Events  Festivals  and  Fun!!                                         Annual Events Printable Summary

Art Walk: The Elgin Art Walk is a free, self-guided tour of art exhibition venues in Elgin, Texas. It is held from 6 to 9 pm the 2nd Saturday of the month from March through November. (It is held the first Saturday in December in conjunction with Holiday by the Tracks.) Meet artists, enjoy live music, refreshments and experience historic downtown Elgin. Hosted by downtown art galleries, businesses, Elgin Main Street Board and Greater Elgin Chamber of Commerce. Printable Map

Music and Movies in the Park Series: The City of Elgin Parks and Recreation Department is known for its slogan, Elgin Parks and Recreation, Where the Benefits are Endless! But now the department along with the Friends of Elgin parks is venturing into providing live music in the parks. The Music and Movies Series runs from March to August and features family-oriented movies and live bands in downtown Elgin at Veterans’ Memorial Park. Additionally, concessions are sold to help finance the series that is free to the public. The community and sponsors locally support both series and contributions are being collected to assure success. For more information and a complete schedule, visit the parks and recreation website at www.elginpard.com.

Market Days: The first Saturday of each month from February through November, Market Days is held at the beautiful Elgin memorial park. The Memorial park is located on Main Street just off of Hwy 95 North. Vendors bring everything from flea market to garage sale to craft items to sell at the park. For information on booth spaces to participate in this event contact pastor Sharon McCall at 512-263-2512 or 512-689-6321.

January 21, 2008 / Martin Luther King Observance: The Bastrop County Martin Luther King Holiday Commission celebrates the legacy of Dr. martin Luther King each year on the third Monday of January. The celebration rotates between the cities of Bastrop, Elgin and Smithville. The 19th Annual Bastrop County Martin Luther King Holiday Commission Walk for peace, justice, equality and non-violence will be in Bastrop. The theme continues to be, Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day on, Not a Day Off! This emphasizes that although the holiday is a day off for some, it should not be taken lightly. For more information contact Dock Jackson at 512-281-2477.

March 22, 2008 / Elgin Community Easter Egg Hunt: The annual egg hunt is sponsored by the Friends of Elgin Parks with the City of Elgin Parks and Recreation Department. A tradition originally begun by the Elgin Evening Lions Club, the event is held the Saturday before Easter each year in Elgin Memorial Park. It provides an opportunity for youth up to 8 years old to explore the park in an egg hunt with fabulous prizes. For more information, contact the Elgin parks and Recreation Department at 512-281-2477 or visit the parks and recreation website at www.elginpard.com.

April 18-19, 2008/ Relay for Life: The Relay for Life takes place in April every year. This event is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and is a community event that not only raises funds for research and patient services, but raises awareness and gives hope to those touched by cancer and their families. For more information on this event visit the website at www.acsevents.org/elgintx.

April 19, 2008 / Dia de los Ninos: This event is held the third Saturday in April at the Elgin Public Library from 12:00p.m.- 4:00p.m. Bring the family and enjoy the day at the library with live entertainment, Ballet Folklorico, and music. Also food, games, free books, crafts and more.  For information call Melinda Torres @ 281-5678. Elgin Public Libary Children's Programs

April 17-18, 2008 / Elgin VFD BBQ Cook-Of:f The Fireman's BBQ Cook-off is held in the Elgin Memorial Park the fourth Saturday of April. Participants begin arriving on Thursday to start preparing their cuisine with Judging on Saturday.  Each year this event attracts a large crowd and is great fun for all who attend. For details contact the Elgin Volunteer Fire Department at 281-4025.

April 26 , 2008 / Art & Artisans Showcase…Elgin Style: The gazebo in Veterans Memorial Park is the stage for live music for your enjoyment as you stroll through the park and see, feel, and experience the art by local artisans, Elgin Style! Concessions are also available throughout the day. This event takes place the fourth Saturday of April from noon to 8:00 p.m. in Historic Downtown Elgin. For more information regarding the local artisans, visit www.elginartisans.com.

May 3, 2008 / Community Wide Garage Sale: The first Saturday in May a community wide garage sale is held for anyone wishing to participate. Watch the Elgin Courier for details and to secure a map showing the locations of all the sales. For information on how to get on the map contact the Elgin Courier at 285-3333.

June 14, 2008 / Juneteenth Festival: President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation proclamation into law on January 1, 1863. Texans did not receive word of this proclamation until June 19, 1865, when Major Gordon Granger sailed into Galveston and issued a general order declaring that, “in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. In observance of this event, Elgin celebrates the occasion that second weekend in June with a parade, pageant, dance and festival. The events take place in downtown Elgin at the Veterans’ Memorial Park. For more information, contact Byron Mitchell at 512-281-9582 or the Elgin Chamber of Commerce.

