GAINESVILLE, Texas — The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce will host the 39th Annual Depot Day Festival on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in historic downtown Gainesville. The free festival draws more than 10,000 visitors to the courthouse square area each year for a full day of live music, local food, and one of North Texas's largest classic car gatherings.
What to expect
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gainesville Farmers Market, 215 W. Elm St. Activities include:
- Auto Show: More than 200 antique, classic, and custom vehicles on display
- Kids Zone: Bounce houses, carnival rides, and family activities
- Live entertainment: Music and performances on stage throughout the day
- BMX stunt show: Lonestar Action Sports
- Trade vendors and food booths: More than 100 vendors covering arts, crafts, and food
- Education and health screenings
Admission is free. This year's festival is presented by WinStar Hotel Careers.
Vendor and sponsorship applications are expected to open in Summer 2026. Contact the Chamber at info@gainesvillecofc.com or 940-665-2831 for information.
About the depot
The festival takes its name from the historic Santa Fe Depot at the edge of downtown — a red brick building that has anchored Gainesville's connection to the railroad for more than 120 years.
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built the depot in 1902, replacing a smaller frame structure from the 1890s. Architect C.W. Felt designed it with curvilinear gables, stone trim, and a Ludowici tile roof, a signature style for major Santa Fe stations of the era. A Harvey House restaurant occupied the first floor from the station's opening until 1931, when the national chain wound down its Texas operations.
The depot reached its peak during World War II. In 1944, Gainesville ranked as the eighth most-traveled station on the entire Santa Fe Railway, driven by the constant movement of troops to and from Camp Howze, the Army infantry training facility north of town that at its height housed tens of thousands of soldiers.
Passenger rail service ended in December 1979 when Amtrak discontinued the Lone Star train. The Santa Fe Railway deeded the building to the City of Gainesville in 1981, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. A full restoration was completed in 2001.
Today the first floor houses a branch of the Morton Museum of Cooke County, with displays covering the railroad era, Harvey House artifacts, early Coca-Cola memorabilia, and the history of the Gainesville Community Circus. The Heartland Flyer — Amtrak's Fort Worth-to-Oklahoma City route — still stops at the depot, making Gainesville one of a small number of Texas cities with active passenger rail service.
A community tradition since 1988
Depot Day began in 1988 as a community celebration of Gainesville's railroad heritage and the downtown square. In the nearly four decades since, it has grown into one of the largest free festivals in North Texas, drawing attendees from across Cooke County and beyond.
The festival is organized each year by the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce. Full details and vendor applications will be posted at gainesvillecofc.com as they become available. For questions, call the Chamber at 940-665-2831.