May Events in Texas: Best Festivals, Memorial Day Weekend, and Spring Things to Do

May is one of my favorite months for planning a Texas road trip because you still get a lot of that pretty spring energy, but the event calendar starts feeling fuller, louder, and a little more adventurous. If you want the best mix of free festivals, ticketed weekends, food events, rodeos, music, and Memorial Day trip ideas, this is the May events in Texas guide I would start with.

I rebuilt this guide around official sources for May 2027 whenever those dates are already live. If an organizer has not posted 2027 details yet, I only kept events with official pages that clearly show they are real, recurring May traditions, so this still works as a planning guide instead of feeling like an old expired roundup.

If you want the more budget-focused version, head to my free May events in Texas guide too. That one stays much stricter on events you can actually enjoy without needing a ticket.

Seasonal Texas Events

Where to Pick Berries: May is one of the best months to build a day trip around berry season, especially if you want something outdoorsy to pair with a small-town festival.
Where to Pick Flowers in Texas: Late spring flower fields still make such a pretty add-on if your May weekend is more about slow scenic stops than one giant headline event.
Memorial Day Weekend Getaways in Texas: If you are using one of the May events below as an excuse for a long weekend, this is a good next step for figuring out where to stay.
Other Texas Festivals: If your calendar starts filling up fast after this, this guide is a good place to keep the statewide inspiration going.

By City

Austin

Pecan Street Festival (Free): This is such an easy May event to recommend if you want a classic Austin weekend that still feels family-friendly and easy to wander. Visit Austin calls it a free two-day arts festival held the first Saturday and Sunday in May, and the official festival pages show it is still one of the big spring staples in the area. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 spring festival ran May 9-10.
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival: If your ideal trip leans more creative than outdoorsy, this one is such a strong Austin pick. Cine Las Americas treats it as its annual festival celebrating Latine/x and Indigenous filmmaking, and the 2026 festival page already confirmed a five-day May run. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 13-17.
O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships (Free): This is one of those delightfully Austin events that feels a little niche until you are there and realize how much fun everyone is having. The City of Austin’s event page says admission is free, and the competition continues its long-running May tradition. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 Pun-Off was May 9.
CapTex Tri: If you want a May event that feels more active and a little more ambitious, this is the kind of thing people really do plan a weekend around. Austin’s official event page had the 2026 Memorial Day race live, and it remains one of the city’s better-known late-May athletic events. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 race was May 25.
ATX TV Festival: This is a fun wildcard if you love TV, panels, screenings, and the kind of event that gives a trip a very specific theme. The official site already has the next season dated and positions it as a multi-day Austin festival built around television fandom and industry conversations. May 28-31, 2027 not posted yet; the official 2026 dates were May 28-31.

Boerne

Boerne Lemonade Day (Free): This one feels especially sweet if you want a smaller-town event that is still easy to build a morning around. The Greater Boerne Chamber says it happens the first Saturday in May, with lemonade stands spread around town and a very family-friendly setup. Official 2027 date not posted yet; the chamber lists it as a first-Saturday-in-May tradition.
Hill Country Art & Wine Festival (Free & Open to the Public): If you want a May Hill Country event that still feels polished and worth the drive, this is a good one. The official festival page shows a public festival day alongside the preview events, and it keeps the old Art Waddle energy while giving it a more built-out downtown festival feel. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 22-23.

Burnet

Burnet County Rodeo: If your May plans need something that feels unapologetically Texas, this is a really solid pick. The official rodeo page already had the 60th annual 2026 dates live and positions it as a classic two-night rodeo weekend with all the expected action. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 rodeo ran May 8-9.

Canton

First Monday Trade Days: If you love the kind of trip where half the fun is just browsing and seeing what you stumble into, this is still one of the biggest May traditions in Texas. The City of Canton says the market runs Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of each month, so it stays a dependable May anchor even before the next year’s exact weekend is posted.

