If you’re looking for fun things to do in East Texas this weekend, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our rundown of some fun things happening around the area! For a look at live music around East Texas, check out our Live Music Lineup!

If you know of another event, or see an inaccuracy below, please let us know here.

THURSDAY, 8/10

Park Day at Darden Harvest Park

• When: 10:00 AM - Noon
• Where: Darden Harvest Park, Lindale
• Cost: Free

Come join us for some more summer fun before school starts! We will be coming & going from 10am-noonish. There is a splash pad, so bring those swimsuits & a sack lunch if you prefer.

SFA Gardens Lecture Series

• When: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
• Where: Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Nacogdoches
• Cost: Free

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series. Cummins, who lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, is a lecturer for the Louisiana Farm to School Program. She also has been a commercial cut flower grower, a botanical illustrator and an indigo dyer.

Classic Summer Movie Series

• When: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
• Where: True Vine Brewing Company, Tyler
• Cost: Free

The movie will start around 7:30ish depending on sunsetting. We will have a special “Concession Stand” available with movie treats, Sola Bread will be open with pizzas, and Fire Flame Azian Fuzion food truck will be onsite as well. Come one, come all. Bring a blanket and lay under the stars at True Vine if you want!

Lineup: August 10th - Grease

FRIDAY, 8/11

Hike with a Ranger

• When: 9:00 AM
• Where: Purtis Creek State Park, Eustace
• Cost: Free

Meet at the Beaver Slide Trailhead for a longer morning walk! Bring plenty of water and proper hiking shoes!

2023 Tyler Coin Show

• When: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Where: Ornelas Activity Center, UT Tyler, Tyler
• Cost: Free

ADMISSION IS FREE! COINS, CURRENCY, GOLD, SILVER

OVER 50 TABLES

• Free Verbal Appraisals

• Free Door Prizes

• Educational Displays

• 24-hour police security

Back to School Bash

• When: Noon
• Where: Willow Rehab & Nursing, Kilgore
• Cost: Free

Come by for our Back to School Bash! We will have FREE school supplies, food and drinks. Everyone is welcome to attend!

80 Acre Market

• When: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Where: 80 Acre Market, Gilmer
• Cost: Free

We take pride in creating unique and different experiences each time we are open for Market. From the product inside our store to the vendors and activities outside, our team works to create a unique experience each time you visit.

Back to School Memorial Concert

• When: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
• Where: The Texas: A Landmark Venue, Athens
• Cost: $15-$20

A Back to School Memorial Concert in Honor of Dylan Taylor will be held on Friday, August 11th at The Texan in Athens. Ticket sales will benefit a STEM scholarship in memory of Dylan.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

• When: 7:30 PM
• Where: Longview Community Center, Longview
• Cost: $15

The Greek gods are real, and they’re ruining Percy Jackson’s life. As a son of Poseidon, Percy has newly discovered powers he can’t control, monsters on his trail, and he is on an epic quest to find Zeus’s lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods. Normal is a myth when you’re a demigod. Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed theatrical adventure that will rock your world - and the underworld.

Join us for Theatre Longview’s first musical in 5 years at the Longview Community Center! Reserved seating tickets on sale now! Performances are August 4, 5, 11, & 12 Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, and August 6 & 13 Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm.

“Classics” Night at The Tattler

• When: 8:00 PM
• Where: Speakeasy Coffeehouse, Quitman
• Cost: Free

We will have some secret fun this Friday night!!! Come up and see what’s going on!!! We will have popcorn and cocktails!!!

Open Mic Night

• When: 8:00 PM
• Where: The Understudy, Tyler
• Cost: $10

Open mic night at the The Understudy is happening.

UPRA Rodeo

• When: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
• Where: Wood County Cowboy Church, Quitman
• Cost: Free

Wood County Cowboy Church will be hosting a UPRA Rodeo on August 11th and 12th! Admission is free to attend and concessions will be available. Come out and watch some professional athletes compete in your favorite rodeo events!

SATURDAY, 8/12

Cars & Coffee at Corner Bakery

• When: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• Where: Tyler
• Cost: Free

Come out and enjoy breakfast and coffee and great cars and great people from 8 am to 10 am ! If your headed to a show swing by say hi ! Or drive by and wave!!!

