Hey there, Bastrop County! Spring is in full bloom with our Elgin spotlight, and this week delivers one of the biggest lineups of the season. We've got FREE farm tours in Elgin, a horror convention taking over the Bastrop Convention Center, a heartwarming community lunch in Smithville, live music at every turn, and sunshine-worthy outdoor markets all county-wide.

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Let's get into it!

If you haven't made it to Off-The-Rails: Sweets 'N' Treats on North Main Street in downtown Elgin, you're missing one of the sweetest stops in the county. This charming little shop serves up Amy's Ice Cream, thick milkshakes, banana splits, and freshly baked treats. It's the perfect companion to a Thursday evening at the Elgin Farmers' Market - grab your dinner from the vendors, then walk over for dessert.

📍 310 N. Main St., Elgin, TX | https://linktr.ee/elginsweets

🗓️⭐ Explore Elgin Farm Tours — Saturday, March 28 | FREE

This Saturday, four local farms in the Elgin area are opening their gates for free guided tours as part of the City of Elgin's "Spring Awakening & Farm Tours" theme month. Tours are come-and-go style during each farm's posted hours - no registration required. Here's who's participating:

All tours are free and open to the public. 📍 elgintexas.gov announcement

If you're strolling downtown Elgin on a Thursday night for the Farmers' Market, make sure to pop into Elgin Dry Goods on North Main Street - one of the most beautifully curated boutiques in Bastrop County. Established in 2014 and proudly focused on Made in America products, this charming shop carries women's clothing, handbags, jewelry, candles, gourmet foods, coffee, vintage candy, soaps, and unique gifts you won't find anywhere else. They carry popular brands like Consuela and Ryan House Candles alongside locally sourced goods. Whether you're shopping for yourself or hunting for the perfect gift, Elgin Dry Goods delivers that warm, small-town boutique experience that keeps people coming back.

⏰ Mon–Fri: 12–6 PM | Sat: 10 AM–6 PM | Sun: 12–5 PM 📍 20 N. Main St., Historic Downtown Elgin 🔗 elgindrygoods.com

🌾 Elgin Farmers' Market 📍 Veterans' Memorial Park, 109 Depot St., Elgin | ⏰ 4–7 PM | 💰 FREE. Bastrop County's favorite Thursday night tradition is back! Local growers and makers bring seasonal produce, pastured meats, eggs, honey, jams, and handmade goods to downtown Elgin every week, rain or shine. Live music and evening shopping on Main Street round out the outing. 🔗 elginfarmersmarket.com | Facebook

🎭 Film Alley Bastrop 📍 1600 TX-71, Bastrop | ⏰ Multiple showtimes daily. Bastrop's hometown movie theater is your spot for Friday night films. Check the Film Alley website for current showtimes, ticket prices, and what's playing this weekend. 🔗 filmalleys.com/bastrop

🏰 Sherwood Forest Faire — Opening Weekend Continues 📍 1883 Old Hwy 20, McDade, TX (entrance off US 290) | ⏰ 10 AM – dusk | 💰 Tickets required The 17th annual Sherwood Forest Faire runs every weekend through April 19, and this weekend is a great time to go. Over 150 live shows per day - full-contact jousting, falconry, swordplay, comedy, and 10+ live bands - plus 170+ artisan vendors and medieval food and drink on 25 wooded acres. Kids under 6 are free; discounted tickets available online. 🔗 sherwoodforestfaire.com | Explore Bastrop County

🌾 Eden East Farm Market 📍 Eden East Farm, Bastrop | ⏰ 9 AM–1 PM | 💰 FREE. Eden East Farm's twice-weekly farm stand is open every Wednesday and Saturday morning. This sustainable urban farm — now in historic Bastrop — offers seasonal vegetables, preserved items, fresh eggs, medicinal and culinary herbs, meats, and other locally grown goods direct from the source. 🔗 edeneastaustin.com/farm

🌾 Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market 📍 1302 Chestnut St. (next to the Convention Center & Lost Pines Art Center), Bastrop | ⏰ 10 AM–2 PM | 💰 FREE entry. Open year-round every Saturday inside a charming covered barn, this market features fresh seasonal produce, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken and pork, eggs, local honey, handcrafted goods, prepared foods, jewelry, and more - all from Central Texas producers. 🔗 bastrop1832farmersmarket.com | Visit Bastrop

🌾 Smithville Sunday Market 📍 Railroad Park, 100 NW 1st St. (at Main & 1st), Smithville | ⏰ 10 AM–2 PM | 💰 FREE A beloved weekly tradition in Smithville — this producers-only market features locally grown, homemade, and handmade goods from farmers, ranchers, bakers, mushroom growers, and artisans from across the county. Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to meet your neighbors. 🔗 smithvillemarket.com

