Things to Do in Kerens, Texas
Kerens is a small Navarro County town with an outsized claim to fame — it's the birthplace of Big Tex — and a giant fishing reservoir just down the road. Between big-water recreation, a bit of Texas-icon heritage, and nearby Corsicana, there's more to do here than the town's size suggests.
Here's what to do in and around Kerens.
Richland-Chambers Reservoir
Kerens's biggest outdoor draw is Richland-Chambers Reservoir, just south of town — a roughly 41,000-acre lake with some 330 miles of shoreline. Boaters, water-skiers, and anglers all find room to spread out on its Y-shaped expanse.
The fishing is the headliner: Richland-Chambers is one of the area's most reliable crappie lakes, with plenty of catfish, white bass, and hybrid stripers as well. Boats launch from nine ramps around the lake, several of them free, and private marinas and cabins line the shore. For a day on the water or a weekend at the lake, it's a genuine destination.
The Birthplace of Big Tex
Kerens proudly calls itself the 'Birthplace of Big Tex.' In 1949 the town built a 49-foot 'World's Largest Santa Claus' over Colket Avenue to draw holiday shoppers — a stunt that made news as far away as Iran and Australia. When the novelty faded, Kerens sold the giant figure, and in 1951 the State Fair of Texas remade it into the cowboy Big Tex, who has greeted fairgoers in Dallas ever since.
That heritage is a point of local pride, and the city still uses it as its motto. Kerens's annual Cotton Harvest Festival celebrates the town's farming roots, a small-town gathering that gives visitors a taste of local life and history.
Corsicana and the Region
Kerens's location keeps Corsicana, the Navarro County seat, within an easy fourteen-mile drive west. Corsicana offers a historic downtown, the famous Collin Street Bakery, the Pearce Museum at Navarro College, Lefty Frizzell's hometown country-music heritage, and the shopping and dining of a larger town.
The broader region adds more lakes, prairie heritage, and North Central Texas charm within a reasonable drive, with the Dallas–Fort Worth metro about an hour and a half northwest. Between Richland-Chambers Reservoir, the Big Tex story, and nearby Corsicana, Kerens offers a well-rounded menu of things to do for a small community.
Upcoming in Kerens
Dates confirmed on each organizer's own site as of October 3, 2026. Plans change, so check the link before you drive.
Sat, Oct 17, 2026
Kerens Cotton Harvest FestivalKerens · Downtown Kerens
Festival on Kerens' red-brick main street with a pickleball tournament and photo contest; supports the Kerens Library
Concerts & Shows Near Kerens
Listings from Ticketmaster, updated October 12, 2026. Tickets are sold by Ticketmaster; we don't check these dates ourselves, so confirm on the ticket page.
- Fri, Nov 13 · 8:00 PM Southall (18+ Event) · Silver Saloon, Terrell · 39 mi
FAQ: Things to Do in Kerens
Kerens's top draw is Richland-Chambers Reservoir just south of town, great for fishing, boating, and water-skiing. The town is also the 'Birthplace of Big Tex' and hosts an annual Cotton Harvest Festival, and Corsicana is fourteen miles west for more shopping, dining, and museums.
In 1949 Kerens built a 49-foot 'World's Largest Santa Claus' to draw holiday shoppers. The town later sold it, and in 1951 the State Fair of Texas remade the figure into Big Tex, the towering cowboy who has welcomed fairgoers in Dallas ever since.
Yes. Richland-Chambers Reservoir just south of Kerens is a popular fishing lake known for crappie, catfish, white bass, and hybrid stripers, with nine boat ramps around its 330 miles of shoreline.
Kerens hosts an annual Cotton Harvest Festival that celebrates the town's farming roots — a small-town community gathering that draws residents and visitors each year.
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Kerens in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →East Texas Festivals and Annual Events
Season-by-season guide to East Texas festivals and events — Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas Rose Festival, the Yamboree, Wonderland of Lights and more, checked against each host's own site.
Read Guide →Best Day Trips from Tyler and East Texas
Drive-time guide to day trips from Tyler: state parks, small towns, museums, and lakes within about 30 minutes, an hour, and up to three hours.
Read Guide →Best Lakes in East Texas
A fact-checked guide to 17 East Texas lakes, from Lake Fork's trophy bass and Caddo Lake to Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Lake Tawakoni. Sizes, species, access and rules come from TPWD.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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