Red Poppy Festival in downtown Georgetown on April 28-30: Updated
For weather updates about the festival, go to the Visit Georgetown Facebook page.
Celebrate the City’s signature event on the most beautiful town square in Texas at the 24th annual Red Poppy Festival. The festival kicks off on Friday night and runs through Sunday with three days of music, entertainment, family fun, and features more than 100 artisan vendors.
The City is offering a variety of options for visitors to get to this year’s Red Poppy Festival. Several free public parking lots are available throughout downtown, as well as a shuttle option Saturday.
“It our favorite time of the year in Georgetown, Red Poppy Festival time,” Tourism Manager Cari Miller said. “We have a great lineup, lots to do, and we can’t wait to see everyone. I do want to remind people to plan to arrive early, be patient, and be prepared to be amongst hundreds of people, especially Saturday night.”
Volunteers needed
Each year, thousands of people attend the Red Poppy Festival. And each year, attendees generate more than 10,000 pounds of waste. Georgetown wants to recover as many recyclable materials as possible to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill and to keep the Square beautiful. To do this, the City is asking for volunteers who want to make a difference in our community.
Volunteers will walk through the event to pick up litter, assist vendors with breaking down and stacking cardboard, and provide recycling information to attendees. No experience is needed. Sign up for a two-hour shift here.
Event schedule
Jamestown Revival is the headliner Saturday night and takes the stage at 9:30 p.m. The Walburg Boys and Wynn Williams will open for Jamestown Revival at 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m., respectively. Longtime festival favorite Dysfunkshun Junkshun is back for the Friday night concert at 7 p.m. There is no admission charge for the concerts or other festival activities. Feel free to bring your own chair and cooler if you are coming for the day.
Other festival highlights include the Red Poppy Parade at 10 a.m. followed by the Car Show at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Wrap up the weekend on Sunday, April 30, with three special BMX Stunt Shows at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., along with the Red Poppy Festival Pet Parade at 11:30 a.m.
The Red Poppy Kids Zone is open 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Kids Zone is free and includes an obstacle course, carnival games, basketball, peddle carts and so much more!
The City will also be celebrating its 175th anniversary during the festival at the South Main Arts District, including family activities and opportunities for the public to give feedback on several City initiatives. If you are interested in volunteering for the 175th celebration, sign up here.
Event parking
The Williamson County parking garage at Rock and Fourth streets and the public parking lot on Austin Avenue between Fifth and Fourth streets (next to The Monument Cafe) will be open during the festival. Public parking lots on Martin Luther King Jr. Street at West Eighth and West Sixth streets are also available. There is no charge for parking.
Attendees are asked to be courteous when parking on neighborhood streets and avoid blocking driveways or parking in No Parking Zones. No Parking Zone restrictions will be enforced. Parking in a No Parking Zone can result in a citation as well as your vehicle being towed.
Handicap parking is available at the parking lot at 10th and Main streets.
The City parking lot at Sixth and Main streets will be closed starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 27.
Free shuttles on Saturday
Free shuttles will run 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29.
Shuttles will run from the First Baptist Church, 1333 W. University Ave. and drop off at the Sunflower Parking lot located between Seventh and Eighth Streets and Rock and Martin Luther King Jr. streets, a block from the Red Poppy Stage.
Street closures
Austin Avenue closes Friday morning: Starting at 6 a.m. Friday, April 28, Austin Avenue will be closed from Sixth to Ninth streets. Traffic will be detoured to Rock Street. This is to allow the placement of the main festival stage. Austin Avenue will be closed through 11 p.m. Sunday, April 30.
Other streets around the Courthouse Square will close at 6 a.m. Friday, April 28, to allow for vendor set-up. Streets around the Square will remain closed through 10 p.m. Sunday, April 30.
Where are the poppies?
For a map showing the locations of red poppies in Georgetown, stop by the Visitors Center at 103 W. Seventh St. Or see a map at poppy.georgetown.org/things-to-do/red-poppy-tour.
For a complete schedule and more details, including information on parking and road closures, visit RedPoppyFestival.com.
