The sparkling city by the sea is preparing to host its 87th annual Buc Days Festival from May 1 through 11, 2025. Corpus Christi welcomes about 45,000 visitors during the annual event, celebrating Coastal Bend’s rich cultural heritage through arts, food, and entertainment. You could be one of them.
The Corpus Christi Buccaneer Commission started Buc Days in 1938, one hundred years after the city’s founding.
Although the festival’s original intent was to attract entertainment and culture to the region, today, the mission focuses on the coastal bend region’s traditions and community pride.
Corpus Christi explodes with activity during Buc Days, making it the ideal time to plan your visit.
Discover why you should book your trip to join the festivities.
Events and Entertainment
During Buc Days, the open spaces along the bay between Fitzgerald Street and the Canal morph into Carnival Grounds, bursting with activity.
Enjoy a tasty beverage in the beer garden while listening to live music, or take your kids to the petting zoo to play with baby goats, llamas, and sheep. Browse the artisan showcase or support young scientists competing in the STEAM expo.
Grab your wristband for the Stripes Carnival to hop on your favorite rides, like the Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, and super slide. Take a cheat day to partake in delicious fair foods like funnel cakes and fried Twinkies.
If you’re still hungry, check out the BBQ on the Bay competition, which highlights the best Texan BBQ made by local enthusiasts.
Professional Bull Riding
During the first weekend of Buc Days, Corpus Christi hosts the PBR Pendleton Whiskey Velocity Tours finals at the American Bank Center, which is right on the festival grounds.
The tour features the best bull riders in the country as they face off with bucking broncos to become champions and qualify for one of five spots in the 2025 PBR Unleash the Beast World Finals.
It’s a spectacular show everyone should experience at least once in their lives.
Corpus Christi Rodeo
Week 2 offers even more excitement as the World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) hosts its Rodeo Corpus Christi event, one of the three triple crown events it offers each year.
The rodeo features all your favorite events, including steer roping, mutton bustin’, barrel racing, and bull riding. Athletes vie for a piece of the $545,000 purse and a spot on the WCRA Kid Rock’s Rock ‘N Rodeo event in Arlington, TX.
After the dust clears from the rodeo, WCRA hosts a nightly concert with famous country stars. Though the lineup isn’t announced until February, past performers have included Bret Michaels, Josh Turner, and Carly Pierce.
More To Do in Corpus Christi
Although you can enjoy the festivities Buc Days offers the entire week, there’s far more to explore in the Sparkling City by the Sea.
The city features a thriving arts community, stunning natural landscapes, gorgeous beaches, and mouth-watering seafood. Here’s what you should fit in while visiting Corpus Christi for Buc Days.
Discover Art
Buc Days coincides with the First Friday art walk, where vendors and artisans close down six blocks for a massive party featuring live music, food carts, and street performers. Stroll through the streets and marvel at the wide range of arts and products available, from fine art to whimsical creations. Support the local artisans and remember your visit by taking something unique home.
There’s far more art to discover. Corpus Christi features the South Texas Museum of Art, home to over 1850 objects celebrating American art with a particular focus on Texan artists, and the Art Center of Corpus Christi, which promotes art education.
Those who wish to explore art independently can download the city’s art trail to discover the wide range of murals, sculptures, and painted utility boxes on display.
Enjoy Natural Beauty
The coastal bend region bursts with stunning natural beauty. While visiting Texas, you must explore the miles of pristine coastline featuring wetlands, sea marshes, and beaches.
Head to Oso Bay Wetlands Reserve to learn how these stunning natural landscapes contribute to the ecosystem or Padre Island National Seashore to enjoy the serene beaches.
Thrilling Water Sports
Corpus Christi’s coastlines offer far more than scenery. Hop in and enjoy all the thrilling water sports you can imagine. Visit North Packery Beach for jet skiing, waterboarding, surfing, and paddling, or head to North Beach to spend a day relaxing with friends near the beachfront shopping and restaurants.
Seafood Galore
When visiting a gulf town, you must indulge in fresh seafood.
Harrison’s Landing offers the freshest catch of the day on a floating barge. Sample the bisque, but leave room for the redfish casino or shrimp boil. Sample fresh oysters at Water Street Oyster Bar, or head to Sunset Island for fine dining on the waterfront at Docs Seafood and Steaks.
Book a Trip to ‘Buc Days’
When you visit Corpus Christi during Buc Days, you experience the best the city offers. Not only do you get to participate in the most lively festival of the year, but you also get to enjoy all the wonderful things the city offers year-round. Plan your visit today, and look forward to a fantastic celebration in May!
