There’s something magical about this time of year in the Hill Country. So, let’s get out and see it!
Image copyright: Pamela Price
Yes, the temperatures are (usually) a little bit cooler than just a few weeks prior. And, yes, there’s the anticipation of the holiday season just a page later in the calendar. But there’s at least a thousand other reasons why it’s hard to beat autumn deep in the heart of Texas.
If you’ve got a little time to spare this month, we know some places to make the most of the season’s charms.
There is, of course, a whopper of a festival the first couple of weeks, up in the land of Longhorns and state legislators. Both of those groups take a backseat to musicians as Austin City Limits Music Festival (Oct. 4 – 13) springs to life, filling the air along Lady Bird Lake with live music.
Looking for something a little more subdued? Perhaps with a little food or drink, too? Then consider, if you will, the food and wine festivals coming to Gruene (Oct. 10 – 13) and Fredericksburg (Oct. 26, noon to 7 p.m.).
Oops! Did we forget to mention Fredericksburg’s annual Oktoberfest (Oct. 4 – 6)? Tsk, tsk.
Bookworms will want to check out the Boerne Book Festival (Oct 5) and the Texas Book Festival in Austin (Oct. 26) We can’t overlook the art lovers, of course, who have the Grey Forest Open Studios (Oct. 12, noon to 6 p.m.), the Burnet Art Festival (Oct. 10 – 13), and The Briscoe Museum of Art’s Art and the Animal exhibition (through Jan. 5).
As for the vintage and home decor fans, there’s the Vintage Flea (Oct. 26) in Comfort, hosted by The 8th Street Market — one of our favorite home decor haunts!
Monarch fans will want to see the annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival in San Antonio (Oct. 12 – 20), and then there’s all of those Day of the Dead activities, too!
Feeling that Halloween vibe? There’s always 6th Street (definitely just for the grown ups!) or perhaps a ghost walk in New Braunfels, San Antonio, Fredericksburg or Austin? Tough call.
For those of us who love a historic stroll, note that Fredericksburg’s Pioneer Museum hosts brisk evening walking tours every Wednesday.
Finally, at the risk of getting too far ahead of ourselves, go ahead and save the date for Boerne’s fall handmade market (Nov. 2) and the fall Vintage Market Days of Greater San Antonio (Nov. 1 – 3).
Seeing as the VMD is moving to Leon Springs this year, we can think of no better excuse than to pop into the original Rudy’s Country Store & BBQ on Boerne Stage Road, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year. Yes, it’s a chain now, sure, but there’s still something pretty special happening inside that old-school pit!
We love visiting Fredericksburg, but it’s quite a drive from San Antonio! We will have to visit one of the two festivals this month. We have been to Gruene a few times, but we always seem to leave after a brief walk through it. Are there any other towns similar to these two? We are going to be listening to a Halloween concert inside Cave Without A Name in Boerne this month. Before that happens, we are currently looking for more options, and I have a feeling Fredericksburg is going to win out.