Things to Do in Winnsboro

One of the best things about a small town is that all the things to do are oftentimes within walking distance. That’s often the case with Winnsboro, where live theater, antique dealers, art galleries, and a farmers market all rest within the same few blocks.

Stroll the Bowery and Historic Downtown Winnsboro

When you’re ready to explore on foot, the Bowery should be your starting point. Antique dealers, boutiques, galleries, and restaurants fill the brick storefronts on either side. The wider Main Street District covers the blocks with some of the oldest buildings in town. For picture-taking, the atmosphere doesn’t get more old-school Texas.

Gallery-wise, the Culture Club Art Gallery on East Elm is worth the walk for its painted exterior alone, and Modern Country Gallery sits nearby. The Winnsboro Farmers' Market has a long-standing reputation for local produce and handmade goods. It’s the perfect place to get a souvenir and put some money straight into the pocket of a local artist.

Catch a Show at the Bowery Stage

If you come to Winnsboro with a loved one, doing a dinner and a show means the night should end at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. Its Bowery Stage sits just a modest 88 people, meaning the venue is cozy and has astonishing acoustics. If you like jazz, blues, or folk music, you’re going to be in for a treat.

Maybe you’re more of a theater person than a music person. In that case, you’ll be happy to know the theater also stages, well, theater. Past productions have included Bonnie & Clyde (a couple that may have visited Winnsboro themselves), Romeo and Juliet, and original plays.

Give Lake Winnsboro a Shake

Stretching out to a huge 806 acres, Lake Winnsboro is known as a quiet lake that attracts fishermen and those simply looking to escape from the daily grind. All around the lake are several parks with boat ramps, picnic tables, and walking trails. Better yet, the areas are known to be well lit, so if your adventure goes a bit later, you don’t have to worry about getting lost.

Fishermen with loftier ambitions might want to give Lake Fork a go, if its record-setting bass are anything to go by. This lake is a tributary of the Sabine River, which runs all the way down to southern Louisiana.

Track Down the Winnsboro Murals

The best way to explore any city is on foot. But the question is always, where do you start and where do you go? And the answer—not always, but very much in the case of Winnsboro—is mural hunting.

The city is replete with gorgeous murals, thanks to the Texas Street Art Festival, which had artists from all over the country add splashes of color to the Winnsboro palette. There are about 30 in total and finding your way from one to another not only guarantees some great photos, but takes you all across town where you’re sure to stumble upon a hidden treasure or two.