June 25-28, 2008 / Annual Western Days Festival: The Western Days festival begins with our Queen’s Review on Tuesday night. Rodeo events are scheduled for Wednesday – Friday nights. There is a dance scheduled for Friday night at the Tennis Courts in Memorial Park. Saturday will begin with a Grand Parade down Main Street and then ongoing events in Memorial park with Arts and Craft Vendors, Food Vendors, Carnival, Children’s Activities, Live Music throughout the day and Softball, Volleyball and Horseshoe tournaments. Come and join in on all the fun! www.elgintxchamber.com

July 3, 2008 / Chalk It Up: Children’s Sidewalk Art Contest: The Elgin Parks and Recreation Department sponsors a free children’s sidewalk art contest each July at Veterans’ Memorial Park. Chalk It Up is a program co-sponsored by the National Recreation and park Association. The event for children ages 6-12. Youth are asked to participate as individuals or in Groups (Groups are two to four youth.). The event is free. Judges will determine winners based on creativity, use of space, color and imagination. A thirty-minute time limit will be placed on all entries once the event begins. The theme is “Celebrating Freedom in the USA”. Prizes will be awarded to winners in the following age groups: (6-8 yr. Olds) and (9-12 yr. Olds). For more visit the Parks and Recreation website at www.elginpard.com.

July 4, 2008 / Elgin People’s Patriotic Fourth of July Parade and Celebration: Push, Pedal, Pull and Pets is the theme of the annual parade and celebration held each year on the Fourth of July. It is a fun event for children, pets, adults, seniors and veterans. Everyone is invited to walk down historic Main Street from City Hall to the Veterans’ Memorial Park for a celebration of our nations’ freedom. All non-motorized entries are accepted. Food and fun follow the parade with a short program and a Soap Box Derby exhibition by the local cub scouts. For more information on this event, contact the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department at 512-281-2477 or go to www.elginpard.com.

September 19-20, 2008 / Chilepepper Fiesta: This celebration begins at Veterans’ Memorial Park from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Bring the whole family and enjoy the weekend with food, Mariachi Band, D.J. Street dancing, Ballet Folklorico, and the crowning of the Miss 16 of September. Everyone welcome! For information, call 512-281-3088

October 11 , 2008 / Annual Sausage Stampede: The Southside Market Sausage Stampede is a 5K race and a 1K Children’s race sponsored by the Cattlemen for Cancer Research Patient Assistance Program and the Greater Elgin Chamber of Commerce. The race will begin at 8:00 a.m. Please contact the Greater Elgin Chamber of Commerce at 512-285-4515 for more information or visit www.elgintxchamber.com

October 25, 2008 / Hogeye Festival: The annual Hogeye Festival is for the entire family and features food, kids activities, handmade arts and crafts, music by local bands and plenty of pig puns to go around. Also included are the Road Hog Car Show, In a Pigs Eye Dart Contest, Gordon Swenson Memorial BBQ Pork-Off, Piggy Idol Talent Showcase, Carnival and last but not least, the crowning of King Hog or Queen Sowpreme. Set in Historic Downtown Elgin, this is an event you will want to come back to year after year. For more information or to register for any of the events listed go to HOGEYE FESTIVAL and select the form(s) you need.

October 31, 2008 / Trick or Treat Trail: Sponsored by the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department and located in Historic Downtown Elgin, at Veterans' Memorial Park, businesses set up to pass out treats and provide activities for the trick or treaters. This safe alternative to traditional Trick or Treating is a popular event complete with a costume contest for the kids. For more information visit www.elginpard.com

December 6, 2008 / Holiday by the Tracks: Co-sponsored by the Elgin Main Street Board, Elgin Chamber of Commerce and the Parks and Recreation Department. Holiday by the Tracks includes a day of shopping at the local downtown businesses, music and the Art & Artisans Showcase in Veterans' Memorial Park. Also included are the VFD Lighted Christmas Parade at dusk followed by a live nativity. For more information go to Holiday by the Tracks

December 6, 2008 / Lighted Christmas Parade: Sponsored by the Elgin Volunteer Fire Department, this annual parade is a favorite of the locals as well as the many visitors it attracts. You will be sure to enjoy the creativity and diversity of the many floats. This event takes place the first Saturday of December at dusk. The parade route follows Main Street from 11th to Brenham. For a registration form to participate in the parade please contact the Elgin Volunteer Fire Department at 512-281-4025. Parade Registration Form

  Annual Events Printable Summary