Spring in Texarkana means festival season downtown, and one of the biggest is happening at Front Street Plaza. The Texarkana Catfish & Mudbug Festival takes place April 18, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., bringing a full day of live music, seafood, and downtown energy to the plaza

Everything centers around the Loading Dock Stage at Front Street Plaza. There’s music playing most of the day and vendors set up nearby frying catfish, cooking crawfish, and serving all the festival food people come for. It’s a good excuse to spend a Saturday downtown, walk around, grab something to eat, and listen to a band for a while. And if you’re coming from somewhere like Little Rock, Shreveport, or Dallas, it’s an easy road trip with a pretty good payoff once you get here. 

Seafood, Southern Style

As the name suggests, catfish and mudbugs are the main attraction. Mudbugs, the Southern nickname for crawfish, usually show up boiled bright red and seasoned just right, piled high with corn and potatoes. Vendors will be serving seafood plates, crawfish boils, and plenty of other good food throughout the day, along with cold drinks and a mix of food trucks set up around the plaza. Pick up something to eat and find a spot near the stage while the music plays.

Live Music All Day

There’ll be live music on the Loading Dock Stage throughout the day, so the plaza stays lively from late morning all the way into the evening.

Most people bring a lawn chair, meet up with friends, and hang out while different bands take the stage throughout the day. Since the stage is right in the middle of the plaza, you can hear the music just about everywhere. 

A Day Made for Groups

If you’re planning to go, bring a few people with you. This is the kind of festival that’s more fun with family, coworkers, or a group of friends spending the day together.

Throughout the festival, people move around the plaza grabbing food from the vendors, pausing to watch a band play, and finding a seat to eat and talk for a bit. For groups that want a little more space to settle in, seafood canopy areas will be set up as a comfortable way to enjoy the festival together. Each canopy includes a full seafood spread, shaded seating for about 10 to 15 guests, and a cooler stocked with drinks. It’s a great option for family gatherings, work crews, reunions, or friend groups who want their own place to gather while still being right in the middle of the festival. If you’d like to reserve a canopy spot, check out www.frontstreettxk.org for details.

Make It a Texarkana Day Trip

One of the best things about events like this is how easily they fit into a larger Texarkana experience.

If you have some extra time before or after the festival, downtown has plenty to see:

• Take the iconic photo at the Texas–Arkansas State Line just a few blocks away
• Walk through downtown to check out the shops, restaurants, and murals
• Wander over to one of the bars downtown and see what’s happening inside

Texarkana’s historic downtown is easy to explore on foot, which makes it a great place to spend the day once you’re already in town for the festival.

Event Details

Texarkana Catfish & Mudbug Festival

• April 18
• 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Front Street Plaza
• Downtown Texarkana

The Texarkana Catfish & Mudbug Festival is free to attend, so anyone can come walk around, listen to the bands, and enjoy the day. Food and drinks will be available throughout the festival, with vendors serving crawfish boils, catfish plates, and plenty of other things to eat.

If you’ve been looking for a reason to spend a spring Saturday downtown, April 18 is a pretty good one. Come hungry, bring a few friends, and we’ll see you there.