Texas Cultural Celebrations

©TxDOT Kevin Stillman

Texans of many backgrounds hold cultural celebrations each year. To learn more, read Celebrating the Cultures of Texas on pages 1-7 in your textbook. Then look at the calendar on pages 676-677. Many of the events listed are cultural celebrations.

The official state travel site offers information on Texas events, including cultural celebrations. There is also a searchable online guide to East Texas events.

Following are just a few of Texas's cultural celebrations. You may try the links here or search the Internet using the name of the event.

Native American pow-wows are held in Austin, Comanche, Killeen, Odessa, San Antonio, on the Alabama-Coushatta reservation, and in many other communities. The Lipan-Apache Band holds an annual pow-wow in Falfurrias. The Tigua at Ysleta del Sur hold dances throughout the year on special days, such as on St. Anthony's Day in June.

©TxDOT Kevin Stillman

Hispanic Texans celebrate Cinco de Mayo and 16 de Septiembre. These two holidays are also known as the fiestas patrias. Some Hispanic Texans also celebrate the Día de los Muertos. Many young Tejanas celebrate quinceañeras on their fifteenth birthdays. San Antonio is famous for its spring Fiesta.
Asian Texans from many countries celebrate Chinese New Year and the Moon Festival in the fall.
Hindus hold a fall festival of lights known as Diwali.
German Texan communities across the state celebrate Oktoberfest, including Fredericksburg, Addison (Dallas), Southlake, Houston, and Galveston. New Braunfels celebrates Wurstfest. Fredericksburg also recreates the Easter fires.

©TxDOT Kevin Stilman

African American Texans celebrate Juneteenth with celebrations across the state.

Texans of many faiths and backgrounds have celebrations in December and January, including Chanukah, St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucia Day, and St. Knut's Day, and Kwanzaa. Many Hispanic Texan communities celebrate Las Posadas, including San Antonio. Hill Country communities participate in the Christmas Lighting Trail.

Jewish Texans celebrate many other holidays in addition to Chanukah. In addition, young Jewish Texans often celebrate their coming of age with a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah.
Cajun Texans celebrate Mardi Gras in the very early spring. Galveston has a large Mardi Gras festival, and San Antonio has a parade on the River Walk.

Shamrock, Texas, holds festivities each year to honor St. Patrick's Day.

Various Czech festivals are held across Texas.
Greek festivals, too, are held across the state, including large festivals in Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, and Austin. A Lebanese festival is held every year in Lewisville.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated by many Muslim Texans with three days of festivities.

There are many other cultural celebrations throughout Texas. Check with your parents, friends, and local churches to find out more. Or try searching the Internet by clicking on one of the following: