This Is Texas' Quirkiest Little Town
Texans know the Lone Star State likes to do things its own way. With its sheer size and personality, it can feel like there are endless places to explore. Although West Texas is sometimes overlooked, it is home to one of the state’s quirkiest towns: Marfa. This small town punches well above its weight, serving up a Texas-sized art scene, eccentric festival calendar, and even activities like glider rides for those up for an exhilarating adventure. If you enjoy exploring Texas’s quirkiest corners, Marfa should be on your itinerary.
Donald Judd and His Artistic Legacy in Marfa
Over the past few decades, Marfa has become a globally renowned art community. This reputation largely began when minimalist Donald Judd moved to town in the 1970s, attracted by the area’s terrain and vast open skies. Judd purchased various properties for art installations, spurring the town’s art scene. Today, Judd’s facilities remain open for visitors to appreciate, along with a variety of other museums and art galleries. Downtown, at the Judd Foundation, travelers can view the artist’s permanently installed living and working spaces, which include features like his early works, living quarters, and libraries that represent his work. The Chinati Foundation was another one of Judd’s legacies, which he established in 1986 to exhibit large-scale, permanent art installations. To further support the local art community, the foundation also holds periodic art workshops, panel discussions, and art shows.
Other Art Spaces and Galleries
In addition to Judd’s foundations, there are countless other cultural spaces and galleries to explore throughout Marfa. Ballroom Marfa, a contemporary art museum founded in 2003, has become a cornerstone of the town’s art scene. This art space is set in a 1920s-era ballroom, offering free admission to the public. Over the years, Ballroom Marfa has commissioned numerous significant pieces, including Kite Symphony, Indestructible Columns, and The Marfa Triptych.
Visitors drawn to abstract art should schedule an appointment at the Ann Marie Nafziger Studio, where the artist specializes in bold, abstract paintings. Meanwhile, Exhibitions 2D features minimalist works, with rotating exhibits from 10 artists across the country.
Annual Festivals
Another way Marfa preserves its creative spirit is through its annual art events and cultural festivals. From June 5th through 8th of this year, the town will host the Agave Festival, which celebrates the agave and its cultural influence through food, panels, music, and spirits. Some of the activities during the festival include agave spirit tastings, talks with historians, anthropologists, and botanists, and live regional music. For a mix of local and international films, travelers can check out CineMarfa. This film festival brings curated screenings to West Texas, which are shown in the historic Crowley Theater.
Each August, Marfa hosts one of its most iconic events: the Marfa Lights Festival. Inspired by mysterious lights spotted in the night sky since the 19th century, the festival celebrates this quirky local legend with activities like live music, magicians, parades, and pie-baking contests. One of Donald Judd’s lasting festival legacies is Chinati Weekend, established in 1987. Every October, the Chinati Foundation welcomes artists from the local community and around the globe for a weekend of special exhibitions, music, talks, and open studios, which are all free to the public.
Sailing the Skies
In addition to its art scene and festivals, Marfa also has a long history with glider aviation. During the 1960s, the town began attracting pilots and gliders due to its excellent soaring conditions. In fact, Marfa has hosted several national soaring contests and the World Soaring Championship in 1970. If you want to experience the wide skies of Marfa for yourself, you should consider signing up for a ride with Marfa Glider Rides & Sailplane Flights. Each glider ride is offered by an FAA-certified pilot and can be arranged by appointment.
Sipping & Dining
After an adrenaline-filled day in the skies, travelers can unwind at one of Marfa’s eclectic bars, where they can have a bite to eat and sip on a craft beverage. Planet Marfa is a popular option for drinks; it's a quirky outdoor bar that serves beer, wine, and liquor, and has a small food menu with dishes like pizza, paninis, and hot dogs. To try some of Marfa’s locally made spirits, stop by Marfa Spirit Co., which has a Western-style tasting room for cocktail sipping and spirit sampling. This distillery makes several different spirits in-house, including rum, grapefruit liquor, sotol, gin, and vodka.
For some cozy comfort food, travelers can grab dinner at Margaret’s in Marfa, which is open Wednesday through Saturday, 5 pm through 9 pm. In addition to an extensive wine list, the menu offers favorite dishes like baked eggplant parmesan, cheddar tuna melts, grilled salmon, and bavette steak.
You could spend a lifetime exploring Texas and still have surprises waiting. However, if a quirky vacation is calling your name this year, make sure to put Marfa on your list. Home to festivals like the Marfa Light Festival and CineMarfa, the event calendar is filled with eccentricity. If you prefer to take it easy with a drink in your hand, tasting rooms like Marfa Spirit Co. have you covered with a locally made spirit. So head out to Marfa and see what quirky surprise you might stumble into next.