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Capital of Texas Zoo 📍 376 Jenkins Rd., Cedar Creek | ⏰ 9 AM–5 PM daily | 💰 Adults $10.50 | Children (2–11) $7.99. Open 365 days a year, this intimate private zoo in the heart of Bastrop County is home to over 500 animals - including their famous hippo Tank (now 4,000 lbs!) and a white tiger named Rajah. Breeding programs for 14 endangered species, a petting zoo, interactive experiences, and a picnic pavilion make this a full family day out. 🔗 capitaloftexaszoo.org

🏰 Sherwood Forest Faire 📍 1883 Old Hwy 20, McDade | ⏰ 10 AM–dusk | 💰 Tickets required. See Friday listing for full details. sherwoodforestfaire.com

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Social at the Rec — Elgin Recreation Center 📍 Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N. Hwy 95, Elgin | ⏰ 2–4 PM | 💰 FREE. The Elgin Rec Center hosts regular community social events for residents of all ages — a great low-key Monday activity to meet neighbors and stay connected. Check the Elgin Parks & Recreation page or call ahead to confirm this week's event format. 🔗 elgintexas.gov — Parks & Recreation

🍺 Copper Shot Distillery — Open 📍 809 Main St., Downtown Bastrop | ⏰ Mon–Thu 2–9 PM. The tasting room is open. Swing by for handcrafted spirits - moonshine, whiskey, vodka, and rum - all made with rainwater and local grains. Bring a friend & do a self-guided tour of their working still.🔗 coppershotdistillery.com

🏃 Wildcat Walkers — Elgin Recreation Center 📍 Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N. Hwy 95, Elgin | ⏰ Mornings | 💰 FREE. Wildcat Walkers is the Elgin Rec Center's beloved senior walking program - a fun, social way to stay active in a climate-controlled indoor gym. Walking milestones earn prizes: 100 miles = a shirt, 250 miles = a pedometer, 500 miles = a water bottle. All ages welcome, seniors especially! 🔗 elgintexas.gov — Sports & Athletics

🦁 Capital of Texas Zoo — Open daily 9 AM–5 PM | 376 Jenkins Rd., Cedar Creek | capitaloftexaszoo.org

🦕 The Dinosaur Park — Open daily | 4955 TX-21 E, Cedar Creek | thedinosaurpark.com

🌲 Bastrop State Park — Open daily | 100 TX-21 E, Bastrop | tpwd.texas.gov

🏰 Sherwood Forest Faire — Weekends through April 19, 10 AM–dusk | 1883 Old Hwy 20, McDade | sherwoodforestfaire.com

🌟 Introducing Ask Bastrop - Built for This Community

We've been working on something new, and before we share it anywhere else — we're bringing it to you first. AskBastrop.com is officially in beta, and as a Bastrop Current subscriber, you're getting early access before anyone else hears about it.

Got a question about local events? Businesses? Things to do with the kids this weekend? Ask Bastrop is an AI-powered community hub designed to give you fast, local answers - no endless scrolling, no sifting through results from other states.

Here's the honest truth: it's new, it's still growing, and there are features still being added. That's exactly why we're starting with you. Your feedback will shape what this becomes - and that matters more to us than launching something perfect.

So visit the site, ask it something, and tell us what you think. What works? What's missing? What would make this more useful for your daily life in Bastrop County?

👉 AskBastrop.com You're not just the first to know - you're part of building this.

🔥 Spring Pine Fire at Bastrop State Park - 46 Acres, 100% Contained

The Spring Pine Fire that broke out Sunday evening, March 22, inside Bastrop State Park is now fully contained as of Tuesday, March 24. At its peak the fire burned 46 acres and prompted voluntary evacuations of the historic park cabins, three nearby private homes, and The Pines at Bastrop RV Park. Crews worked around the clock using bulldozers, water drops from a Texas Parks & Wildlife helicopter, and mop-up operations to bring it under control. No injuries or structural damage were reported, and all park roads and facilities are open. The cause remains under investigation. A burn ban is still in effect in Bastrop County - no charcoal or wood fires allowed.

🔗 KXAN | CBS Austin | KVUE

🚗 Eight Transportation Projects Underway

Bastrop County is in the middle of a major infrastructure push. Eight ongoing and upcoming projects include the Agnes Street extension (now complete), the Blakey Lane extension, Farm/Linden/Water Street pavement reconstruction, the Old Iron Bridge rehabilitation on Loop 150, a Hwy. 71/Tucker Hill Lane grade-separated overpass, the FM 812 improvement, the Hwy. 21 widening to four lanes, and the Hwy. 290 extension schematic study. 🔗 Community Impact — 8 Transportation Projects

The Bastrop Current is your weekly community guide for Bastrop County — covering Bastrop, Smithville, Elgin, McDade, and Paige. Know of an event or business we should spotlight? Reply to this email and let us know!

See y'all next Thursday.

Bastrop Current