Taylor's sesquicentennial ends with five events in about five weeks, and nearly all of them happen around one address. Heritage Square, at 400 N. Main St., hosts the Main Street Car Show on Oct. 31, the Big 1-5-0 on Nov. 13 and 14, and the free Christmas celebration on Dec. 5. The only one held elsewhere, the Veterans Day program at the Dan Moody Museum, is a few blocks north at 114 W. 9th St.
If you planned your fall around the anniversary preview that ran in January, two of those dates are now wrong. The schedule below comes from the current event listings.
| Date | Event | Where | Hours listed | Cost as listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 31 | 13th Annual Main Street Car Show: Spooktacular! | Historic downtown, 400 N. Main St. | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | $20 plus fees to register a show vehicle |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Spooktacular trick-or-treating | Heritage Square | 10 a.m. to noon | Free |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Salute to the Troops | Dan Moody Museum | 2 to 3:30 p.m. | Not listed |
| Fri., Nov. 13 | Big 1-5-0 street dance | Downtown, 400 N. Main St. | Starts 6 p.m. | Not listed |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | The Big 1-5-0 | Downtown, 400 N. Main St. | Through 8 p.m. | $20 plus fees to register a vehicle |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Christmas celebration, parade and tree lighting | Heritage Square | 3 to 8:30 p.m. | Free |
The January preview had two dates that later moved
East Wilco Insider's year-long preview of Taylor's 150th, published Jan. 12, listed the big birthday weekend as Nov. 14 and 15. It also said details were still few and pointed readers to the City's Facebook page. The same article placed the Salute to the Troops on Nov. 11.
The current listings say otherwise. Taylor Main Street's Big 1-5-0 page runs from Friday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. to Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. That adds a Friday night and drops Sunday. The Dan Moody Museum's event page now lists the Salute to the Troops for Sunday, Nov. 8, three days before Veterans Day.
The October event did not move. The car show is still on Halloween, as the January preview said, and the Spooktacular is now part of it.
Halloween morning: classic cars and costumes on Main Street
The Main Street Car Show is one of downtown Taylor's biggest events. More than 600 cars registered in 2025, and East Wilco Insider reported that cars line up before dawn for a good spot. This year is the 13th show. Taylor Main Street's listing describes it as a day of classic cars, trucks and car enthusiasts in the heart of downtown, this year with free trick-or-treating in Heritage Square from 10 a.m. to noon.
The City's calendar adds a Costume Runway from the Taylor Public Library at 11 a.m. during the free Spooktacular, while the car show continues until 3 p.m.
If you're bringing a car instead of just walking the rows, the registration page sets these rules:
- Registration is $20 plus a $1.58 processing fee, $21.58 in all. It's non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Online sales close Friday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m.
- The show runs rain or shine, and there are no refunds for weather.
- Show parking opens at 7 a.m. Enter from 2nd and Talbot or from 4th and Porter. Only registered vehicles may park inside the event area.
- Trailers park on 1st Street, and every show vehicle has to be driven in.
For everyone else, the listing says street parking is available throughout downtown. It doesn't list a spectator price.
Nov. 8: The Salute to the Troops, beside the year's new statue
The Salute to the Troops is the quietest event on the fall calendar. The museum lists historic exhibits, school choirs, live TAPS and a guest speaker, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8.
It's also a reason to see one of the anniversary year's permanent additions. On June 6, the museum unveiled a life-size bronze of Dan Moody, the Taylor native who served as governor of Texas from 1927 to 1931. Taylor Press reported that the statue stands on the museum's east lawn, and named Austin sculptor Joe Kenney as the artist. The January preview said the Pyrology Foundry in Bastrop cast the piece.
Downtown now has two bronze figures within a short walk of each other. The Bill Pickett statue, honoring the rodeo pioneer who moved to Taylor with his family in 1888, overlooks Main and Second streets in front of the McCrory Timmerman Building. Walking from one to the other covers most of the downtown blocks the Big 1-5-0 will fill the following weekend.
Nov. 13 and 14: The Big 1-5-0
A City spokesman told East Wilco Insider in January that the sesquicentennial would be "the biggest party Taylor has ever seen," with The Big 1-5-0 as its "signature capstone event in November."
Taylor Main Street's description sets out the weekend in order:
- Friday, Nov. 13: a street dance in downtown Taylor, starting at 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 14, during the day: live music, student performances, rides, local vendors and family entertainment.
- Saturday, Nov. 14, in the evening: a citywide line dance, then a drone show to close the night.
The event page also sells a $20 "BIG 1-5-0 - Vehicle Registration," $21.58 with fees. It's good for Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., is redeemed at 316 N. Main St., and goes off sale Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. The page describes it only as "the vehicle registration for the BIG 1-5-0," so if you're thinking of bringing a vehicle, ask Taylor Main Street how it works before you buy.
The Big 1-5-0 page doesn't yet name performers, the drone-show company, a detailed schedule, parking or street closures, or an admission price. Vendor applications were open for children's activities, nonprofits, marketing, food, beverages, and arts and crafts, but no vendor list has been posted. The City's Facebook page at facebook.com/cityoftaylortexas is where the January preview told readers to watch for updates.
Dec. 5: The parade leaves from Murphy Park, home of the new pool
The year's last big downtown event is free. The City's calendar lists the Christmas celebration on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 3 to 8:30 p.m. at Heritage Square. The City's schedule has three parts:
- 3 p.m.: Vendor Village opens.
- 6 p.m.: The parade steps off from Murphy Park.
- After the parade: the tree lighting at Heritage Square.
Santa, photos, free cocoa, a bounce house, a bubble booth, crafts and live music fill the hours in between. The January preview also mentioned a Downtown Taylor Christmas Decoration Competition among the December events.
The parade's starting point ties back to the other permanent project of the anniversary year. The City's June 2026 newsletter announced that the Doris Roznovak Aquatic Center at 1600 Veterans Drive in Murphy Park was open after a ribbon cutting on Saturday, May 23. The plans described a spiraling 20-foot slide, a zero-depth beach entry, a lazy river and dedicated lap areas.
Where to eat and sit between events
Every event above lets out within a few blocks of these places:
- Louie Mueller Barbecue, 206 W. Second St. Its website lists Wednesday through Saturday service, which covers both the Oct. 31 and Nov. 14 Saturdays.
- The Texan Cafe & Pie Shop, 105 E. 3rd St. Community Impact reported that the Hutto cafe opened this Taylor location in December 2024.
- Curbside Coffee Co., 114 W. 2nd St.; Ripple & Rose Cafe, 109 W. 3rd St.; and Haciendo Coffee Roasters, 116 W. 6th St. All three were meeting points for the City's Historic Downtown Walking Tour in September.
- Black Sparrow Music Parlor, 113 W. Second St., for live music after the square clears out.
- Old Taylor High, 410 W. 7th St. Its directory lists food and drink tenants including 1922 Libations & Bites, Plowman's Kitchen, Press Start Arcade & Bar, Rabbit Coffee Co., Rolando's Tacos and Taylor Seoul Food. Check the directory for current hours before you go.
Taylor's 150th has already brought a new pool and a new statue. The six weeks ahead are the street party. If you're thinking about what a home in or near Taylor could look like before the next anniversary, the agents at JBGoodwin REALTORS® know eastern Williamson County well and are glad to talk it through. Contact Us when you're ready.
