Local Art and Flea Markets Near Plum Creek

The local art community in Central Texas is unique in that it has the funky flavor of Austin but also a whole heap of southern, Texas charm. There are numerous venues in and around Kyle at which local artists and craftspeople share their creations with the community. Whether you’re looking for jewelry, paintings, sculptures or antiques, these markets will offer you the chance to find the hidden treasure you’re looking for.

 

Photo courtesy of Art Squared Arts Market

Art Squared Arts Market

The Art Squared Arts Market in San Marcos happens every second Saturday. From humble beginnings in 2012, this market has grown and moved to the San Marcos Downtown Square, where it offers emerging and established artists a platform to exhibit and sell their handcrafted art. The market is open from 9am to 4pm and also features live music, so bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy a day of music and art. If you’re an artist looking for a place to sell your wares, applications for booths are open for future Art Squared events.

Photo courtesy of Austin 360

Kyle Flea Market

Right here in Kyle the Kyle Flea Market is open on weekends from 9am to 5pm. Known for it’s weird, surprising, and sometimes messy shopping, this market certainly has a lot of character. Established in 1980, the Kyle Flea Market is a place for the people in the community to buy, sell, and trade virtually anything and everything. The market also features Open-Air Swap Meet tables in front of the facility, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. A variety of restaurants throughout the market also offer hungry shoppers a place to grab a bite while browsing the collection of dusty treasures.

Photo courtesy of http://www.firstthursdayaustin.com/

First Thursday

On a daily basis, South Congress Avenue in Austin often features mini-bazaars of locally-made arts and crafts, but First Thursday is the time when the artists really come out and make a showing. Held on the first Thursday of every month, this market / festival gives Austin artists and small businesses a chance to showcase their creativity in the middle of the bustling South Congress Avenue. At this market you can find all manner of handmade goods, from finely crafted jewelry to unique screen-printed t-shirts and much more. As a bonus, many of the well-known businesses on South Congress stay open late so you can enjoy all the funky shopping and dining this iconic Austin street offers well into the night.

Photo courtesy of http://www.austincountry.citymax.com/page/page/2934940.htm

Austin Country Flea Market

The Austin Country Flea Market is one of the oldest and largest flea markets in Central Texas. Just North of Austin, this veteran flea market is listed as #8 on Travel Channel’s Top 10 World’s Best Flea Markets. With 300 vendor spaces, the variety of the market is both vast and eclectic. Besides the expected handicrafts, there is also furniture, clothing, garage sales, auto accessories, and just about everything else you might never have known you needed. With live music every weekend, you could lose hours browsing the huge selection. The Austin Country Flea Market is open Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am to 6:00pm all year round.

Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/23rdstreetartistsmarket

23rd Street Artist’s Market

You might not even notice this little market tucked away between 23^rd and 24^th streets on the Drag, but the 23^rd Street Artist’s Market is an Austin staple. Also called the Renaissance Market, this little outcropping of vendors is surrounded by murals and is located right across from UT’s campus. Open since the 1970s, this market showcases some of the most essential Austin flavor and some of the best local art finds. Open daily but busiest on weekends, this small market is a local institution and a great place to experience what the art community of Austin has to offer.

Popcorn & More: Central Texas Movie Theaters near Kyle, Texas

The movies are coming to Kyle! Construction on the city’s first movie theatre and entertainment complex – the EVO Family Entertainment Center – has begun. And by November of this year, residents of Kyle will be able to go to the movies, play bowling and laser tag just minutes away from home.  The complex will feature an 11-auditorium theatre, a 14-lane bowling center, a “casino style” arcade floor featuring video and redemption games, and a full-scale restaurant and bar.  In anticipation for the November opening, here are some other movie entertainment options available around Plum Creek for date nights, girls’ night out or for family-friendly entertainment.

