Looking for things to do in Southeast Texas this weekend? From the Groves Pecan Festival and Beaumont Oktoberfest to free boat rides on the Neches and an outdoor symphony concert, there is plenty happening around Beaumont, Groves, Orange and Port Arthur from Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11.
We found 19 events and places worth checking out this weekend, including plenty of free things to do, family-friendly picks and a few solid indoor backups if the weather turns.
← Part of our Things to Do in Southeast Texas guide
Want what's always open rather than what's on this week? See Weekend Things to Do in Southeast Texas: What's Actually Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday →
.jpg)
Photo: William L. Farr, CC BY-SA 4.0
1. Spend the Weekend at the Groves Pecan Festival
Photo: Visit Port Arthur
Where: Lions Park, 6200 Jackson Blvd., Groves
When: Friday 5 to 10 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 11 PM; Sunday noon to 6 PM
Price: Free admission; carnival wristbands extra
The 57th Annual Groves Pecan Festival is one of the biggest events in Southeast Texas this weekend, and you have three chances to catch it. Friday night features the Ethan Osbourne Band from 7 to 10 PM. Saturday is the longest festival day, with Benny & The Rest 7 from 7 to 10 PM. Sunday closes things out with Cajun Sunday and Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners from 4 to 6 PM.
Expect more than 20 food and drink vendors, craft booths, a beer garden and the carnival throughout the weekend. If you only have time for one day, Saturday gives you the most time to wander around.
2. Go Ghost Hunting at the John Jay French Museum
Photo: Beaumont Heritage Society
Where: John Jay French Museum, 3025 French Road, Beaumont
When: Friday at 7 PM and 9:30 PM; Saturday at 9:30 PM
Price: $60 · Ages 16+
Want something a little stranger for October? The Beaumont Heritage Society is opening the John Jay French Museum after dark for a paranormal investigation led by Houston-based Ghost Texas.
They bring the equipment, and each two-hour session is limited to 20 people. Saturday's 7 PM session is already sold out, so this is one to book ahead.
3. Take a Walking Tour Through Downtown Beaumont
Where: Downtown Beaumont
When: Friday and Saturday at 5 PM
Price: $20
The Crosswalks Downtown Walking Tour digs into Beaumont history through places you may have driven past hundreds of times without knowing the stories behind them.
The route includes the Kyle Building, Petroleum Building, Antioch Baptist Church, The Copa and the story of Ben Rogers' ill-fated Hilton Hotel. Your exact meeting point is provided when you buy a ticket.
4. Bring the Little Ones to a Free Art Playdate
Where: Stark Museum of Art, 712 Green Ave., Orange
When: Friday, 10 to 11 AM
Price: Free
If you have a preschooler, the Stark Museum's Playdate is an easy Friday-morning option. It is designed for kids 5 and under and includes music, movement, a story and hands-on art-making.
No reservation is required. And yes, the museum specifically recommends dressing for mess.
5. Spend Saturday on the Neches for Big Thicket Day
Where: Collier's Ferry Park, 5390 Pine St., Beaumont
When: Saturday, 11:30 AM to 2 PM
Price: Free
This might be one of the best free events of the weekend. Big Thicket Day on the Neches includes a free picnic lunch cooked on site, live music, nature activities for kids and free rides aboard the Ivory Bill pontoon boat.
The event celebrates the Big Thicket National Preserve's 52nd anniversary and the Big Thicket Association's 62nd. Get there closer to the start if the boat ride is high on your list: the event wraps up at 2 PM.
6. Start Saturday at the Beaumont Farmers Market
Photo: Beaumont Farmers Market
Where: 6525 College St., Beaumont
When: Saturday, 8 to 11 AM
Price: Free entry
If your ideal Saturday starts with produce, baked goods and local vendors instead of a carnival ride, head to the Beaumont Farmers Market.
October 10 is also one of the market's scheduled Storytime mornings. The market runs rain or shine, so it is an easy first stop before the bigger Saturday events get going.
7. See More Than 60 Scarecrows at Shangri La
Photo: Shangri La Botanical Gardens
Where: Shangri La Botanical Gardens, 2111 W. Park Ave., Orange
When: Friday and Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM; last entry 4:30 PM
Price: Free
Shangri La's 16th Scarecrow Festival has more than 60 scarecrows created by community groups using recycled materials, plus thousands of pumpkins and fall plantings throughout the gardens.
