Good Morning Neighbor! 🏁
Saturday, a few hundred Corvettes are going to roll into town, and you can walk right up to every one of them for free.
Corvette Invasion returns to the Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center on July 18, and it is the largest Corvette show in Texas. The lot fills with Stingrays and split-windows and everything in between, owners stand around happy to talk about them, and the awards ceremony caps it off at 2pm. Admission for spectators costs nothing.
There is more than chrome this week. Community Gardens throws its third annual Kids Day with a giant foam party and a 25-foot water slide. CASA hosts a 1950s sock hop casino night in Smithville to raise money for kids in the county's court system. The Bastrop Opera House opens Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." And Bastrop Comedy Club plays its final night in the Film Alley Showroom before the room moves.
Before we get into it…
🎉 We’re excited to be part of Bastrop County Best 2026 - and we need YOUR help!
Nominations are open now through July 13, and your nomination means a lot to us. 💛
If we've helped you find the best way to spend you day here in Bastrop County in any way, would you take a moment to nominate us?
🗳️ HOW TO HELP:
1️⃣ Go to BastropCountyBest.com
2️⃣ Find us under SERVICES > MARKETING, MEDIA, DESIGN & PROMOTIONAL SERVICES
3️⃣ Nominate Bastrop Current
4️⃣ Share this post and help spread the word!
Every nomination helps us make it to the voting round and we’re so grateful for the support from our customers, friends, and community.
Thank you for helping local businesses like ours shine! 🙌
Go to BastropCountyBest.com
👥 Join the conversation
Our Bastrop Current Community Group on Facebook keeps growing, with neighbors posting events, photos, and local finds every day. Heading to the car show or Kids Day? Snap a photo and share it with us.
🏁 Featured Event of the Week | Corvette Invasion | Bastrop
The largest Corvette show in Texas, and Saturday it is free to the public | Bastrop, Texas
For one weekend every July, Bastrop becomes the Corvette capital of Texas. Corvette Invasion brings hundreds of cars and their owners to the Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center, and it has grown into the biggest gathering of its kind in the state. You will see everything from vintage C1s and split-window C2s to the mid-engine C8s that turn heads on Chestnut Street, lined up row after row with hoods open and owners standing by, more than happy to tell you the story of the car.
The heart of it is Saturday, July 18, from 9am to 1pm, and admission for spectators is free. You do not need to register, own a Corvette, or know a thing about them. Bring the kids, walk the rows, take pictures. The awards ceremony runs at 2pm, when the judges hand out honors across the classes.
Friday night has an invitation-only Meet and Greet for registered participants, featuring Corvette legend Harlan Charles as guest speaker. That one is capped at 300 and is already sold out, so if you are coming as a spectator, Saturday is your day.
A few things to know before you go:
🏁 Saturday is the free day | 9am to 1pm, open to the public, no ticket needed
🏆 Awards at 2pm | stick around to see which cars take home the honors
📸 Bring a camera | owners genuinely love talking about their cars, so ask
🅿️ Get there early | the lot fills up and the good light is in the morning
🍴 Make a day of it | downtown Bastrop is a five-minute drive for lunch afterward
Corvette Invasion 2026 📍 Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center, 1408 Chestnut St, Bastrop, TX 78602 🗓️ Saturday, July 18, car show 9am-1pm, awards 2pm 🎟️ Free for spectators 🌐 corvetteinvasion.com
🗓️ Bastrop County Events | July 13 - 19, 2026
Monday, July 13
🌿 Family Nature Quest | 10:30am-12:30pm | McKinney Roughs Nature Park, 1884 State Hwy 71 W, Cedar Creek | Self-guided nature-play stations for families with kids ages 4-10. Park entry fee. LCRA Parks
🎨 Spark Your Imagination Exhibit | 10am-5pm, Mon-Sat all week | Bastrop County Museum & Visitor Center, 904 Main St, Bastrop | A hands-on summer exhibit on electricity, invention, and county history. $8 adults, free for kids 12 and under, free for veterans and active military. Bastrop County Historical Society