In South Austin at the intersection of Mopac and Slaughter Lane lies The Alamo Drafthouse, an Austin establishment that offers visitors movies, alcohol, delicious food, and themed/special events. The Drafthouse hosts special screenings, the latest blockbuster releases, as well as sing and quote-a-longs for adults and children to enjoy. Additionally, the Slaughter Lane Drafthouse is home to 400 Rabbits, a cocktail lounge adjacent to the movie theater that features Spanish-inspired bites and specializes in tequila and mescal based cocktails. The programming at Alamo Drafthouse changes every month and can be viewed on the theater’s website. This month they’ve been featuring the Bring it On Cheer-Along and special subtitled showings of Hayao Miyazaki’s newest movie, The Wind Rises.  The Alamo Drafthouse also offers convenient ticket purchasing via their official app available in the iTunes app store. And remember – events at the Drafthouse are popular, and unlike a traditional movie theater, the Alamo Drafthouse requires movie-goers to reserve seats online before attending a show.

Photo courtesy of the Austin Chronicle

Deeper into Austin (downtown to be exact) Violet Crown Cinema is another food-and-movie establishment located in the 2^nd Street District that offers moviegoers an upscale theater experience. The theater’s four screens are devoted to independent, documentary and international and the cinema bar and café offers a full cocktail bar and an appetizer menu with a wide range of options, too. Tickets for the cinema can be reserved and purchased online and the schedule of shows can also be found on the Violet Crown website.

Just south of Kyle, Texas Cinema Showplace in San Marcos offers a movie experience on the cheap – $1 to be exact. It’s a small theater, with only three auditoriums that show movies once they’ve left the big screen, but they’re a dollar or less and close to home – can’t beat that!

With these theaters and more around Kyle, there are plenty of entertainment options available for Kyle residents to  enjoy until November when EVO opens its doors!

Holiday Films and Live Showings in Central Texas

Of all of the holidays throughout the year, those in December are often the ones that are most celebrated in pop culture – whether it’s through song, films, plays or other live experiences. Such mainstays as The Nutcracker, The Grinch and It’s a Wonderful Life have become holiday traditions for many people this time of year; and across Central Texas, there are countless opportunities for experiencing your favorites.

Austin is the perfect place for getting your holiday fix this December, as it’s a mere 20 minute drive away from Kyle – and nearly every movie theater or theater house in town is celebrating the holiday season in their own way. The Alamo Drafthouse, for example, is showing both holiday classics and modern favorites (many with their own special programming) including a Home Alone Pizza Party, a Christmas Vacation Quote Along, It’s a Wonderful Life and more.  Most of the special programs are shown at the original Drafthouse location on 6^th Street, just down the road from I-35, making it an easy stop for those of us traveling to the theater from Kyle. Plus, there’s the Paramount and Stateside Theaters a little further into downtown Austin which are also showing holiday films throughout the month.

Photo courtesy of Ballet Austin

If a live experience is more your thing, the ZACH Theater in Austin is showing their own take on the Christmas classics A Christmas Story and This Wonderful Life the whole month of December; and Ballet Austin will be performing their annual presentation of The Nutcracker at The Long Center for the Performing Arts as well.  The Nutcracker will also be shown in San Marcos at the San Marcos High School Performing Arts Center thanks to the River City Ballet, and THIS THURSDAY, the famous jazz version of the classic ballet from Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, will be put on by the Texas State University Jazz Ensemble and the Department of Theater and Dance at Texas State’s Evans Auditorium. The Evans Auditorium will also be home to the Hill Country Youth Chorus’ free presentation of the “Holidays in the Hill Country” on December 9^th as well.

Photo courtesy of the San Marcos Mercury

In Kyle, the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center located in Plum Creek is host to another array of holiday shows and events throughout the month, including holiday performances from the districts’ choirs, orchestras and bands, a performance of The Nutcracker on Sunday, December 15^th and The Night Before Christmas on December 20^th and 21^st.

So to get you and yours in the holiday spirit this month, complement the holiday classics you have on VHS and DVD with some live film and theater experiences, and celebrate not only the season, but the talent and creativity that’s present here in Central Texas!