One important note: Shangri La is closed Sunday, so make this a Friday or Saturday trip.
8. Visit the Art Museum of Southeast Texas for Free
Photo: Art Museum of Southeast Texas
Where: 500 Main St., Beaumont
When: Friday 9 AM to 5 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM; Sunday noon to 5 PM
Price: Free
If the weather turns or you just want something slower-paced, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas is free all weekend.
Current exhibitions include A Legacy of Collecting: Art Museum of Southeast Texas and Samantha Harrison's Land and Light. It is also an easy add-on if you are already spending time downtown.
9. Tour the McFaddin-Ward House Museum
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress
Where: 1906 Calder Ave., Beaumont
Price: Free
Another free option: guided tours of the McFaddin-Ward House Museum. House and garden tours are available Friday and Saturday, with Sunday garden and house tours beginning at noon and 1 PM.
The house tour is for ages 8 and older, while the garden tour is open to all ages. Booking ahead is recommended.
10. Celebrate Oktoberfest at Rogers Park
Where: Rogers Park, 6540 Gladys Ave., Beaumont
When: Saturday, 2 to 8 PM
Price: Free
Beaumont's 11th Annual Oktoberfest takes over Rogers Park Saturday afternoon with live music from Paul Childers, Michael Hoffer and the Austin Attitude, MLC Band and The American Honey Horns.
Adults 21 and older can stop by the beer and wine garden, while families have Kidtoberfest for the younger crowd. Since admission is free, you can easily do Oktoberfest in the afternoon and still head to the Pecan Festival Saturday night.
11. Shop More Than 40 Local Vendors in Port Arthur
Where: Central Mall, 3100 FM 365, Port Arthur
When: Saturday, 11 AM to 4 PM
Price: Free entry
The Mid-County Farmers & Crafters Market brings more than 40 local vendors inside Central Mall between TJ Maxx and Target.
Because it is indoors, this is one of the better Saturday options if the weather does not cooperate. Every vendor you purchase from also earns you an entry into a gift basket drawing.
We send events, food finds, local businesses and things worth knowing around Southeast Texas every Monday and Wednesday. It's free.
Subscribe free →12. Catch Lamar Volleyball vs. UIW
Where: McDonald Gym, Lamar University, Beaumont
When: Saturday, 11 AM
Lamar starts its Saturday doubleheader against UIW with a Southland Conference volleyball match at 11 AM. The match also streams on ESPN+.
13. Watch Lamar Football for Hall of Honor Weekend
Photo: 2C2K Photography, CC BY 2.0
Where: Provost Umphrey Stadium, 4400 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Beaumont
When: Saturday, 3 PM
Price: Tickets from $10
Later Saturday, Lamar football takes on UIW at 3 PM as part of Hall of Honor Weekend.
Tickets start at $10. If you cannot make it to the stadium, the game streams on ESPN+ and airs locally on 560 KLVI.
14. See a Sensory-Inclusive Magic Show in Orange
Photo: Lutcher Theater
Where: Lutcher Theater, 707 Main Ave., Orange
When: Saturday, 11 AM
Price: $18 adults · $13 kids
The Magic of Kevin Spencer combines stage magic, storytelling and audience participation in a sensory-inclusive performance designed for families of children with autism and other developmental or intellectual disabilities.
Tickets include fees and are available through the Lutcher box office.
15. Let the Kids Loose at the Beaumont Children's Museum
Photo: Beaumont Children's Museum
Where: 701 Main St., Beaumont
When: Friday and Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM
Price: $8 kids · $6 adults · $2 per person with SNAP/EBT
For families who need an indoor backup, the Beaumont Children's Museum is open Friday and Saturday. Kids 12 and under are $8, adults are $6, children under 1 get in free, and SNAP/EBT admission is $2 per person.
The museum is closed Sunday.
16. Step Back Into Beaumont's Oil Boom at Spindletop
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress
Where: Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum, 5550 Jimmy Simmons Blvd., Beaumont
When: Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM; Sunday 1 to 5 PM
Price: $5 adults
Walk through a recreation of the Beaumont oil boom at Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum. Last admission is at 4 PM.
It is inexpensive and very Southeast Texas, which makes it a solid option if you have visitors in town.
17. Meet the Gators at Gator Country
Photo: Gator Country
Where: 21159 FM 365, Beaumont
When: Daily, 10 AM to 5 PM
For an only-in-SETX afternoon, there is always Gator Country Adventure Park. General admission includes educational shows, animal encounters and the splash pad.
