The East Texas Weekend Preview — 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!

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

THURSDAY, 7/23

Highland Cow Cookie Decorating Class

When: 10am-12pm
Where: Postmasters Coffee Co., Jacksonville

Join us for our Highland Cow cookie decorating class! From start to finish, decorate 6 adorable highland cow themed cookies! All supplies included. Each ticket also receives a drink of your choice from Postmasters Coffee Company

Decorate Your Jacket Class

When: 4pm-7pm
Where: Sew Much Fun with Melissa, Tyler

Come and add a fun embroidery design to your favorite jacket or shirt. Such a fun way to snaz up your jacket. Rhonda will walk you through this very fun technique. Bring your own jacket and supplies and your chosen embroidery design and Rhonda will teach you this fun technique.

Thursday Trivia

When: 7pm
Where: Brisket Love Barbecue & Icehouse - Lindale Texas

Don’t get smoked by the competition. Come prove you’re the whole rack of ribs when it comes to random knowledge! Starting Thursdays, join us for FREE Trivia Night at 7 PM! Gather your smartest friends, your luckiest guessers, and that one person who somehow knows every random fact ever discovered.

FRIDAY, 7/24

Tie a Knot or Tie a Lot

When: 10am
Where: Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, Athens

Have you ever wanted to learn a simple and quick fishing knot? Come join us on Friday, July 24th at the Angler’s Pavilion from 10am -10:45am to learn the Improved Clinch Knot.

National Amelia Earhart Day

When: 11am
Where: Lee-Bardwell Public Library, Gladewater

Learn about the most famous female pilot AND learn how to make paper airplanes!

Relax & Paint: Watercolor Class

When: 11am
Where: The Art Parlor, Canton

Step-by-step watercolor instruction suitable for beginners. All materials included for an effortless experience. Perfect downtown location, ideal for enjoying lunch afterward. Unleash your creativity and connect with friends in a relaxing and restorative setting. This watercolor class not only teaches you new skills but also provides a fun escape from the everyday hustle.

“The Enchanted Bookshop” Musical

When: 7:30pm
Where: Texas Theatre - Palestine

An ordinary used book shop by day, A Likely Story becomes a magical place each night. Thanks to a spell from the Book Fairy, the characters inside the books come alive each and every night. Six of those characters — Dorothy Gale, Robin Hood, Pollyanna, Sherlock Holmes, Heidi, and Tom Sawyer — long to help Margie, the scatterbrained owner, save her struggling store. But they’re not allowed to leave the building or be seen by human eyes. So when a pair of bungling smugglers comes looking for a stolen necklace hidden inside one of the books, the characters are torn. Should they warn Margie and risk disappearing forever? Or can they find a way to defeat the crooks without being seen?

Evening Cast

When: 8pm-9:30pm
Where: Tyler State Park

Come out and enjoy a fishing adventure with a ranger! If you have your own gear, you are more than welcomed to bring it if not, we can provide you with ours, supplies are limited.

SATURDAY, 7/25

Longview Farmers Market

When: 7:30am-11am
Where: 105 W Cotton Street, Longview, TX, United States, Texas 75601

Shop a wonderful variety of local vendors offering fresh produce, farm-fresh meats and eggs, homemade baked goods, local honey, specialty foods, fresh coffee, flowers, plants, handmade gifts, and so much more.

Caring for America Benefit Car Show

When: 8am
Where: Elder Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Athens

Caring for America is proud to share that the 2nd First Responder Scholarship Benefit Car Show is headed back to Elder CDJR in Athens this summer in partnership with Hazelwood Car Shows. This full-class car show helps raise scholarship funds for first responder scholarships while bringing the community together for a great cause, great vehicles, and a great day.