Corpus Christi

Buc Days Rally Night Parade (Free to watch): If you want a high-energy coastal parade without committing to the full ticketed festival schedule, this is a really fun way in. Buc Days keeps this parade as part of its annual lineup, and it helps kick off the city’s pirate-season energy in a way that still feels easy for visitors.
Driscoll Children’s Parade (Free to watch): This is such a good pick if you are road-tripping with kids and want something that feels festive without being too overwhelming. It stays part of the official Buc Days parade lineup and gives the broader festival a more family-centered daytime moment.
Buc Days: If you want one of the biggest reasons to visit the Texas coast in May, this is it. The official Buc Days site already has 2027 dates live and makes it clear this is much more than one event, with rodeo nights, carnival energy, concerts, parades, and citywide activity. April 29-May 9, 2027
Festival de Cine Latino Americano Corpus Christi: This is a strong add if you want something more cultural than carnival-heavy. The festival’s past May programming has centered Latino film and community screenings, and it gives Corpus Christi a different kind of event weekend if you want something beyond beach time and rodeo crowds.
First Friday ArtWalk (Free): If your May trip lands early in the month, this is one of the easiest downtown plans to build around. Downtown Corpus Christi says this monthly event brings vendors, food trucks, exhibitions, music, and specials to a big walkable stretch of downtown every first Friday.

Fort Worth

Mayfest: This is one of the most obvious May anchors in North Texas for a reason. The official festival page already had the late-April into early-May 2026 schedule live, and it still reads like the kind of big park festival that gives you food, music, family activities, and a full day out instead of a quick stop. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran April 30-May 3.

Frisco

StrEATS Festival (Free): This is such a good May pick if your ideal event involves food trucks, music, browsing, and a lively downtown crowd without a giant barrier to entry. The official Frisco Old Town pages say the 2026 event was free and treated it like one of the district’s signature annual weekends. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival was May 2.
Frisco Starfest (Free): If you want something lower-key but still memorable, this is a really fun one. Visit Frisco describes it as a second-Saturday monthly star party at Frisco Commons Park, which makes it an easy May evening add-on for families or anyone who wants a slower-paced night outside.

Galveston

La Izquierda Surf and Music Festival: If you want a May beach weekend with a lot more personality than just parking on the sand, this is a fun one to watch. Visit Galveston already had the 2026 dates live and frames it as a coastal mix of surf culture, music, art, and family-friendly beach energy. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 1-2.
Galveston ArtWalk (Free): This is one of my favorite free coastal options because it gives you a real evening plan without making the trip feel too scheduled. The official ArtWalk pages say it happens on the second Saturday of each month and stays free and open to everyone.

Grapevine

Main Street Fest: If you want a festival that still feels family-friendly but has enough going on to justify a whole weekend, Grapevine’s main May festival is a strong choice. The official festival page already has 2027 dates live and promises the usual mix of music, shopping, food, and downtown energy. May 14-16, 2027

Houston

Party on the Plaza (Free): If you want a free Houston night that still feels like a real event instead of just a casual concert, this is such a good one. Avenida Houston’s official pages say the 2026 series returned on multiple May Thursdays with free live music right near Discovery Green. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 series ran on May 7, 14, and 21.
Houston Greek Fest: If you want a Houston festival weekend that feels food-forward and full of activity, this is a strong one to keep on the list. The official site already had the mid-May 2026 dates live and highlights the usual mix of food, dancing, shopping, and church tours. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 14-16.

Kerrville

Kerrville Folk Festival: This is one of the strongest late-May road trip anchors if you want to camp out, settle in, and let the event be the trip. The official site and lineup pages already have the 2026 schedule live and still frame it as an 18-day music tradition built around songwriters and community. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 21-June 7.

Lubbock

First Friday Art Trail (Free): If you want a May West Texas event that is easy to drop into without overplanning the whole weekend, this is a great choice. LHUCA says it happens on the first Friday of every month, with galleries, music, and free trolley service helping pull the whole district together.

Pasadena

Pasadena Strawberry Festival: If you want a spring festival that still leans proudly old-school Texas, this is a good one to keep on your radar. The official site presents it as an annual Pasadena tradition with concerts, carnival fun, contests, and its big strawberry identity still front and center. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 14-17.

Plano

AsiaFest (Free): If you want a May event that feels colorful, food-forward, and really family-friendly, this is an easy one to recommend. The official Plano and AsiaFest pages describe it as a celebration of Asian cultures with performances, vendors, and demonstrations in downtown Plano. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival was May 2.

Richardson

Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival: If you want a North Texas festival with a bigger concert footprint, this is the one I would watch. The official festival pages already had 2026 ticketing and lineup details live, and it remains one of the area’s better-known May music weekends. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 15-17.
Cottonwood Art Festival (Free admission): This is a good Richardson pick if you want something more art-focused than concert-heavy. The official festival pages already had the spring 2026 dates live and continue to frame it as a longtime outdoor art tradition with free admission. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 spring festival ran May 2-3.

