Hey Tyler!
It's a big week around here. East Texas filmmakers are racing the clock with the first-ever 48-Hour Film Festival kicking off Friday at Liberty Hall, there’s some fun outdoor stuff going on, and the weekend is absolutely stacked — from live music, crawfish, a little comedy, and a whole lot more.
Let's get into it.
In today's edition:
🎬 Tyler's first 48-Hour Film Festival
🌿 Loads of outdoor fun
🌆 A packed weekend ahead
Tyler Lowdown
Tyler Cooperating with AG's Statewide Property Tax Investigation Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into more than 1,000 Texas cities, including Tyler, over alleged violations of audit transparency requirements under Senate Bill 1851, which prohibits cities from raising property tax revenue unless they've filed required public financial audits. Read more
Tyler's First 48-Hour Film Festival Kicks Off This Weekend East Texas filmmakers will have 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a short film as part of a new challenge hosted by the East Texas Film Society and the Tyler Film Festival team. Kicking off Friday at Liberty Hall Theater, participants will draw a random genre, a required line of dialogue, and a character name that must appear on screen. Films are due Sunday, and the best film earns an automatic spot in the 2026 Tyler Film Festival in September. The public screening is Tuesday, April 21 at 6 p.m. at Liberty Hall — tickets are $5. Read more
Former Tyler Library Director Sues City, Alleges Politically Motivated Firing Ashley Taylor, who served as director of the Tyler Public Library for seven years and worked there for nearly 20, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in April accusing the city of retaliating against her over a sign posted by another employee that read, "A truly great library has something in it to offend everyone." The lawsuit alleges Taylor was told to accept a demotion or be fired, and that the city explicitly tied the decision to political fallout from the sign incident. Read more
Tyler Approves $3.7M Road Repaving Project The Tyler City Council approved the $3.73 million 2026 Asphalt Enhancement Project, which will mill and overlay 19.3 lane miles of streets in poor condition across the Sunnybrook, Wall, Owens, Alice, and Pleasant areas. Read more
Painted Tree Boutiques Shuts Down — Over 300 Tyler Vendors Scrambling The Tyler location of Painted Tree Boutiques, which opened in December 2024 at the Village at Cumberland Park on South Broadway, was home to more than 300 small businesses when the national chain abruptly ceased all operations on April 14, with no advance warning. Vendors were given a 10-day window, through April 24, to retrieve their merchandise. No official reason has been given, though bankruptcy filings are reportedly being considered. Read more
Tyler Real Estate Corner
From local market expert Jamey Whitley
REALTOR® - Associate Broker - Shilling Real Estate Co.
903-520-1559
homeseasttexas.com
Not everyone wants to “list their home.”
Some people just want it gone… without turning their life upside down.
No cleaning for showings.
No last minute “can you leave for an hour?” texts.
No fixing things you didn’t even know were broken.
I’ve had more conversations lately with homeowners who are quietly thinking:
“Is there a way to just sell this… as is?”
The answer is yes.
But most people don’t realize what that actually looks like.
There are options right now where you can:
Sell your home as is
Skip repairs and updates
Avoid showings completely
Get a real offer without guessing on price
And here’s the part most agents won’t tell you:
Sometimes that’s the right move.
Sometimes it’s not.
My job is to show you both sides clearly so you don’t leave money on the table… or waste time chasing a process you didn’t want in the first place.
If you’ve even thought about selling but don’t want the traditional route, start here:
Here are a few of my favorite listings from the last week in Tyler.
Listing Courtesy Dwell Realty
Listing Courtesy of Keller Williams Tyler
Listing Courtesy of Coldwell Banker APEX - Tyler
Tyler Events
Thursday, April 16
Art4Fun
Tyler Public Library | April 16 | 4:00 PM | Learn more
Estate Planning 101: What Every Family Needs to Know
Noonday Community Center | April 16 | 6:00 PM | Learn more
Texas Rose Spring Festival
Texas Rose Horse Park | April 16 | 8:00 AM | Learn more
Trivia Night
True Vine Brewing Co | April 16 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
Friday, April 17
Master Gardeners: Tips for Edible Gardening
Tyler Public Library | April 17 | 12:00 PM–1:00 PM | Learn more
Just Pies - Get a pie from the Pie Wagon
Roquemore's Hardware in Whitehouse, TX | April 17 | 10:30 AM | Learn more
Piney Woods Quilt Festival
1702 S. Adams St., Carthage, TX | April 17–18 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Learn more
Strutters Crawfish Boil 2026
Cut Beef, Tyler | April 17 | 4:00 PM | Learn more
48-Hour Film Fest Kickoff
Liberty Hall, Tyler | April 17 | 6:00 PM | Learn more
Todd Barry
Rose City Comedy, Tyler | April 17 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
Wade Forster
Blackhawk Creek Grill & Venue, Whitehouse | April 17 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
Beetlejuice, JR.