Lake Fit Challenge

When: 8:30am
Where: 105 Prairie Dr, Mabank, TX 75156-1903, United States

Join the GBC Strength & Conditioning team for a day of sunshine, sweat, teamwork, and a little friendly competition on the water. We’ll be mixing lake life with athletic challenges that will test your strength, endurance, balance, and grit. You’ll paddle across the lake, push your limits through strength and conditioning challenges, test your balance on the lily pad, tackle swim relays, and cheer on your teammates as you work your way through a series of lake-inspired fitness challenges. Some moments will test your endurance. Others will test your balance, coordination, and grit. But the best part won’t be the competition—it will be spending the morning with a community that loves fitness, challenges, and lake life. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or simply looking for a fun way to challenge yourself, the Lake Fit Challenge is designed to get you moving, laughing, competing, and making memories.

Framed Jeweled Mosaic Workshop

When: 10am
Where: Cassie Edmonds Mosaics, Tyler

This one day workshop is suitable for beginners to experienced crafters and offers an opportunity to create an amazing, jeweled mosaic art piece, with much detailing and no grouting. You will be provided with the frames, prepared velvet lined boards and patterns necessary for you to go home with your own finished masterpiece!

Intro to Herbalism

When: 10am
Where: Bob Wells Nursery at Sorelle Farms, Mineola

Discover the healing power hiding in your kitchen, and dive into the world of herbalism using herbs you already know and trust. This introductory herbalism class focuses on seven everyday herbs, their historical uses, and the art of simple remedy-making. You’ll gain foundational herbal knowledge, craft a personalized herbal remedy to take home, and build the confidence to continue curating your own herbal medicine cabinet.

Family Fun Day

When: 10am-5pm
Where: Pale Horse Ranch/Noah’s Ark Road Show, Big Sandy

Trail rides, petting zoo, pony rides, fishing, yard games for kids.

Nerikomi Workshop

When: 12pm-3pm
Where: Muddy Pants Pottery, Nacogdoches

This is a hand-building workshop. We will not be using the pottery wheel. This is a great workshop for anyone ages 16 and older. Great introduction to colored clay and how you can make some stunning work without the hassle of glazing too.

Pokémon Junior League

When: 2pm-6pm
Where: Game Crave, Athens

Young Trainers are invited to join us for a fun, friendly Pokémon TCG event made just for junior players. Whether they’re learning the game, practicing with a deck, trading cards, or battling other Trainers, Pokémon Jr League is a great way to build skills, confidence, and friendships. All experience levels are welcome, and new players are encouraged to join. Parents and guardians are welcome to stay and help as needed.

Nature Journaling

When: 3pm-4pm
Where: Lake Tawakoni State Park, Wills Point

Learn to use a crucial tool used by ecologists, naturalists, biologist, artists, and hobbyists to learn more about nature all around them! We will cover the basics of nature journaling in this class to create your very own tool of observation using writing and art. All ages and skill levels are welcome

Silly Squirrels

When: 3pm-4pm
Where: Tyler State Park

Squirrels are more than just a ball of fur. Let’s find out just how smart these “silly” squirrels are.

Monster Truck Mayhem

When: 6pm
Where: Piney Woods Raceway, Quitman

Its finally here! our first RC monster truck race will be going down.

Lufkin’s Summer in the City

When: 7pm
Where: Cotton Square

Summer in the City returns to Downtown Lufkin for eight Saturdays of music, movies, dancing, and community fun! Join us at Cotton Square every Saturday evening from June 6 through August 1 for this free summer event series. Food trucks and drink sales begin at 7PM, and the featured event begins at 8PM. July 25 – Silent Disco

Lynyrd Skynrd Tribute Show

When: 7pm
Where: Blackhawk Creek Grill, Whitehouse

Join us for a night with the #1 Tribute Band dedicated to faithfully recreating that high-energy Skynyrd concert experience: the award-winning Lone Star Skynyrd. Bringin’ the stomp and swagger and all the crowd-pleasing musical chops to the stage.

