It’s Wein Time in New Braunfels
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Drink lots of wein and bier May 6 at Wein & Saengerfest in downtown New Braunfels.
Wineries from throughout Texas celebrate this Deutsche festival, blended with old but familiar traditions like a grape stomp, WeinStein University and a Chef Showdown.
Craft beer tasting, lots of musicians, food trucks, family activities and an evening street dance also are featured.
Unique to Wein & Saengerfest is The Marktplatz — German for marketplace — with gift items by 26 talented artists and craftsmen.
Also enjoy Braunfels’ oldest heritage tradition, the historic Kindermasken Parade, beginning at 11:30 a.m. One of the city’s first teachers founded this costumed-parade for school children in 1856. He wanted a May Day celebration that reminded children of their German heritage. Seven generations later, New Braunfels school children still turn out to march.
Wein & Saengerfest is located on portions of San Antonio Street and Castell Avenue. Parking is available curbside or in various parking lots in the downtown area.
Proceeds benefit New Braunfels Parks Foundation and the Downtown Association.
Admission is free. Dogs on leashes welcome. For more information, visit weinandsaengerfest.com.
Wine and Bier Tastings
2017 Wein & Saengerfest features 18 different Texas wineries along with German, Pacific Coast and Washington State wines. Each winery offers three varieties for sampling.
Wine-tasting tickets are $15 for five tastings tickets and a commemorative wine glass; $2 for one additional tasting ticket (must purchase souvenir wine glass before buying additional tasting tickets), and $5 for a souvenir wine glass.
Craft biergarten tasting tickets are $15 for a commemorative beer glass and four tastings, and $2 for an additional single tasting. Must purchase a souvenir beer glass before purchasing additional tasting tickets.
The biergarten features four different Texas breweries each offering two varieties for sampling. The New Braunfels Downtown Association’s Craft Biergarten will be located at Seekatz Opera House during the festival.
Participating wineries
Dry Comal Creek Vineyards
Water 2 Wine
Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards
Red 55
Longshot Wine
Texas Mead Works
Dionisio Winery
Copper Star Cellars
Becker Vineyards
Duchman
Fall Creek
Fiesta Vineyards
Llano Estacado
McPherson Cellars
Messina Hof
Participating breweries
Karbach Brewing Company
Bell’s Brewery
Twisted X Brewery
Altstadt Brewing Company
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company
Seguin Brewing Company
Freetail Brewing Company
Uncle Billy’s Brewery
Guadalupe Brewery Company
Pedernales Brewing Company
Boerne Brewing
Entertainment
Prepare to enjoy a full day of non-stop live entertainment on multiple stages culminating with a street dance featuring Uncle Lucius.
Schedule
Hill Street Stage
2:00-3:00pm All Mixed Up
5:30-7:00pm Jason Eady
Main Plaza Stage
12:00-1:30pm Biohazard Brass Band
3:30-5:00pm The Peterson Brothers
7:30-10:00pm Uncle Lucius – Street Dance
Chef Showdown
Showdown pits six amateur competitors against each other in two heats (two chefs per heat.) Each team is asked to prepare a dish using a gas grill to cook mystery ingredients in twenty minutes. Teams have access to a common pantry to complete their meals. Dishes are judged on taste, creativity, presentation, wine pairing and performance under pressure.
Rules:
Applications must be received by April 21st, 2017. All chefs must not currently work in a professional kitchen. Teams must use every ingredient in the mystery basket. Chefs will be judged on the following criteria:
- Taste (15 points)
- Creativity (10 points)
- Dish Presentation (10 points)
- Wine Pairing (10 points)
- Performance Under Pressure (5 points)
- Cleanliness (5 points)
Format
A team is comprised of one chef and their chosen sous chef. The Chef Showdown will pit eight competitors against each other in two heats (four teams per heat). Winners from each heat will compete in the final Showdown.
Chefs will be given a mystery basket of ingredients (including wine) and access to a shared pantry. Chefs will have 20 minutes to prepare a dish complementing the mystery wine. Chefs will prepare dishes using a propane grill with a side burner. Chefs should bring their own pots, pans, bowls, knife, cutting board, tongs, spatula and towel.