Tyler Civic Theatre, Tyler | April 17 | 7:30 PM | Learn more
Ramoth Gilead & His Afiliad
Fresh by Brookshire’s, Tyler | April 17 | 6:00 PM | Learn more
Texas Outdoor Family Weekend at Tyler State Park
Tyler State Park, 789 Park Rd 16, Tyler | April 17–19 | 6:30 PM (Fri start) | Learn more
Longview PRCA Rodeo
165 Tex Pack St., Longview, TX | April 17 | 6:00 PM | Learn more
Your Dog Deserves Real Food. Now 60% Off.
Vets say UnKibble is "the food dogs were born to eat." Made with USDA-grade meats, gently dried to lock in 99% of nutrients, no fridge needed. 87% of dogs saw health improvements after switching. Your dog deserves this: Get 60% off with code DESERVES60.
Saturday, April 18
Rose City Farmers Market
ETX Brewing Co. parking lot, Tyler | April 18 | 8:00 AM–12:00 PM | Learn more
Beetlejuice, JR.
Tyler Civic Theatre, Tyler | April 18 | 10:30 AM & 2:30 PM | Learn more
STEM Like a Girl
Discovery Science Place, Tyler | April 18 | 10:00 AM–2:00 PM | Learn more
Lindale Family Farm Grand Opening
Lindale Family Farm, Lindale | April 18 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM | Learn more
2nd Annual East Texas Fire and Nature Festival
Tyler Nature Center, Tyler | April 18 | 10:00 AM–3:00 PM | Learn more
Anime Tyler 2026
Holiday Inn Tyler – Conference Center, Tyler | April 18 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Learn more
Brunch at ETX Brewing Co.
ETX Brewing Co., Tyler | April 18 | 11:00 AM–2:00 PM | Learn more
Light the Way 5K
True Vine Brewing Company, Tyler | April 18 | 5:00 PM | Learn more
Piano Man – A Billy Joel Experience
Serenade Range, Whitehouse | April 18 | 7:00 PM–9:00 PM | Learn more
Uncle Lucius
Blackhawk Creek Grill & Venue, Whitehouse | April 18 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
An Evening with Wm. Paul Young, author of The Shack
Liberty Hall, Tyler | April 18 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
John PayCheck & The Cavalry with special guests Rick & Bree
Brisket Love Barbecue & Icehouse, Lindale | April 18 | 7:30 PM | Learn more
Circa’s Humans 2.0
UT Tyler Cowan Center, Tyler | April 18 | 7:30 PM | Learn more
The Last Chance Band
Fresh by Brookshire’s, Tyler | April 18 | 6:00 PM | Learn more
Bubble Run 5k
Stillwater RV Resort, Winona | April 18 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
One Horse Town (Live Music)
Red Rooster Icehouse, 1470 N. Beaulah St., Hawkins, TX | April 18 | 7:30 PM | Learn more
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Sunday, April 19
Friends & Family Day (rescheduled)
New York, Texas Zip Line LaRue, | April 19 | 2:00 PM | Learn more
Black Diamond Half Marathon, 10K, 5K & Kids Dash
Rose Rudman Park, Tyler | April 19 | 7:50 AM | Learn more
Anime Tyler 2026
Holiday Inn Tyler – Conference Center, Tyler | April 19 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Learn more
Brunch at ETX Brewing Co.
ETX Brewing Co., Tyler | April 19 | 11:00 AM–2:00 PM | Learn more
Sounds of East Texas Awards 2026 Songwriter Showcase
Rose City Comedy, Tyler | April 19 | 5:00 PM | Learn more
Tuesday, April 21
48-Hour Film Fest Screening
Liberty Hall, Tyler | April 21 | 6:00 PM | Learn more
Wednesday, April 22
Tyler City Council Meeting
Tyler City Hall, Tyler | April 22 | 9:00 AM | Learn more
Earth Day Family Fun
Tyler Public Library Auditorium, Tyler | April 22 | 5:30 PM–6:45 PM | Learn more
Trivia Night at ETX Brewing Co.
ETX Brewing Co., Tyler | April 22 | 7:00 PM–8:00 PM | Learn more
Thursday, April 23
Achiever Art Show
113 W. Ferguson St., Tyler | April 23 | 4:30 PM | Learn more
J’s Dueling Pianos
Blackhawk Creek Grill & Venue, Whitehouse | April 23 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
The Tuxedo Cats Trio
TXM Tyler, Tyler | April 23 | 7:00 PM | Learn more
Upcoming
Serial Killer Speakeasy (21+ True Crime Cocktail Experience)
Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin St., Tyler | April 24–25 | Learn more
East Texas Writers Guild Workshops
Flourish Nonprofits | April 25 | 2:00-4:00 PM | Learn more
Plus more workshops running through June!
That's a wrap for this week, Tyler! Whether you're headed out to catch a show, support a local vendor, or just enjoy some spring weather, there's no shortage of ways to make the most of it. If you've got a tip, event, or story we should know about, just hit reply — we'd love to hear from you.
See you next week. 🌹
Eric
From Tyler