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Fall is two things in Texas: the spooky season and when it’s finally safe to leave your home without turning into a puddle of sweat. As soon as September rolls around, it doesn’t take long for Downtown San Marcos to start celebrating—and once San Marcos starts, it’s a merry marathon all the way to Christmas.
To help you plan the next several months for maximum mirth, we’ve put together some of the most popular events going down in Downtown San Marcos this fall. Break out that calendar and we’ll help you fill it up with jazz festivals, Halloween celebrations, and…Martians?
Spirit Squared
San Marcos is always cooking up new ways to celebrate the seasons, and Spirit Squared is the latest—some might say greatest—addition. You might think that Halloween is sufficient reason to throw a party, but what if some mad celebration scientists thought to combine Halloween with Día de los Muertos?
That’s exactly what you get with Spirit Squared, which includes a spooky market, a community ofrenda, live music, business activations, and even a movie on the Square! It’s the perfect way to get into the spirit of the season without having to throw on that bed sheet with the little eye holes.
Frights and Sounds Music Festival
Looking to double-up on the toil and trouble? Turn your attention to the Frights and Sounds Music Festival, featuring some of the finest underground bands in Texas. But in true Halloween fashion, these underground bands burst forth from the dirt to invigorate the living with the black magic of rock ‘n’ roll.
Eddy Durham Jazz Festival
Take respite from the ghosts and goblins this fall with the Eddy Durham Jazz Festival, a celebration of a true jazz legend from right here in San Marcos. Durham was a pioneer of electric guitar and big band music, so the city takes a moment out of every year to show Durham a little appreciation by moving our feet to one of America’s finest musical inventions.
What the festival lacks in Halloween scares, it makes up for in live jazz, swing dancing, food trucks, and even an open-air market with local crafts. You don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to enjoy the festival either. If someone asks you your favorite Miles Davis records, just say “all of them!”
So Many Fall Events, So Little Time
Okay, so technically this is one section, but we’re going to cheat and cram in several events. There are simply too many awesome fall events happening downtown that we couldn’t possibly ignore.
Take the pumpkin patch at First Methodist Church, for example. It’s rows and rows of glorious orange globes that’ll make you smile before you make them smile. Art Scared is a pop-up art gallery where San Marcos kiddos take over downtown with ghostly window paintings that would make Michelangelo blush—and maybe pee his pants.
Weekly Markets in San Marcos
While the big events tend to grab the headlines, it’s the recurring markets that keep downtown San Marcos buzzing with excitement all season long.
Art Squared is a communal art market on the Square with music and food to boot—the perfect spot to bring home a one-of-a-kind souvenir. Pick up some vintage clothing or homemade soap at the Vanilla Bean Market, which happens every month. Another great spot for vintage goods is 1893 Flea, a goldmine for those with a sophisticated eye for the unusual.
Looking for local produce, plants, or pastries while you’re in town? Every Saturday, you’ll find the San Marcos Farmers Market with all that and then some! All filled up on local produce but conspicuously lacking in original artwork? The Martian Culture market, filled with San Martian artists, invades downtown with live painters and musicians, prints, and hand-crafted intergalactic artifacts.
The Many Fall Colors of San Marcos
Almost every week in San Marcos brings a new flavor to the holiday season. Whether you’re basking in jazz, picking pumpkins, or cozying up at a coffee shop with a pumpkin spice latte, San Marcos doesn’t waste a second of Texas’ unbeatable fall weather.
Once you’ve picked out the event or two that speak to you, the next step is booking a stay at one of our amazing hotels!