Tuesday, July 14
🚶 Chemn Walking Club | 8-11am | Chemn Cafe, 114 N Main St, Elgin | A free morning walking group out of the cafe. Free. Chemn Cafe
🧘 Restorative Yoga with Patti | 6-7pm | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | A gentle restorative session. Elgin Parks & Recreation
🎂 Vintage Cake Class | 6:30-8:30pm | The Clever Tiger, 114 Depot St, Elgin | Hands-on vintage-style cake decorating with Sweet Tooth ATX. Ticketed, register online. The Clever Tiger
Wednesday, July 15
🥬 Eden East Farm Market | 9am-1pm | Eden East Farm, 1910 Main St, Bastrop | Hyper-seasonal produce straight from the farm. Free entry. Eden East Farm
🧘 Vinyasa Slow Flow Yoga | 9-10am | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | A slow-flow class with Kelly and Barbara. Elgin Parks & Recreation
💪 Fit For Us | 9:30am | Smithville Recreation Center, 106 Royston St, Smithville | A free community fitness session from The Moms in Motion Project. Free. Moms in Motion Project
📖 Reading Ranger | 10:30am | Smithville Public Library, 507 Main St, Smithville | A Buescher State Park ranger leads a themed book reading and craft. All ages, free. Texas Parks & Wildlife
👶 Toddler Time | 11am-1pm | 15 American Legion Dr, Bastrop | Toddler play, parenting classes, and community resources for ages 2-5, from Bastrop County Cares and Texas A&M AgriLife. Free. Bastrop County Cares
Thursday, July 16
🥋 Tai Chi Chuan | 5 Basic Stances | 7:45-8:45am | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | Morning tai chi with Master Boaz. Elgin Parks & Recreation
💻 Tech Ready, Job Steady | Next Level | 10am-12pm | Smithville Recreation Center, 106 Royston St, Smithville | A free digital-skills and job-readiness workshop. Free. Bastrop County Cares
🛒 Elgin Farmers Market | 4-7pm | Veterans Memorial Park, 109 Depot St, Elgin | Local produce, meats, and baked goods, with live music from Dani the Violinist 5-6pm. SNAP/EBT welcome. Free. Elgin Farmers Market
🚐 Care-A-Van Smithville | 5-7pm | 101 Ken Blaschke Dr, Smithville | The mobile resource van brings services and support to the neighborhood. Free. Bastrop County Cares
🤝 Smithville Chamber July Mixer | 5-7pm | VFW Post 1309, 557 Loop 230 W, Smithville | A casual networking evening, members and prospective members welcome. Free. Smithville Area Chamber
🎨 Tote Bag Painting for Tweens | 6-8pm | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | A painting workshop for tweens, register through Elgin Parks & Rec. Elgin Parks & Recreation
Friday, July 17
🧘 Slow Flow Yoga with Melodie | 9-10am | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | Elgin Parks & Recreation
🏃 Fit & Strong Summer Aerobics | 10:15-11:15am | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | Elgin Parks & Recreation
🎉 Meet the PARD Team | 5-7pm | Elgin Recreation Center, 361 N Hwy 95, Elgin | Come meet the Elgin Parks and Recreation staff. Free. Elgin Parks & Recreation
🏁 Corvette Invasion | Meet & Greet | 7pm | Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center, 1408 Chestnut St, Bastrop | Live music and guest speaker Harlan Charles. Registered participants only, sold out. Spectators, come Saturday. Corvette Invasion
🎭 Anything Goes | Opening Night | 7:30-9:30pm | Bastrop Opera House, 711 Spring St, Bastrop | Cole Porter's madcap high-seas musical comedy opens, running through Aug 2. Ticketed. Bastrop Opera House
🌟 Saturday, July 18 | The Big Day
🥬 Eden East Farm Market | 9am-1pm | Eden East Farm, 1910 Main St, Bastrop | Free entry. Eden East Farm
🏁 Corvette Invasion | Car Show | 9am-1pm, awards 2pm | Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center, 1408 Chestnut St, Bastrop | The largest Corvette show in Texas fills the lot. Free to the public. Corvette Invasion
🛒 Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market | 10am-2pm | 1309 Chestnut St, Bastrop | Produce, local honey, baked goods, flowers, and makers. Free. 1832 Farmers Market
🧁 Daddy & Daughter Cupcake Decorating | 10am-12pm | 15 American Legion Dr, Bastrop | Dads and daughters ages 3-5 decorate cupcakes together with the Capital City Cake Club. Free, registration required. Bastrop County Cares
