For the first time in its history, Buc Days is moving its children's parade and 5K run to Portland.
The Driscoll Children's Parade will take place Saturday, April 18, starting at Gregory-Portland Middle School, continuing down Wildcat Drive and ending at the new 5th and Elm venue.
Following the parade, families are invited to gather at the venue for live music and an award presentation.
Mark Avelar, chair-elect of the Buc Days Commission, said the expansion represents the organization's goal of serving the broader Coastal Bend region.
"We always want to have something new, better and different," Avelar said. "One of the highlights is us moving our children's parade and our 5K to the Portland area. We're so excited to be hosting it at 5th and Elm this year. Brand new venue in Portland, Texas."
The 5K run, called the Sunrise Stampede, will also take place in Portland on April 18. The main Buc Days carnival, rodeo and festival will remain in Corpus Christi from April 30 through May 10.
"All of this for the reason of providing scholarships and education scholarships," Avelar said. "We'll be distributing more than $100,000 in education scholarships this year, and that's why we do everything that we do, to support our local community and local students that they could pursue their college education."
Shelby O'Brien with the City of Portland said the partnership aligns with the city's mission.
"Our tagline is building community and raising families, and that's exactly what Buc Days does every single year throughout their entire history," O'Brien said. "Plus 5th and Elm, what a perfect venue. The city of Portland built this to bring in more families, more community, more opportunities, and Buc Days is capitalizing on that. We couldn't be any more happy to have them."
Applications for the 2026 Driscoll Children's Parade are now open and close Sunday, March 15. Organizers said the parade will feature marching bands, dancers and floats from Coastal Bend schools and youth organizations.
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