By Brynna Williamson
Out here in East Texas, family is one of the things that keeps life worth the living. Whether you live right next door to Mama and friends, or whether they all live in another place, y’all can all come back home to reunite in Wood County, Texas. There are tons and tons of venues available to host your time together.
Mineola
Hidden Pines is beautiful. Just beautiful! Boasting a perfect indoor/outdoor mix and a spacious indoor option, this venue is great for either a wedding or a family reunion. The outdoor patio is even affixed with cute lighting and rockers (yes, PawPaw can get away to sit quietly by himself if he needs to), and there’s a balcony overlooking the “dance floor,” so that introverted family members can sit in a more secluded space upstairs.
The Mineola Civic Center and RV Park is perfect for a family reunion, too. It’s big—huge, actually—but not so big that it’s overwhelming. In fact, one thing that’s really nice about the civic center is that the rooms are built in such a way that you can have the exact size of space that you need. Whether you’d prefer a 5,000-square-foot ballroom, a room with average seating, or a room for 8 to 12, the civic center is a safe bet.
Winnsboro
In the nice, peaceful life that we have here in Wood County, Texas, we like to reflect on these two things: family, which makes living here on earth worthwhile, and God, who makes the next life possible through Himself. That’s why Cartwright Baptist Church is a perfect middle ground for any family reunion. It’s an intersection of both!
While the church could be claimed as a venue for either Quitman or Winnsboro–it’s literally, to the 1/10 of a mile, the exact same distance—the church’s address sits in Winnsboro.
Cartwright Baptist Church says that they are “filled with caring and supportive people,” and this is not an exaggeration at all. In addition to the amiability of its congregants, the church also stands out for its unique, renovated community center (renovation completion date TBD). The church hosts many different family reunions from far and wide. Funny enough, the church is also pastored by Mineola ISD superintendent Cody Mize!
If you need a more rustic feel, another place—B&D’s Farm Venue—has one reviewer writing, “This venue is it! Not just for weddings, but if you are looking for a place for showers, reunions, or just a family gathering, look no further! Just the best!” It’s got a covered indoor barn with a chandelier, big wooden posts, a sweet country vibe outside, and acres of fields.
One reviewer wrote it clearly: “If you are looking for a place to host an event; a wedding, shower, birthday party, or any type of celebration, I highly recommend B&D’s Farm Venue in Winnsboro, Texas. You will not only fall in love with the venue but with the owners as well. Please look them up and consider them for your next gathering. I promise you will have the best experience. The place is stunning, and you will finish your experience off with new-found friends in the owners. I’m telling you, these people are special!”
Quitman
For a sweet, relaxed, smaller reunion, the Speakeasy Coffeehouse in downtown Quitman just might be exactly what you’re looking for. A unique, charming atmosphere full of exposed brick walls, comfy couches, coffee, and an open event space upstairs, the Speakeasy is a local staple in Quitman. The venue rental fee is actually really affordable, too. Even though they’ve got snacks and drinks to sell, the owner says that venue renters are “welcome to bring any food and beverages for your event!”
The Carroll Green Civic Center is a great place to for a bigger Quitman event. They’ve got a lot of space—like a lot! They’ve got a stage, an on-site kitchen (which, by the way, is also pretty spacious), a commercial ice maker, a sound system, tables, chairs… you get the gist. This would be a really easy space to use for a family reunion, prom, wedding reception, or pretty much anything else!
Hawkins
“Welcome to the newest event venue in East Texas, located at Lake Hawkins!” reads a Facebook post by the Hangout at Lake Hawkins. This venue, which is a 2,500-square-foot building, restaurant, and pub located basically on the shores of Lake Hawkins, was renovated and re-presented in 2024. It can hold up to 250 people and is located next door to the Hideout at Lake Hawkins (an outdoor “venue” specializing in the long-term rental of “luxury cabin homes.”)
While Allaso Ranch is primarily a retreat center and camp event center, they also offer options for special events. “We go beyond to be more than just your host, we are your partner in excellence,” says the venue’s website. “Whether the size of your group ranges from dozens to hundreds, or whether you represent a church or corporation, we can design the retreat, camp, or team-building activity that addresses your specific needs with excellence.” They are able to serve groups interested in retreats, single-day events, dinners, and more.
Yantis
You don’t have to think of “losing your one and only” at Wood County’s version of “The Neon Moon.” in fact, this popular venue and hotspot boasts the hosting of several different annual events. While it would, admittedly, be difficult to host a family reunion in a normal bar, the Neon Moon has a semi-separate “dining hall” that employees say doesn’t get a lot of noise from the bar. The dining hall closes earlier than the venue’s other facilities, so call to find out more information and to schedule a day where they don’t have live music in the dining hall! This venue does allow smoking.
Despite its small size, Yantis also offers another venue: Lake Fork Getaways. Several Google reviewers made sure to specifically address how perfect of a fit Lake Fork Getaways is for family reunions. The venue features a “comfortable and stylish” “Big House,” which has a kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, bedrooms, and more. They also have a swimming pool, nursery, axe-throwing setup, cornhole boards, BBQ grills, a fire pit, a rec room, etc. it’s pretty cool, to be honest.
Alba
Uh… were you wanting 212 acres of beautiful vintage venue perfection? Because that’s what you would find at 4B Ranch “between Golden and Emory.” This pretty, rustic venue boasts outdoor pews facing light-wrapped trees (wedding, anyone?), a pretty, gabled red barn with indoor seating, and more. A commenter on the 4B Ranch Facebook page summed it up nicely: “If (you’re) looking for the perfect venue, this is the one!”
While Wildflower Wedding Venue is technically located in Emory, Texas, it’s just 12 minutes outside Alba, so we’ll count it. This attractive venue has several different price options for events of all sorts and includes perks like staff members on duty, set up and tear down, table bussing, etc. Also, you’re probably not going to believe me, but they have on-site lodging options: “Glamping in Wildflower Yurts.” Yes, they’re actual yurts, which can be rented on Airbnb.com.
So Many Options
So from rustic barns to a hotspot bar to a coffee shop, wildflower yurts, a church, and a civic center, you see that Wood County really does have a lot to offer in terms of venues. This isn’t even all of them, but it’s at least a few to help you out. Why not just choose one of these to host some memory time?