Little League Parade: Spudders vs. Knockouts

When: 7pm
Where: Mike Carter Field, Tyler

Join us at Mike Carter Field for an exciting day of baseball as the Spudders take on the Knockouts in what promises to be a thrilling showdown. This event is a celebration of youth sportsmanship and competitive spirit, bringing together families and fans for an unforgettable experience

“The Enchanted Bookshop” Musical

When: 7:30pm
Where: Texas Theatre - Palestine

“Emma”

When: 7:30pm
Where: 1200 South Henderson Blvd., Kilgore, TX, United States, Texas 75662

Texas Shakespeare Festival! Matchmaker Emma Woodhouse is determined to find her newest “project”: an impressive suitor. As she becomes increasingly entangled in the prospects of her friend, she unwittingly falls in love. What to Expect: A female-centered story with gorgeous Regency-era costumes, style, and language. This is Jane Austen’s classic, presented in a crisp and fresh adaptation.

Free Dive In Movie: “Shark Tale”

When: 8pm
Where: Kilgore City Pool

The Kilgore City Pool will be hosting a FREE Dive-In Movie! Doors to the pool will open at 8 p.m., and the movie will begin at approximately 9 p.m. or when it is dark, whichever is first! Bring your lawn chairs or blankets to watch the movie. Please, no food or outside drink.

Marvel at the Moon

When: 8:30pm
Where: Daingerfield State Park

PARK WILL BE DARK. Program will consist of a constellation tour, moon viewing, and presentation. Telescope will be provided for but feel free to bring your own if you do not want to wait in line or need some practice with yours! Binoculars are also recommended to get a closer look at these objects. Please do not bring SUPER BRIGHT white lights. This will negatively affect participants’ experiences.

Night Hike

When: 8:30pm-9:30pm
Where: Tyler State Park

As the sun goes down our day-time animals go to sleep, but our nocturnal animals come out to play! Let’s see what we can see and hear at night around Whispering Pines.

SUNDAY, 7/26

Back to School Giveaway

When: 10am
Where: Sharon SDA Church Tyler

Sharon Tyler SDA is excited to bless our community with a Backpack Giveaway on July 26 from 10–2 PM. We’ll have: • A giant slip and slide • Free food for all • Snow cones to beat the heat • Backpacks for students heading back to school. Invite a friend and join us for a day of fun, fellowship, and support as we prepare for the upcoming school year.

Shop Local Vendor Event

When: 10am-3pm
Where: Marshall Civic Center

Discover unique products from talented local makers, small businesses, and artisans while enjoying delicious food, music, and exciting competitions. Whether you’re looking for handmade gifts, permanent jewelry, boutique apparel, books, tumblers, freshies, 3D printed creations, crochet items, toys, home décor, or something completely unexpected, there’s something for everyone!

“The Enchanted Bookshop” Musical

When: 2pm
Where: Texas Theatre - Palestine

Pretty & Creepy Book Club

When: 2pm-4pm
Where: Reading in the Dark, Marshall

Pretty & Creepy Book Club is calling all thriller lovers, mystery solvers, and horror readers alike. Join us the last Sunday of every month at 2PM as we dive into chilling plots, shocking twists, true crime, psychological thrillers, and stories that keep you up at night.

Teacher Night: Wranglers vs. Knockouts

When: 7pm
Where: Mike Carter Field, Tyler

Join us for an exciting evening of baseball at Mike Carter Field in Tyler, Texas, as the Wranglers take on the Knockouts in a thrilling game you won’t want to miss. It’s Teacher Night, a special event dedicated to celebrating the incredible educators in our community.

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

LOOKING FOR MORE?

Our mission at The East Texas Weekend is to show you that you’re never too far from FUN!

Things to Do - Special places to visit and activities to do around East Texas.

Live Music - Each month we show you where all the East Texas concerts are.

Food + Drink - Try some of these wonderful places to eat!

*Download our App on Apple & Google!

Events Around East Texas This Weekend!

THURSDAY, 7/23

FRIDAY, 7/24

SATURDAY, 7/25

SUNDAY, 7/26

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

LOOKING FOR MORE?