 

 

Labor Day Festivals and Events in Central Texas

Monday is Labor Day – meaning the end of the summer, the beginning of fall, and a three day weekend to help ease you into the season. For Central Texans, Labor Day is usually still a scorcher, but there are many things you can do to celebrate in Central Texas, either for the day or for the weekend.

About an hour and a half west of Kyle, the Kerrville Fall Music Fundraiser celebrates the spirit of songwriting and drink-making at the Quiet Valley Ranch, Friday August 30^th, to Sunday September 1^st. The three-day event features tastings and seminars from some of Central Texas’ premiere wineries and breweries, along with performances from a number of local and regional songwriters. Performances will take place during the days and at night; but the wine and beer booths will only be set up during the night performances, from wineries and breweries hailing from all over the state – including Fredericksburg’s Pedernales Brewing Company, Austin‘s Independence Brewing Company, Messina Hof Winery, and Becker Vineyards, among others.

Photo by Susan Roads, courtesy of KerrvilleMusic.com

East of Kyle, the Fayette County Fair takes place in La Grange Thursday through Sunday on the Fayette County Fairgrounds. In its 86^th year, the annual festival is an iconic Central Texas event, featuring agriculture and livestock shows, live music, a beauty pageant, a BBQ cook off, carnival rides and more. Tickets to the fair are $15 and include access to everything but the carnival rides. The carnival is open every evening from 6:00 to close, and all-you-can-ride wristbands are $35. On Sunday, bring 4 canned goods for the AMEN food pantry and get $5 off the carnival wristband, too. The perfect family-friendly Labor Day activity, just a little over an hour away from Kyle.

Photo courtesy of The Katy News

For those who wish to stay in town this Labor Day, there are countless ways to celebrate at home, with the family and the neighbors. The Kyle Pool is open from 11-5 until Labor Day, after which it closes for the season, and, for Plum Creek residents, there is always Fergus and McNaughton Pools. Or you can have one final summer grill out with the neighbors.

 

 

Barbecuing in Central Texas

You may or may not have heard, but May is National Barbecue Month; and rightly so, as May is one of the best months of the year for enjoying the great outdoors and cooking outside. AAAAND we live in one of the best places for enjoying the food genre. In fact, Texas Monthly recently released their list of the Top 50 BBQ restaurants in Texas, and guess what? Nine on the list are located around Kyle – in Austin, San Marcos, Lockhart and Luling. So, whether you want to cook it yourself, or if you prefer a professional to do it, there’s lots of BBQing to go around in Central Texas.

Photo courtesy of Youth Leader Stash

The all-time favorite Texas BBQ place on Texas Monthly’s list was Franklin Barbecue in Austin. The famous restaurant is notorious for its long waits and for selling out of food every day at noon, but it is one of the most highly-regarded barbecue spots in the country. Other Texas Monthly favorites include four others in Austin, Black’s Barbecue and Kruez Market in Lockhart, City Market in Luling and Hays Co. Bar-B-Que and Catering in San Marcos. But that’s just the official list – there are many more to be enjoyed. And Texas Monthly doesn’t know everything!

The City of Lockhart – located less than 30 minutes away from Kyle – is the official Barbecue Capital of Texas, as pronounced by the Texas Legislature in both 1999 and 2003. (Now that’s official!) They have four BBQ restaurants in town, with an estimated 5,000 people visiting their restaurants each week.

For those of you who prefer to do your own grilling, or have big plans for Memorial Day this weekend, Delish.com has great resources for your grilling experience, from safety tips and tricks, to main dish recipes and marinades, to expert grilling tips no one ever teaches you. Men’s Health has a BBQ Center as well, complete with an “8-week BBQ Master Class” that promises to make you “the best grill man on the block.”

Even though it’s the end of May and the official National BBQ Month is winding down, summer is on its heels, giving you plenty of time to stretch those grilling muscles.

Photo courtesy of Backyard Simple