Mark your calendar, because spring is in the air and the flowers are in bloom – specifically, poppies! The Red Poppy Festival is one of the most beloved events in Georgetown and the annual event is returning again for its 22nd year April 22-24!
The three-day festival is a local favorite and gives the entire community a chance to come together for good food, good music, and a whole lot of poppin’ red poppy fun. If you’re new to Georgetown or simply haven’t been to the festival before, here is everything you need to know about this family-friendly event.
Where: The festival is centered around Georgetown’s Town Square 103 W. 7th St.
Cost: Attending the festival is free with separate prices for various food and crafts vendors.
When: April 22 – Festival kicks off at 6 PM.
April 23 – Events begin at 10 AM with the final concert concluding around 10:30 PM.
April 24 – Events start at 11 AM and the festival concludes at 5 PM.
Why red poppies?
So what’s the deal with the red poppies, anyway? Well, the festival took its name as a nod to the flowers that can be seen all over town in the spring. The poppies aren’t native to the state but were brought here from Europe following WWII when serviceman Henry Purl Compton sent some seeds to his mother who planted them in her garden on E. 7th street.
The beautiful poppies blossomed and spread throughout the Georgetown landscape. The flowers eventually became such a fixture in the town that in 1990, Texas Legislature certified Georgetown as the “Red Poppy Capital of Texas.”
Can’t miss events!
The Red Poppy Festival delivers three days of serious fun with different events and activities throughout the weekend that you won’t want to miss. Friday kicks things off with a concert by party funk band Dysfunkshun Junkshun on the main stage at 7 PM.
As the festival’s website notes, “the festival really blossoms on Saturday when it kicks off with the Poppy Parade and Car Show.” As the rest of the day unfolds, crowds have one event after another to check out from jazz ensembles to a 5k run, a Fun Zone for the littles, and dozens of booths of local crafts and food vendors. Country singer Jack Ingram who is known for hits such as “Wherever You Are” and “Measure of a Man” closes out the day with a concert at 9:30 that evening.
The weekend winds down with another full day of events on Sunday starting with the sure-to-be-pawfect pet parade at 11 AM. Other highlights throughout the day include Irish dance, clogging, and singer/songwriter Ryan Paul Davis. A range of food and local artisans will be in attendance to give attendees one last chance to grab a tasty bite or pick up a unique gift.
The Red Poppy Festival is just one of the special events that locals love about Georgetown. If you’d like to find a new home in this little slice of Texas, contact us today.
