Starting this Friday, October 30, nearly every confirmed public event in Texarkana, Texas through mid-December takes place at one of a few downtown addresses: Front Street Plaza at 400 E. Front St., the Perot Theatre at 221 Main St., the Regional Arts Center at 321 W. 4th St., and the parade streets around the historic Federal Building. Spring Lake Park gets one November Saturday, and a two-day market sits just across the state line in Texarkana, Arkansas. Everything else is downtown, and the Perot Theatre shows up at every stage of the season. It hosts the shows, it sells the symphony's tickets, and parade entrants can turn in their paperwork there.
Here is the confirmed 2026 schedule, in order.
| Date | Event | Where | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 30, 8 p.m. | Rocky Horror Picture Show | Perot Theatre, 221 Main St. | Perot Theatre |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Fall Festival Downtown | Front Street Plaza, 400 E. Front St. | Main Street Texarkana with Haunt N' Harvest |
| Fri.–Sat., Nov. 6–7 | Autumn Market | Terry Lee Rogers Recreation Center, 1 Legion Drive, Texarkana, Arkansas | Texarkana, Arkansas parks |
| Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m. to noon | Bark at the Park | Kylee Sullivan Dog Park, Spring Lake Park | Texarkana, Texas Parks and Recreation |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Veterans Day Parade & Extravaganza, Gary Allan concert | Downtown, concert at Front Street Plaza | Entries through Ben's Heart Ministry |
| Fri., Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m. | An Evening with Jed Harrelson | Perot Theatre | Perot Theatre |
| Fri.–Sat., Dec. 4–5 | Holiday Arts Market | Regional Arts Center, 321 W. 4th St. | TRAHC |
| Mon., Dec. 7, 7 p.m. | 42nd Annual Christmas Parade | Historic downtown | Main Street Texarkana |
| Sun., Dec. 13, 4 p.m. | Christmas at The Perot | Perot Theatre | Texarkana Symphony Orchestra |
Halloween Weekend Starts the Downtown Season
The season opens at the Perot. On Friday, October 30, the theater is screening the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" at 8 p.m., according to the Texarkana Gazette's 2026 fall events roundup. General admission is $19. VIP tickets cost $29 and include a prop kit, and outside props are not allowed.
The next day, Main Street Texarkana and Haunt N' Harvest hold Fall Festival Downtown at Front Street Plaza from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The festival has trunk-or-treat, vendors, food trucks, live entertainment and face painting, and more details are at FrontstreetTXK.org. Front Street Plaza is back on the calendar two weeks later for a headline concert.
November 14 Uses the Whole of Downtown
The 2nd Annual Veterans Day Parade & Extravaganza is set for Saturday, November 14. Texarkana FYI reports that it will be a full day downtown, with vendors, food, family activities and live entertainment in addition to the parade. Organizers describe the parade as following an "old-school, extended parade route through downtown," marching up and past the steps of the historic Federal Building. They are asking residents to line the route.
The day ends with an evening concert at Front Street Plaza headlined by country artist Gary Allan. This is the event's second year. Last year's celebration also ran a full day before an evening concert, with Tracy Lawrence headlining, and the inaugural event was dedicated to the memory of Lt. Colonel Don Ruggles.
The parade route, schedule, vendor list and concert details had not been released when the event was announced, and organizers said they would share them closer to the date. Anyone who wants to march or reserve a vendor booth can contact Ben's Heart Ministry at [email protected].
The One Saturday at Spring Lake Park
November 7 is the one confirmed Texas-side event in this stretch that happens away from downtown. Texarkana, Texas Parks and Recreation is holding Bark at the Park from 9 a.m. to noon at the Kylee Sullivan Dog Park inside Spring Lake Park, 4303 N. Park Road. KTAL reported that free rabies vaccinations and city registrations will be available for both dogs and cats.
That same weekend, the Autumn Market runs Friday, November 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is at the Terry Lee Rogers Recreation Center, 1 Legion Drive, which belongs to the Texarkana, Arkansas parks system. The two events overlap on Saturday morning, so the dog park and the market can share a single trip, with the market on the Arkansas side.
The Perot Theatre Ties the Season Together
This season the Perot Theatre at 221 Main St. works as a registration desk, a stage and a box office.
For the parade, Main Street Texarkana takes Christmas Parade applications online at mainstreettexarkana.org, or entrants can drop off a completed application and fee at the Perot, according to Texarkana Today. Main Street Texarkana runs the parade and uses the Perot's front door as its drop-off point.
On stage, the November show falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving. An Evening with Jed Harrelson starts at 7:30 p.m. on November 27. That makes the Perot the first downtown event of the Thanksgiving weekend.
For tickets, the Perot's box office at 903-792-4992 handles the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra's Christmas at The Perot on Sunday, December 13, at 4 p.m. Tickets are also sold online through the symphony's event page. The symphony bills it as its annual Christmas Family Spectacular. The program includes a traditional sing-along, an appearance by Santa, the TSO Chamber Singers, and the Texarkana Youth Symphony Orchestra playing side by side with the orchestra. The winner of the TSO's 16th Annual Celebrity Conductor Competition will also be announced that afternoon.
Four Days in Early December
The busiest stretch of the season comes in early December, when two events fall within four days of each other.
The Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council holds its Holiday Arts Market at the Regional Arts Center, 321 W. 4th St., at the corner of 4th and Texas Boulevard. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, December 4, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 5. Local and regional artists will sell original work, and TRAHC's event page says the vendor slots are already full. For questions, the arts center's number is 903-792-8681.
Two days later, on Monday, December 7, at 7 p.m., Main Street Texarkana holds its 42nd Annual Christmas Parade in historic downtown. The free parade features marching bands, floats, vintage vehicles and the arrival of Santa Claus. This year's theme is "Home for the Holidays," which closes out a year of celebrations for America's 250th anniversary. Main Street Executive Director Ina McDowell explained the choice to Texarkana Today: "I believe one of the most important and personal traditions is the idea of coming home to spend time with family at Christmas, so our theme this year is just that, 'Home for the Holidays.'"
Floats will be judged on how well they show the theme. There are three categories, Marching Band, Non-Commercial and Commercial, with trophies for first, second and third place in each. The parade is on a Monday night, so the arts market weekend leads straight into it.
Deadlines That Come Before the Events
Parade entrants and vendors have to sign up well before the events themselves. Here are the dates that matter for anyone planning to participate:
- November 9: Early registration closes for the Christmas Parade. Early fees are $35 for non-commercial and nonprofit entries and $55 for commercial entries.
- After November 9: Each parade entry costs an extra $20.
- November 20: Final registration deadline for the Christmas Parade.
- Before November 14: Parade and vendor spots for the Veterans Day Parade & Extravaganza go through Ben's Heart Ministry.
- Already closed: All vendor slots for TRAHC's Holiday Arts Market are filled.
For questions about the parade or float entries, Main Street Texarkana's contact is [email protected].
New Shops Near the Season's Venues
Two businesses that joined the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce calendar this fall sit near the downtown venues. XO, Kim Boutique held its grand-opening ribbon cutting on October 27 at 216 W. 3rd St. downtown. Mel's Fine Wines, formerly Fay J Winery, held its ribbon cutting on October 22 at 2325 Texas Blvd.
Teresa Liepman follows downtown Texarkana's calendar closely. If you're curious what your home near downtown, or anywhere in Texarkana, Texas, is worth heading into 2027, Teresa Liepman will prepare a local, data-backed number for you. Request Your Free Home Valuation.