The park does not currently publish admission prices online, so call (409) 794-9453 if you want the latest pricing before you go.
18. Explore Port Arthur History at the Museum of the Gulf Coast
Photo: Museum of the Gulf Coast
Where: 700 Procter St., Port Arthur
When: Friday and Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Price: $8 adults · $6 seniors · $4 college students · $3 ages 4 to 18
The Museum of the Gulf Coast covers a lot of Southeast Texas history under one roof. There is a 125-foot historical mural, while the Music and Sports Halls of Fame upstairs include names like Janis Joplin, ZZ Top and Jimmy Johnson.
The museum is closed Sunday, so plan this one for Friday or Saturday.
19. End the Weekend With a Free Symphony in the Gardens
Photo: Beaumont Botanical Gardens
Where: Beaumont Botanical Gardens, 6088 Babe Zaharias Dr., Beaumont
When: Sunday, 5 to 6:30 PM; concert starts at 5:30 PM
Price: Free
Sunday evening might have the easiest ending to the weekend. The Symphony of Southeast Texas is playing its fourth annual A Garden Concert on the great lawn at Beaumont Botanical Gardens.
The hour-long outdoor concert begins at 5:30 PM. Bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket, find a spot on the lawn and settle in.
Free Things to Do in Southeast Texas This Weekend
If you are trying to keep the weekend inexpensive, you have plenty of options. Some of the best free things to do in Southeast Texas this weekend include:
- Groves Pecan Festival
- Beaumont Oktoberfest
- Big Thicket Day on the Neches
- Scarecrow Festival at Shangri La
- Beaumont Farmers Market
- Art Museum of Southeast Texas
- McFaddin-Ward House Museum
- A Garden Concert with the Symphony of Southeast Texas
If you want to make a full Saturday of it without spending much, start at the Beaumont Farmers Market, head to Big Thicket Day for lunch and a boat ride, then finish at Oktoberfest or the Groves Pecan Festival.
What to Do in Southeast Texas on Sunday
Sunday is quieter, but there is still enough to make a day of it. The Groves Pecan Festival runs from noon to 6 PM, with Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners playing from 4 to 6 PM.
In Beaumont, AMSET is open from noon to 5, McFaddin-Ward has tours beginning at noon, and Spindletop-Gladys City is open from 1 to 5 PM. Then finish the weekend at A Garden Concert at the Beaumont Botanical Gardens at 5:30 PM.
Southeast Texas Weekend Weather
As of the latest available National Weather Service forecast, Friday, October 9 looks mostly sunny in Beaumont with a high near 86°F and a 20% chance of showers.
Saturday and Sunday were still outside the reliable forecast window when this guide was researched, so check the forecast again before heading to outdoor events like Oktoberfest, Big Thicket Day or the Groves Pecan Festival.
More Things to Do Around Southeast Texas
Planning further ahead? We keep upcoming festivals, markets, concerts and community events on our Southeast Texas events calendar.
And if you would rather have the good stuff sent to you, What's Up SETX is free. We send local events, food finds, businesses and things worth knowing around Southeast Texas every Monday and Wednesday.
Weekend Guide FAQs
What is there to do in Southeast Texas this weekend?
There are at least 19 events and activities around Beaumont, Groves, Orange and Port Arthur from October 9 to 11, 2026. Highlights include the Groves Pecan Festival, Beaumont Oktoberfest, Big Thicket Day on the Neches and the Symphony of Southeast Texas Garden Concert.
What free things to do are there in Southeast Texas this weekend?
Free options include the Groves Pecan Festival, Beaumont Oktoberfest, Big Thicket Day on the Neches, Shangri La's Scarecrow Festival, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, McFaddin-Ward House Museum and the Symphony of Southeast Texas Garden Concert.
What is happening in Beaumont this Saturday?
Saturday in Beaumont includes the Beaumont Farmers Market, Big Thicket Day on the Neches, Lamar volleyball and football, Beaumont Oktoberfest, AMSET and McFaddin-Ward House Museum, among other attractions.
What is open on Sunday in Southeast Texas?
Sunday options include the Groves Pecan Festival from noon to 6 PM, AMSET from noon to 5 PM, McFaddin-Ward tours, Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum and the free Symphony of Southeast Texas Garden Concert at 5:30 PM.