Mark it: April 24–26, 2026. The Red Poppy Festival is back on Georgetown’s Courthouse Square, and if you’ve lived here longer than a year, you already know what that means. If you’re newer to town — welcome, and you’re about to understand why people in Georgetown talk about this weekend all spring.
What it is
Three days, free admission, over 150 artisan vendors, live music on multiple stages, and the kind of crowd that turns the most beautiful town square in Texas into a full-on street fair. The City of Georgetown has been throwing this since the early 2000s, and it has the logistics down. It’s genuinely well-run.
The red poppy is Georgetown’s flower — the area around town explodes with them every spring, and the festival is the community’s way of leaning into it. Kitschy? A little. But it works.
The schedule breakdown
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Friday, April 24 (evening) — Vendors set up, food trucks open, live music starts. This is the low-key entry point — smaller crowds, better access to booths, easier parking. If you want to actually browse without being shoulder-to-shoulder, Friday evening is your move.
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Saturday, April 25 — Full day, kicks off with the Poppy Parade and Car Show in the morning. This is the big day. Vendors are all open, all stages are running, and the crowds are at peak. Plan accordingly.
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Sunday, April 26 — Mellower close-out day. Good for families with little ones who can’t handle Saturday energy. Vendors may start packing by mid-afternoon.
Parking — read this before you go
The Square fills up fast. Don’t plan to park on 8th or 9th Street by 10 AM on Saturday. Your actual options:
- Parking garage on 8th Street — free, usually has room if you get there before 9:30
- Georgetown ISD lot on Fowler — used as overflow, watch for signage
- Walk from residential streets — if you live within a mile of downtown, just walk. Seriously.
- The City usually runs a free shuttle from additional lots — check Georgetown Parks & Rec’s site closer to the date for confirmed locations.
Traffic on Austin Avenue and Rock Street gets genuinely gnarly by noon Saturday. Build in time or park and walk more than you think you need to.
Kids and strollers
Very stroller-friendly if you go Friday evening or Sunday. Saturday is technically manageable but the crowds are dense enough that it’s stressful with a double-wide. Toddlers love the entertainment stage area — there’s usually kid-focused activities and face painting near there. Keep sunscreen and water on you; the Square has zero shade by afternoon.
What to eat
Food vendors line the perimeter and range from standard festival fare (kettle corn, funnel cake, BBQ on a stick) to some genuinely solid local operators. Budget $15–25 per person if you’re grazing.
After or before the festival, the Square’s restaurants fill up fast:
- Monument Café on South Austin is the obvious anchor — go early or late or expect a wait
- Dos Salsas on the Square itself is always jumping festival weekend — queso and a margarita is a perfectly valid lunch
- Wildfire on the Square for something nicer, though waits can be long
- The coffee shops on and near the Square will have lines — grab your coffee before 9 AM or after 2 PM
What to buy
The 150+ vendors skew heavily toward: handmade jewelry, pottery, woodworking, Texas-themed art, candles, and plants. Quality varies, but there are genuinely talented artists in the mix if you’re patient. First-time visitors often make one lap to browse, then a second to buy. That’s the right move.
What’s new in 2026
The City hasn’t released the full entertainment lineup yet — watch visit.georgetown.org and the City’s social channels for stage schedules as we get closer to April. I’ll update this post when the headliners are announced.
Red Poppy Festival is one of those Georgetown things that sounds tourist-y until you’re standing on the Square on a warm April evening with live music behind you and the courthouse lit up and you think — yeah, okay, I get it.
See you out there.