Kilgore Farmers Market

• When: 8:00 AM - Noon
• Where: 100 East North Street, Kilgore
• Cost: Free

Produce, crafts, food, & more every Saturday morning from April 15th till October 21st 2023.

August Dollar Book Sale

• When: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Where: Elsewhere Book Sales, Whitehouse
• Cost: Free

Over 15,000 books for sale priced at just $1 or less.

It’s going to be hot so we’re going to stick with one day this time, but we’ll be starting early and ending late.

Reklaw Trade Day

• When: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
• Where: The Shacks on Main, Reklaw
• Cost: Free

Come out and enjoy the day while browsing through 50+ booths of flea market finds, repurposed and refurbished furniture, tools, outdoor gear, antiques, collectibles, handmade crafts, decor, woodwork and jewelry, as well as various product distributors.

You’ll find more vendors and wares (and air conditioning!) inside The Store. After all that shopping, sit down and enjoy some grub from the food vendors or relax in the game area. Bring your family and friends for a fun day. We hope to see you there!

2023 Tyler Coin Show

• When: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Where: Ornelas Activity Center, UT Tyler, Tyler
• Cost: Free

ADMISSION IS FREE! COINS, CURRENCY, GOLD, SILVER

OVER 50 TABLES

• Free Verbal Appraisals

• Free Door Prizes

• Educational Displays

• 24-hour police security

Yoga & Beer at True Vine

• When: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• Where: True Vine Brewing Company, Tyler
• Cost: $10

Join us on every second Saturday of the month for a beautiful practice under the Pavilion, and then enjoy one of True Vine’s craft beers afterwards - class and beer included in price of admission of $10!

Second Saturday Event

• When: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
• Where: Bluebird Farmstand, Tyler
• Cost: Free

We will have bakers, makers, and cakers! Come on out and check out some local small businesses!!

East Texas Psychic Fair

• When: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Where: Courtyard by Marriott, Tyler
• Cost: Free

Join us for a day of fun! We will have an assortment of vendors, psychics, and more!

80 Acre Market

• When: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Where: 80 Acre Market, Gilmer
• Cost: Free

We take pride in creating unique and different experiences each time we are open for Market. From the product inside our store to the vendors and activities outside, our team works to create a unique experience each time you visit.

Create Fest & Field Day

• When: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Where: Fun Forest Park, Tyler
• Cost: Free

Create Fest is a family oriented youth based community event geared towards peace, unity & harmonious vibes to shift the culture positively.

Lego Club

• When: Noon - 1:30 PM
• Where: Nacogdoches Public Library, Nacogdoches
• Cost: Free

The library has thousands of Lego® pieces from which to choose to build whatever you can imagine. Display your work in the library window afterward! For ages 11 & under.

15th Annual New Play Festival

• When: 1:00 PM
• Where: Tyler Civic Theatre Center, Tyler
• Cost: $5

Join us Saturday, August 12th at 1 PM to hear the plays selected as finalists for this year’s New Play Festival read aloud by local actors! You’ll hear excerpts from:

• Admission (a Musical) by Daryl A. Rosenbaum
• Douglas the Play by Straton Rushing
• The Eulogy by Jill Bradley
• Mutual Acquaintance by Patrick McLaughlin
• The Rules of Engagement by Patrick McLaughlin
• The Springville Armadillo by Donald Loftus

East Texas Men in Harmony Concert featuring Main Street

• When: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
• Where: Lanes Chapel United Methodist Church, Tyler
• Cost: $10 Children | $20 Adults | $40 VIP

The East Texas Men in Harmony Barbershop Chorus will be in concert at 2 pm on August 12th in the Lanes Chapel Methodist Church, 8720 Old Jacksonville Hwy, Tyler, Texas 75703. This concert will feature the BHS 2017 International Champion quartet, Main Street.

Second Saturday Bluegrass & Country Music Jam

• When: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Where: Kilgore Mercantile & Music, Kilgore
• Cost: Free

Open Country, Gospel, & Bluegrass jam session for all musicians held every second Saturday of every month inside the store. You are invited to join in or sit and listen.

Black Bart Benefit Show

• When: 6:00 PM Doors Open
• Where: Gilmer Civic Center, Gilmer
• Cost: $5-$30

Come out for a star studded event created by Mike Andrews East Texas Wrestling Alliance to celebrate and support the legend known as Black Bart.