Round Rock

Music on Main (Free): If you want a May night that stays easy and local-feeling, this is such a good Round Rock option. Downtown Round Rock says the spring series runs weekly with live music, family activities, and free parking, which makes it one of the easier recurring evening plans in Central Texas.

McKinney

McKinney R&B Festival: If you want a May event that feels more grown-up and music-focused than a daytime craft festival, this is a nice McKinney wildcard. The official city calendar had the 2026 festival date live at TUPPS Brewery, so it is worth keeping on the radar as the 2027 lineup develops. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival was May 9.

San Antonio

Tejano Conjunto Festival: If you want a San Antonio event that feels deeply rooted in local culture instead of touristy, this is a strong one. The official Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center pages already had the 2026 schedule live and keep positioning it as the longest-running conjunto festival in the world. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 14-17.
Síclovía (Free): This is such a good option if you want a San Antonio event that lets you actually get outside and move through the city. The YMCA of Greater San Antonio calls it a free community tradition that opens the streets to walking, biking, skating, and family-friendly activity. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 event was May 3.

Tomball

Tomball still has some easy free May events, but for this statewide guide I would send most budget-focused readers to the dedicated free roundup instead of overloading this page with lighter recurring community picks.

Georgetown

Second Saturday Market Days (Free): If your perfect May outing looks like slow shopping, snacks, and a beautiful square, this is an easy Georgetown pick. Downtown Georgetown says Market Days runs on the second Saturday and continues drawing a huge crowd of shoppers and browsers every month.

New Braunfels

Mayfest (Free): If you want a spring event that still feels relaxed and family-friendly, this is a nice New Braunfels add. The New Braunfels Chamber’s 2026 page described it as a free public festival with live music, vendors, model home tours, and a laid-back May afternoon feel. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 event was May 9.

Brenham

Brenham Maifest: This is such a good pick if you want something with a little history and a lot of small-town Texas charm. The official Maifest pages already had the 2026 dates live and remind readers that this celebration has been part of Brenham’s calendar for generations. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival ran May 8-9.

Waxahachie

Scarborough Renaissance Festival: If you want a May weekend that feels immersive instead of ordinary, this is such a fun wildcard. The official festival site keeps it as one of the biggest themed spring experiences in Texas, with jousts, performances, shopping, and food running well through May.

Poteet

Poteet Strawberry Festival: This is one of those classic Texas festival names that still really earns the hype if you like rodeo-and-carnival energy with a very specific local identity. The official site is already looking ahead to its milestone 80th annual festival, so it still feels like a dependable spring event to keep on the radar even while 2027 dates are pending.

Waco

Brazos Nights (Free): If you want a downtown Waco night that feels fuller than just dinner and a walk, this is a great May pick. The official Brazos Nights site already had May 2026 concert dates posted and keeps it positioned as one of the city’s signature free concert traditions. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 May concert was scheduled for May 1.
Levitt AMP Waco Music Series (Free): This is one of the better recurring Waco options if you want live music without a ticket barrier. Creative Waco describes it as a spring run of free concerts at Bridge Street Plaza with family-friendly programming and vendors built into the evening.

Elgin

Elgin is another great place to look if you want smaller free community events in May, but I kept the main post more focused on the statewide anchors and stronger trip-driving weekends.

Dallas

Choctaw Cover-to-Cover Music Festival (Free): If you want a Dallas music event that feels festive but still easy to do casually, this one works really well. Klyde Warren Park’s official event pages already had the 2026 May music festival listed as a free evening built around tribute bands, lawn space, and a very relaxed downtown vibe. Official 2027 dates not posted yet; the 2026 festival was May 30.

May is one of those Texas months where you can really choose your own adventure. You can go full festival mode, build a road trip around a free downtown event, or pair one bigger anchor with flower fields, berry picking, or a Memorial Day weekend getaway.

If you want the version that stays stricter on budget, head next to my free May events in Texas guide.

Save This Guide for Later

Planning a spring or Memorial Day road trip? Save this list now so you can come back as more May 2027 dates and final event schedules continue rolling out.

Last Updated 1 day ago ago by Jessica Serna | Published: May 1, 2024

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