🫧 3rd Annual Kids Day at Community Gardens | 10am-4pm | Community Gardens, 1067 TX-71, Bastrop | A giant foam party, a 25-foot water slide, a dunk tank, vendors, and giveaways. Free entry, activity wristbands available. Community Gardens
🎨 Summer Welcome Mat Painting | 10am-3pm | Smithville General Store, 108 NE 2nd St, Smithville | Paint a summer welcome mat for your porch. Ticketed workshop. Smithville General Store
🎻 July Music in the Museum | 12-1pm | Bastrop County Museum & Visitor Center, 904 Main St, Bastrop | A laid-back, free bluegrass jam with talented local artists. Free. Bastrop County Historical Society
💦 Splash Day + Live Music | 3-11pm | Smithville Brewing Company, 661 NW Loop 230, Smithville | A giant waterslide and splash pad, beer specials, and live music from Jimmy & Aaron of The Bandits 7-9pm. Family friendly, free entry. Smithville Brewing
🎈 Birdee's Block Party | 3-7pm | The Birdsong Bar & Patio, 1200 NE Loop 230, Smithville | An afternoon block party on the patio. The Birdsong Bar & Patio
🎰 CASA Casino Sock Hop | 5:30-10:30pm | Smithville Recreation Center, 106 Royston St, Smithville | A 1950s sock-hop casino night benefiting CASA of Bastrop, Fayette & Lee Counties, who advocate for kids in the court system. $85 per person, 2 for $150, table of 8 for $600. $65 at the door after 7pm, no dinner. CASA BFL
🎭 Anything Goes | 7:30-9:30pm | Bastrop Opera House, 711 Spring St, Bastrop | Ticketed. Bastrop Opera House
🎤 Bastrop Comedy Club | Scott Hardy, Lane Kray & Jason Rodriguez | 8pm | Film Alley Bastrop, 1600 Chestnut St, Bastrop | Headliner Scott Hardy has opened for Jimmy Buffett and Dolly Parton. This is the final comedy night in the Showroom before it moves to a new space. Ages 17+, ID required, two-item minimum. Ticketed. Film Alley Bastrop
Sunday, July 19
🛒 Smithville Farmers Market | 10am-1pm | James H. Long Railroad Park, 100 NW 1st St, Smithville | Locally grown, homemade, and handmade, with live music. Rain or shine. Free. Smithville Market
🎨 LPAC Teen Art Club | 2-4pm | Lost Pines Art Center, 1204 Chestnut St, Bastrop | An open creative studio for ages 13-18 with instructor Erin Nicole, every third Sunday. Free. Lost Pines Art Center
🎭 Anything Goes | Sunday Matinee | 2:30-4:30pm | Bastrop Opera House, 711 Spring St, Bastrop | Ticketed. Bastrop Opera House
🍺 Live Music Sunday + $5 Frozen Slushies | 4-6pm | Smithville Brewing Company, 661 NW Loop 230, Smithville | Weekly Sunday live music at the taproom. Free entry. Smithville Brewing
🔮 Planning Ahead
A few things worth marking on your calendar:
🚗 Sat Jul 25 | Urbanfest Car Show | 10am-5pm | Elgin | A second car show rolls into the county a week after Corvette Invasion. City of Elgin
🎄 Sat Jul 25 | Christmas in July at the Museum | Bastrop County Museum & Visitor Center, 904 Main St, Bastrop | Sidewalk sale and photos with summer Santa. Bastrop County Historical Society
🎠 Jul 28 - Aug 1 | Bastrop Homecoming & Rodeo | Mayfest Hill Park, 25 American Legion Dr, Bastrop | One of the county's longest-running traditions returns, with barrel racing Wednesday, CPRA rodeo Thursday and Friday, a new Mutton Bustin' pre-show, and the Grand Parade through downtown Saturday Aug 1 at 10am. Bastrop Homecoming & Rodeo
🎉 Fri Jul 31 | Community Block Party | 6-8pm | Veterans Memorial Park, Elgin | Free, all ages, with DJ Reeseboi. Elgin Parks & Recreation
🎨 Sat Aug 1 | Art After Dark | 6-8pm | Lost Pines Art Center, 1204 Chestnut St, Bastrop | A free closing reception for the Members Showcase plus the debut of the summer youth camp student work. Free. Lost Pines Art Center
🏁 Saturdays | Race Night at Cotton Bowl Speedway | gates 5pm, racing 7pm | 1175 County Rd 202, Paige | Weekly dirt-track racing continues through the summer. Cotton Bowl Speedway
🎁 July Referral Prize | $50 to Numero 28
Share your unique referral link below with one friend who'd love a weekly dose of Bastrop County. Every referral through your unique link is an entry to win a $50 gift card to Numero 28 in Bastrop, with our winner drawn at the end of July.
How Did We Do?
Before you go
If you've got a flyer, an event, or a Bastrop County business worth featuring, hit reply. We read every email.
See you Thursday.
Marilyn - The Bastrop Current