Hit the Road

Tip your hat to Garland, where diversity and cowboy culture blend

Here's a fun fact for your next trivia night: If you own a Resistol or Biltmore hat, it was likely made in Garland, the cowboy hat capital of Texas.

You'll find more than 10-gallons here, though, thanks to a diverse community that pours its culture and history into not only unique shopping but also restaurants, arts, and a whole year's worth of fun festivals and cool celebrations.

Here's a glimpse at what else is waiting in this North Texas city:

The great outdoors
Take a stroll among the wildflowers at the Spring Creek Forest Preserve or cycle your way through the Rowlett Creek Bike Trails. Ready to try four wheels? Execute an ollie or a kickflip at The Jon Comer Skatepark.

For something less heart-pounding, perfect your swing on 63 holes of championship-caliber golf over three courses at Firewheel Golf Park.

Experience the ultimate in lake life — if even only for a day — at Lake Ray Hubbard, which spans 21,000 acres and is great for fishing, skiing, and boating.

Let's celebrate
No matter what time of year you visit, there's bound to be a festival or other special event happening.

The beloved Garland Guzzler 0.5K race and Oktoberfest happen on September 23, 2023.

In October, get ready to experience an unforgettable day of festivities at the grand opening of the Downtown Garland Square on October 14 from 10 am-9 pm. As the sun sets, prepare to be wowed by a special musical appearance from the one and only LeAnn Rimes. It’s a day of unity, culture, and fun, marking a new era for the beloved Downtown Garland Square.

Later in the month, stop by for the Wheels of Hope Car Show on October 21, 2023.

Honor departed loved ones on November 1's Día de Los Muertos, then usher in the holiday spirit with A Garland Christmas on December 7, 2023.

In the New Year, Big Art Day arrives on April 1, 2024, or enjoy some tunes when the heart of Downtown Garland Square comes alive with the vibrant rhythms of live music all year-round. Want more music? The Asian Music Festival is set for May 18, 2024.

Celebrate Black culture with the Juneteenth celebration on June 15, 2024, at Audubon Park and then America's birthday during the Star-Spangled Spectacular on June 30, 2024, at Firewheel Town Center.

Get ready to cheer on the DFW Asian American Soccer Tournament July 22-23, 2024, at Winters Park.

Get cultured
Located in the heart of historic downtown Garland, the Granville Arts Center complex includes two magnificent proscenium theaters: the award-winning Atrium banquet facility and the exquisite art deco Plaza Theatre, which is home to Garland Summer Musicals. All venues are city-owned and operated.

Let's eat (and drink)
The food scene here includes Pangea, a restaurant owned by chef Kev Ashade who raise to fame after beating celebrity chef Bobby Flay on his own TV show.

Ferah Tex-Med Kitchen dishes up “modern Mediterranean with a Texas twist,” and the Garland Pho Real Trail boasts more than 20 authentic, family-owned Vietnamese restaurants.

Newcomers include Latham Bakery, Scoop n' Boba, and Fortunate Son.

Take your pick from two breweries: Lakewood Brewing Co. is a pioneer brewery and one of the original breweries that came on board when craft beer first emerged. Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery, meanwhile, offers delicious barbecue and craft beer in downtown Garland.

Shop 'til you drop
Wear your walking shoes, because Firewheel Town Center provides premier outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment with more than 110 stores.

But there's also plenty of unexpected shopping to be found here, where you can find rare and one-of-a-kind products.

Fall in love with your beginner or vintage guitar at Jimmy Wallace Guitars. Visit The Frocksy and Karin Wiseman Collection to discover marvelous and quirky items for you and your home. Stop by the Best Cowhides showroom and find exquisite, genuine leather rugs and purses. Or put together the perfect vintage outfit at Boogie Nights Vintage.

Rest your head
The most affordable hotel rates in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are in Garland. Hotels here are dedicated to cleanliness and have convenient access to President George Bush Highway, I-635/LBJ Freeway, and I-30. Many hotels are also within walking distance of Garland’s many diverse dining options.

Plan your perfect Garland getaway here.

Dad and daughter fishing on Lake Ray Hubbard

Photo courtesy of Visit Garland

Go fishing at Lake Ray Hubbard, one of the largest lakes in Texas.

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Now hear this

New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings