It's the Holiday Season

Christmas in Smithville, TX. Photo courtesy of TxBobS.

Wow!  Where has 2011 gone?  December is upon us already, and that means it's time for holiday events on the Colorado River Trail.

Take your pick - we have lights, carriage rides, holiday parades, home tours, caroling, and of course, Santa.  Bring the whole family, or escape with that special someone on a holiday weekend for two.  Either way, you're sure to enjoy the holidays on the Colorado River Trail.

Here are some of the upcoming holiday events:

• 25th Annual "Lights Spectacular, Hill Country Style (Johnson City) - Dec. 1 - Jan. 1
• Starry, Starry Nights (Llano) - Dec. 1 - Jan. 1
• Walkway of Lights (Marble Falls) - Dec. 1 - Jan. 1
• Lighted Christmas Parade (Schulenburg) - Dec. 2
• Carol of Lights (Lampasas) - Dec. 3
• Festival of Lights (Smithville) - Dec. 3
• Lamplight Tours of the LBJ Boyhood Home (Johnson City) - Dec. 3, 10, 17
• Down Home Christmas (Weimar) - Dec. 8
• Lighted Christmas Parade (Bastrop) - Dec. 10
• Christmas on the Square and Lighted Parade (San Saba) - Dec. 10
• Christmas Tour of Homes (Bay City) - Dec. 11

To see all of the 2011 holiday events, check out our quarterly newsletter True-Blue News.  You'll find events and stories about fun things to see and do on the Colorado River Trail.

Discover Fun Things To Do with Our Interactive Map of Bastrop County

Are you looking for some fun things to see and do in Bastrop, Smithville, and Elgin?  Check out our new interactive Google map for some ideas!  If you click on the red pins, you'll see some amazing photos from the area.  The blue pins will show you cool videos about places you can visit and things you can do.  Finally, the green pins link to posts from this blog about the area.

If you like what you see, then stay tuned.  Maps of all 11 Colorado River Trail Counties are coming your way soon.

Ready, set, click!


View Colorado River Trail - Bastrop County map in a larger map

Cooler Weather Brings Fun Fall Festivals

The days are sunny and there's a cool breeze in the air.  The nights are crisp.  What is this strange phenomenon?  Why, it's Fall in Texas!

With the cooler weather, we Texans are ready to get outside and enjoy the outdoors.  What better way to spend time with friends and family than at one of the many Fall festivals happening throughout the Colorado River Trail? 

There are so many fun festivals and events, that it's hard to keep track.  But don't worry.  We've got it all under control.  Check out our festivals and events listings in the Fall issue of True-Blue News, the quarterly E-newsletter for the Colorado River Trail.  Here's just a taste of what you'll find:

• Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin
• Fall Fest & Wine Auction, Marble Falls
• Herb & Art Festival, Lampasas
• Texas Photo Festival, Smithville

And that's just this weekend!  True-Blue News is also full of stories about exciting things to see and do on the Colorado River Trail.  We hope you like what you see.  If you do, please consider becoming a subscriber so you won't miss an issue.

Photo courtesy of genacarter.

Hope Really Does Float in Smithville, TX

Did you know that Hope Floats, the sweet hometown love story released in 1998, was shot mainly in Smithville, Texas. Little did Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr. know, but they set the wheels in motion for a hotbed of film activity in Smithville.

Smithville is very proud of the part it played as Birdee's home town ... and rightfully so. Many of the town's downtown buildings were transformed by the set designers for the movie. The signs created for the storefronts can still be seen - as art - decorating the walls of a local restaurant called "Pockets Grille". Stop in for lunch sometime. You won't be disappointed.

Due to Smithville's small-town charm, friendly people, and picture-perfect downtown and historic homes, Smithville has been a location for several other movies since Hope Floats. Here are just a couple of the recent film projects shot in Smithville and the surrounding area. The Tree of Life, due to be released in 2010, stars Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. Fireflies in the Garden, (awaiting a U.S. release date) stars Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, and Julia Roberts.

To help attract more film projects to Smithville, the city became one of the first "Film Friendly Texas" communities. Film Friendly Texas is an initiative of the Texas Film Commission to help rural Texas communities more effectively prepare for and deal with on-location filming.

Next time you're in town, stop by the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce at the intersection of First and Main to find out about all the other things to see and do. You can also give them a call at 512-237-2313. Once you're there, you'll understand why hope still floats.

Photo courtesy of Blue Eyes and Blue Bonnets.

Smithville, Texas - Where Hope Still Floats

Smithville, Texas is probably most known for being the location for the movie Hope Floats. Many sites from the movie can still be seen in various locations throughout town. You might not know some of the other fun things Smithville has to offer: shopping on Main Street, kayaking and canoeing, bicycling, fishing, golfing, quaint B&Bs, and more! Contact the Smithville Chamber of Commerce for more information. Photo courtesy of Jana Pochop.