Plethora of activities planned for city’s sesquicentennial
TAYLOR — Back in 1886, Taylor residents dodged horses on Main Street in a town built by the railroad and known for its cotton exports.
Fast forward to 2026: Horses might still be found on Main, but they are being hauled by a Dodge truck while the hightech Samsung Austin Semiconductor foundry rises from the Blackland Prairie.
This year marks Taylor’s sesquicentennial, and the city will be celebrating all year with new programs, a new pool and a big party in the fall to mark the city’s 150th birthday.
There should be plenty of fun for everyone during the year, according to a statement from City Hall officials.
“The sesquicentennial is going to be the biggest party Taylor has ever seen. The city has a full year of celebrations planned, including major community milestones like the grand opening of the all-new Doris Roznovak Aquatic Center and our signature capstone event in November, The Big 1-5-0,” a spokesman said.
KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR AT THE LIBRARY
New for 2026, the Taylor Public Library, 801 Vance St., is launching several programs with wide appeal, officials said. From gardening and a new book club to the Science, Technology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics — or STEAM — Challenge for kids, the library hosts programming for all ages.
First, it installed a free seed library last fall. According to library officials, anyone may select three packets of seeds per visit. Best of all, a library card isn’t required.
The seed repository is in a card catalog cabinet in the back of the library, near the young-adult section. There are even complimentary seed-starter pots.
For Taylor’s sesquicentennial year, the library will host classes on history and genealogy. The first will feature a speaker from the Williamson County Genealogical Society at 6 p.m. Jan. 13.
Other new library events include a local chapter of the Silent Book Club, an introvert-friendly, no-pressure book club with chapters all over the planet.
The first meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 27.
The library in May also is hoping to feature a panel of local authors, with more details to come.
RODEO ROOTS IN FEBRUARY
February kicks off the riding and roping season in Texas with big rodeos in most large cities. Taylor is forever tied to the sport, since it is home to rodeo legend Bill Pickett, In 1888, Pickett moved to Taylor with his family. Starting as a ranch hand, Pickett pioneered a maneuver dubbed bulldogging, in which cattle were wrestled to the ground by a cowboy. Pickett later joined Wild West shows and even appeared in movies.
Picket was inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City’s National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1972, the first African American man to be honored.
In 1989, he was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. A bronze statue of Pickett overlooks the intersection of Main and Second streets in front of the McCrory Timmerman Building.
MUSICANDARTINMARCH
Taylor folks and their friends can enjoy live music locally at Black Sparrow Music Parlor, 113 W. Second St.
Area dancehalls, such as Coupland Dancehall, 101 Hoxie St. in Coupland, and the Cotton Club in Granger, 212 E. Davilla St., host weekend bands.
March is also the opening month of Music on Main in Taylor, the monthly music series in Heritage Square Amphitheater downtown. The square and park are at 400 N. Main St.
The acts cover all the popular genres and are often accompanied by a night market.
For art, “Birdsong: Reverence A Return to Innocence Art Show” runs until March 15 at the McCrory Timmerman Gallery, 201 N. Main St.
The third annual Taylor Studio Tour is scheduled for the weekend of March 28 and March 29, featuring open studios and retail locations hosting area artists.
GET OUTDOORS IN APRIL
Taylor’s Parks and Recreation Department knocks it out of the park in April with fun kids’ events. It opens the month with the Easter Egg Hunt at Memorial Field in Murphy Park, 1213 Davis St., at 10 a.m. April 4.
The Lil Kickers Soccer Clinic for kids ages 3 to 8 starts April 11 at the Taylor Regional Park Football Field.
Kite Day is a perennial favorite with residents harnessing the wind at the football field April 25.
For more, visit taylortx.gov/27/Parks-Recreation or call 512-309-6266.
STROLL HISTORIC DOWNTOWNINMAY
May is Taylor Fest month, the multicultural and heritage festival in historic downtown. Featuring live music, cultural performances, food trucks and more, it is scheduled for May 2 at Heritage Square, 400 N. Main St.
Shred Fest, an adult and youth BMX and Skate Competition, is scheduled for May 9 at Pierce Skate Park, 326 Porter St. This contest attracts riders from across the region.
According to Ruby Fisher, the city’s special events coordinator, residents should keep a lookout for a beautification project planned for downtown to celebrate the 150th birthday.
The city plans to add a rocking-chair program and additional street furniture downtown.
CANNONBALL INTO JUNE
Not only does 2026 celebrate Taylor’s 150th anniversary, it also welcomes a new pool. On schedule, the city pool in Murphy Park’s Doris Roznovak Aquatic Center, 1600 Veterans Drive, will open in the summer.
According to the Parks and Recreation Department, the new pool will offer dedicated areas for fitness use, including lap swimmers and aquatic classes. The restrooms and concession area are getting updated as well, with added lockers.
For the kids, the new pool will feature a spiraling 20-foot-tall slide, a zero-depth beach entry and a water play structure with slides and buckets. There is a lazy river and new shade structures, too.
To honor Taylor’s own governor of Texas from 1927-1931, the Dan Moody Museum will reveal the Dan Moody Statue in June.
According to Fisher, it is a life-size bronze sculpted by Joe Kenney of Austin with the Pyrology Foundry in Bastrop doing the casting.
POP INTO JULY
Red, white and blue covers Taylor in July, especially downtown, for Independence Day. Murphy Park, 1600 Veterans Drive, is the place to be July Fourth, starting with a kids’ parade with bikes decorated with streamers and balloons.
The park hosts live music during the day and into the evening. The Fourth of July Celebration ends on a crescendo with a fireworks show.
AN EXHIBIT FOR AUGUST
The Smithsonian Institution will
open its Museum on Main Street exhibit in Taylor on Aug. 15 and it will run through Sept. 27. This initiative is part of the Smithsonian Institute’s Traveling Exhibition Service, which brings the Smithsonian to small-town America.
According to the Smithsonian, its exhibitions are designed to engage communities and become a catalyst for conversation about life in small-town America.
The exhibit will be installed on Main Street, with location details to be announced later in the year.
REMEMBERING IN SEPTEMBER
Remembering the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the city will host the 9/11 Patriot Day March and Remembrance Program. The Memorial March starts at 7 p.m., with a program to follow at Heritage Square.
TREATS FOR ALL IN OCTOBER
Mark the calendar for one of the largest events in downtown Taylor: the annual Main Street Car Show Oct. 31. This year is its 13th anniversary, and cars start lining up before dawn for a good spot. In 2025, more than 600 cars registered for the open-air exhibition.
The Spooktacular Scare on the Square also will be held in Heritage Square on Oct. 31. It is a family-friendly event with costume contests and candy.
THE BIG BIRTHDAY IN NOVEMBER
The second weekend in November is the big birthday party for Taylor. While the details are few at this time, mark the calendar for the weekend of Nov. 14 and Nov 15, and watch the city’s Facebook page at facebook.com/cityoftaylortexas in the coming months.
On Nov. 11, the Salute to the Troops, a Veterans Day program, will be held at the Dan Moody Museum.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN DECEMBER
Taylor is Christmas Central with events nearly every weekend. From the Downtown Taylor Christmas Decoration Competition to the Taylor Christmas Parade with the Heritage Square Tree Lighting, it’s the place to shop and dine.
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