Looking for family fun in the Texas Hill Country? The beautiful city of Fredericksburg offers many summer festivals for adults and children. Although the town is famous for its Oktoberfest, there is no reason to wait until fall to visit. The following is a small sample of the events that will occur in the summer of 2012.
Crawfish Festival – Marktplatz, May 25th-27th
The German-American culture of Fredericksburg is briefly upstaged in favor of Cajun flavors for the Crawfish Festival. Strains of Zydeco, Cajun, and Country music resonate from the main pavilion, which is conveniently adjacent to the food vendors. Crawfish is sold by the pound with corn on the cob and new potatoes on the side.
The best way to eat crawfish? Well, you can peel the crawfish and carefully extract the meat, or you can just pop off the head, hold the tail and suck the meat right out like a professional. Either way, this crustacean is always a tasty treat.
Does crawfish sound too messy? Try the delicious crawfish sausage wrapped in a warmed pita. Make it extra special by garnishing it with some fried onions and hot sauce. This sausage is a great choice if you are looking for crawfish flavor but do not want to peel them yourself.
Don’t like crawfish? Fear not, the Crawfish Festival always features a variety of Cajun inspired foods that do not contain crawfish, as well as the usual fair foods. Unlike Oktoberfest, the lines for the vendors (and for the restrooms) are usually relatively short. Additionally, pre-purchased tokens are not required in order to obtain food and beer.
Don’t forget the children! Kiddie rides and other fun activities will be located at the children’s area. This is generally located at the southwest corner of the Marktplatz away from the main pavilion. The Crawfish Festival also hosts several arts and crafts booths.
Hours:
Friday, May 25th 6PM-Midnight
Saturday, May 26th 11AM-Midnight
Sunday May 27th, 11AM-5PM
Admission:
Adults
$7 (one day)
$10 (two day pass)
$15 (three day pass)
Children 12 and under
$1
http://www.tex-fest.com/crawfish/
Additional events at the Fairgrounds and Lady Bird Johnson Park
The Gillespie County Fairgrounds and Lady Bird Johnson Park host several events throughout the summer. Follow Highway 16 south from Fredericksburg. The Fairgrounds, Park, and Airport will all be on the right (West) side of the highway.
The 4 th of July Fireworks show occurs at the park, but the parade is held downtown. Both events are worth attending. Be prepared for large crowds however. The fireworks show is always followed by a notorious traffic jam as the park has only one major access road.
The Gillespie County Fair will be held from August 23 rd to 26 th at the fairgrounds, but once again, the parade is held downtown on the 24 th . Children of all ages will enjoy the exhibits and the carnival rides. Horse racing at the fairgrounds is a tradition on summer weekends in Fredericksburg. Because the races are pari-mutuel, you are betting against other bettors and not against the house. http://www.gillespiefair.com/
Fredericksburg is a convenient weekend getaway for residents of Texas cities. Enjoy some summer fun in the Texas Hill Country!
