Hometown celebrations

Coastal Bend residents know how to throw a party. Here's a sample of community celebrations from patriotic tributes and fund-raisers to shrimp, shrimp and more shrimp.

Refugio County Fair
Join a down-home celebration at the Refugio County Fair, where the Pride of Texas Carnival, rodeo, pet shows, livestock shows, a parade and a live band and dance will keep locals and out-of-town visitors entertained.
March 10-14, Refugio
Information: (361) 526-2835

San Patricio World Championship Rattlesnake Races
Snakehandlers come in to help the less bravehearted enter a rattler race. You can also taste rattlesnake meat, attend a carnival and hear live music.
March 19-21, San Patricio
Information: (361) 547-6112

Folklife Celebration '99
Check out this event featuring traditional crafts and a variety of musical performances in historical Heritage Park.
April 10-11, Corpus Christi
Information: 883-0639

Buc Days
Corpus Christi's swashbuckling past comes back to life during Buc Days, a salute to the Gulf Coast's pirate history. The crowning of Miss Buccaneer Days, the mayor's traditional plunge into the bay, fireworks, a kickoff rodeo event and an illuminated night parade highlight the festival. New this year will be a black heritage day and a folklorico dance competition.
Rodeo, April 14-17

Portland's Windfest celebrates the day breezes with activities from a carnival to kite making. - Credit: George Tuley/Ct

Festival, April 22-May 2
Information: 882-3242

Windfest
Portland celebrates its constant bay breezes with a carnival, parade, chili and bean cook off, horseshoe tournament, tennis tournament, kite making, racquetball, food booths and three-on-three basketball contest. An 18-hole golf tournament on April 9 precedes the 26th annual festival.
April 15-18, Portland
Information: 643-2475

Olde Tyme Faire
Step back in time with the city of Bishop as residents enjoy live entertainment, softball games, arts and crafts booths and other contests.
April 17, Bishop
Information: (361) 584-2214

Rattlesnake Roundup
Freer residents celebrate their Western heritage by rounding up rattlesnakes to find out who can get the longest, shortest or heaviest critters. The festival includes stagecoach rides, a petting zoo, carnival and an appearance by Miss Texas. Musical variety shows include performances by Mark Chestnutt and Doug Supernaw.
April 23-25, Freer
Information: (361) 394-6891

Fiesta Bandana
Alice residents remember their town's original name - Bandana - with live entertainment, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, 4K run, beauty contest, carnival, arts and crafts and softball tournament.
May, specific date not set, Alice
Information: (361) 664-3455

Cinco de Mayo
It's a national holiday in Mexico, but communities around South Texas also will join in celebrating an 1862 battle. Mariachis, ballet folklorico and Tejano groups in the area will help celebrate. Corpus Christi's observance will include events at Heritage Park.
May 2, Corpus Christi celebration
Information: 883-0639

Texas State Kite Festival
Go fly a kite - or at least look at the displays and watch some competitions - at the beachside Texas State Kite Festival.
May 14-16, Rockport
Information: (800) 826-6441

The annual Beach to Bay Marathon is the largest marathon relay in the country. - Credit: David Adame/CT

24th Annual Beach to Bay Relay Marathon
Experienced runners and novices will lace their running shoes to cover the 26.2-mile distance between Bob Hall Pier on Padre Island and Cole Park on Ocean Drive. As many as 1,000 six-member teams race each year in the largest marathon relay in the country. Each person covers about 4.4 miles.
May 15
Information: 881-6166

12th Annual U.S. Open Windsurfing Regatta
Consistently strong winds send top amateur and professional windsurfers flying across Corpus Christi Bay to compete for cash and prizes. The event at Oleander Point in South Cole Park is free to the public. Competitions include freestyle, obstacle course and team relay.
May 27-31
Information: 985-1555

Rockport Festival of Wines
The event features wine tasting, live music and cooking and wine seminars on the grounds of the Texas Maritime Museum.
May 29, Rockport
Information: (361) 729-1271

22nd Annual C-101 C-Sculptures
Get out your buckets and shovels. More than 100,000 people each year flock to J.P. Luby Surf Park to watch the sand sculpting competition and bikini contest.
June 12, Corpus Christi
Information: 289-0111

Rockport Art Festival
The event features Independence Day festivities, a children's tent, fireworks and live entertainment.
July 3-4, Rockport
Information: (800) 242-0071

Stars and Stripes Aboard Lexington
More than 1,000 Fourth of July revelers board the Lexington Museum on the Bay for the city's best view of fireworks, the bay and to hear the Corpus Christi Symphony. Event is part of the city's day-long celebration of Independence Day.
July 4
Information: 888-4873

Shrimporee
Aransas Pass celebrates the shrimping industry with four stages of live entertainment, a carnival, outhouse run, men's sexy legs contest, parade and, of course, a shrimp eating contest. Participants in the cool ice melt down have to melt a 5-pound block of ice with body heat.
Sept. 10-12, Aransas Pass
Information: (800) 633-3028

Bayfest
Shoreline Boulevard north of Interstate 37 turns into a street party as national recording acts descend on Corpus Christi for the 24th annual Bayfest. Carnival rides, food booths and arts and crafts keep everyone in the family entertained.
September 17-19
Information: 887-0868

Seafair
Hit the Rockport Beach Park and Sea Basin for a gumbo cookoff, parade, arts and crafts, sailboat regatta and crab races. The waterfront party is known for booking up-and-coming live music acts.
October 9-10, Rockport
Information: (800) 826-6441
Beeville Market Days
Shop till you drop as vendors gather at the courthouse square in Beeville for an all-day market event the first Saturday in May, August, October and December.
Information: (361) 358-3267
- Jennifer Stump