Dogwood Jamboree

• When: 7:00 PM
• Where: Palestine High School, Palestine
• Cost: $18

Classic Country Music and Comedy. Palestine High School Auditorium.

Free Spirit & Understanding Band Concert

• When: 7:00 PM
• Where: Cherokee Civic Theatre, Rusk
• Cost: Free

Free Gospel concert to celebrate & commemorate the Spirit & Understanding Band’s 50 Anniversary! This will be their farewell concert so now’s the time to bring the family, tell your friends and join us for an evening of great good time Gospel!

Luau Party

• When: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
• Where: Front Porch Distillery, Nacogdoches
• Cost: Free

Aloha! Luau Party at Front Porch Distillery! Join us for some fun in the evening sun with great food, music, & cocktails. Our new drink menus have finally released so swing in and try one of our 15 new cocktails.

Wear your best Hawaiian shirt or attire for a chance to win a bottle of your choice!

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

• When: 7:30 PM
• Where: Longview Community Center, Longview
• Cost: $15

The Greek gods are real, and they’re ruining Percy Jackson’s life. As a son of Poseidon, Percy has newly discovered powers he can’t control, monsters on his trail, and he is on an epic quest to find Zeus’s lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods. Normal is a myth when you’re a demigod. Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed theatrical adventure that will rock your world - and the underworld.

Join us for Theatre Longview’s first musical in 5 years at the Longview Community Center! Reserved seating tickets on sale now! Performances are August 4, 5, 11, & 12 Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, and August 6 & 13 Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm.

Roll for Initiative

• When: 8:00 PM
• Where: The Understudy, Tyler
• Cost: $20

Fantasy adventure and Improv Comedy. What could possibly be funnier?

Stand Up Comedy Show

• When: 8:00 PM
• Where: Firehouse Bar & Grill, Longview
• Cost: $20

Get ready for a night full of laughter, delicious drinks, and mouthwatering food at our upcoming Stand-Up Comedy Show in downtown Longview!

Join us on August 12 at firehouse for a hilarious evening packed with side-splitting performances from some of the most talented comedians around.

UPRA Rodeo

• When: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
• Where: Wood County Cowboy Church, Quitman
• Cost: Free

Wood County Cowboy Church will be hosting a UPRA Rodeo on August 11th and 12th! Admission is free to attend and concessions will be available. Come out and watch some professional athletes compete in your favorite rodeo events!

The Kokomo Concert Under the Stars

• When: 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
• Where: Kokomo Theatre, Longview
• Cost: $10

“MUSIC & MOVIE” Bring your lawn chair and dance under the moon and stars

Saturday Night Stand Up

• When: 8:30 PM
• Where: Rose City Comedy, Tyler
• Cost: $20-$25

Featuring Dexter Givens, Corey Cherry, & BJ Cramer, with host PJ Dullard.

SUNDAY, 8/13

80 Acre Market

• When: Noon - 6:00 PM
• Where: 80 Acre Market, Gilmer
• Cost: Free

We take pride in creating unique and different experiences each time we are open for Market. From the product inside our store to the vendors and activities outside, our team works to create a unique experience each time you visit.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

• When: 2:30 PM
• Where: Longview Community Center, Longview
• Cost: $15

The Greek gods are real, and they’re ruining Percy Jackson’s life. As a son of Poseidon, Percy has newly discovered powers he can’t control, monsters on his trail, and he is on an epic quest to find Zeus’s lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods. Normal is a myth when you’re a demigod. Based on the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed theatrical adventure that will rock your world - and the underworld.

Join us for Theatre Longview’s first musical in 5 years at the Longview Community Center! Reserved seating tickets on sale now! Performances are August 11 & 12 Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, and August 13 Sunday matinee at 2:30 pm.

Tinkering Club

• When: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
• Where: Longview World of Wonders, Longview
• Cost: Free

Longview WOW inspires a sense of wonder by giving children the experience to become lifelong learners.

Tinkering Club provides an instructor-supervised maker-space the second Sunday of the month for children 8 years+.

4 - 6 pm in the Maker Garage.

Back to School Bash

• When: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• Where: First United Methodist Church, Longview
• Cost: Free

You’re invited to our Back 2 School Bash on Sunday, August 13th from 4-6 p.m. on the North Lawn!

*All dates and information are subject to change. Contact us if there are changes to the schedule or if we left anything out

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