. Tickets cost $8–$15 depend- ing on the day, but all down- town activities are free and open to the public. Children 12 and under also get in at no additional cost.
Armed Forces
Weekend Celebration and Fly-In
SPRING 2016
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: STEVE BUTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY; JAMES HEUPEL; COURTESY ENNIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; COURTESY OF FORT CONCHO NHL
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