Wurstfest is one of my favorite events of the year. We always get a big group to go down on Sat. evening and drink/eat into the night. A few years ago we figured out the best idea ever to actually get a room down there so no one has to drive etc. We've stayed at the Schlitterbahn resort the past 2 years and I can't recommend it enough. They have a shuttle that takes you to the festival grounds, what , no worries of DWI's or parking issues, I'm totally in! So typically we try to seek out a table near a tent so we can enjoy the music and have a place to sit for the night. It seems like we take turns (as folks have to go to the bathroom) going to get beers and food for the table. Oh and speaking of bathrooms this place has got lots of them and they aren't porta potties! Yay! If you're looking for something healthy or veggie to eat, good luck. If you want to splurge and have a variety of great tastes that aren't at all good for you, you're in luck. The atmosphere is also so fun, everyone just seems so happy and who wouldn't be with goofy hats/clothes, polka music, beer and food everywhere! read more

I recommend getting there early to avoid long lines. We arrived at 11am, paid $5 to park a quarter mile a way, and didn't have to wait in line to enter or for drink tickets. The kartoffelpuffer stand in the Marketplace is the best food. Around 11:30, I waited about 10 minutes in line, but when I walked by later the line was about 4 times as long. I wish they had more crafts and they should probably prepare to accommodate a large crowd for next year. It was getting very crowded when we left and the photos I saw from later in the night showed extraordinary lines. I will go next year, but will arrive early and park myself in a beer hall with a pitcher. read more

I agree, you gotta do Wurstfest at least once, if not every year. So fun! If you like beer and brats and oompah band music, this festival is really, really fun and benefits a lot of good causes. I highly recommend it for the whole family, and especially if you have out of state visitors. It's not cheap, so bring $$$. read more

Wurstfest's Salute to Sausage! A white Fiesta! You gotta do Wurstfest once, if not once a year. Don't drink Bud Light, dumkopf! It's Wurstfest! Try the Warsteiner Dunkel. Drink beer! Eat some kraut and a sausage sampler! And fried pickles! (but sadly, NIOSA's German tent has a better bratwurst....and Warsteiner Dunkel on tap....tho not by the pitcher :) read more

I can say this is the one sausage party I don't mind attending. Now for all you who intend on coming here to get "authentic" German food and learn about German culture should not attend after sundown and not on Friday, & Saturday. Let's face it folks, those days are for the advanced drinkers and chicken dance professionals. Nonetheless, if you live in the vicinity of this fine town you should attend Wurstfest at least once in your life. Also, go with a group of people is recommended. I'm in love with the fact, they offer Warsteiner Dunkel, Paulaner, and of couse Shiner. As Krys T. pointed out bring more money than any other festival you attended or take out a second mortgage. The beer is what drains your funds, the food is about average for fests. I recommend the sauerkrat balls, these little deep fried treasures are quite tasty dipped into Dusseldorf style mustard. So between all the sausage and kraut balls there's plenty of sweets and other trinkets to empty your wallet. Enjoy the polka music and yodels and if your lucky you can score a table in the grand hall, they have heating if it gets chilly. Prost! read more

Wurstfest - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

I had heart about Wurstfest for years and finally got around to going this year. First good thing: we got there at around 4:00 on a Sunday, and no one charged us admission? I don't know if this is the usual case, but it was super. The food was good, the beer sold out quick, and everyone was super nice. There are a LOT of children. Like waaaaaaay more kids than I thought there would be. If you're looking for a sloppy beer adventure, I do not think this is it. If you want a fun filled family outing (and cheap too since I think kids get in free) -- this is your jam. All in all, it was a good time, but I don't think we'll be back again unless we have kiddos in our party. read more

Second year going to Wurstfest, and it never disappoints. The sausage, potato pancakes, and beer are always delicious and there is such a wide variety of food choices. There's also a good selection of both import and domestic beers; however I'm not much a beer drinker. The fun doesn't stop at the food, the live music gets you up onto the dance floor to polka. It was so much colder this year, but that didn't stop us from going! We can never resist our small trip from San Marcos to New Braunfels when it comes to Wurstfest. It's a good time to socialize, volunteer, meet new people, or just have fun! I used to live Germany for quite a while, and this festival definitely makes me feel like I'm back there. read more

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Wurstfest is a fun party with what was probably once a German theme but has now branched out into so many other things it's not fair to call it just an Octoberfest in November. They get great oompa bands from all over the world (for lack of really knowing what to call this kind of band) and the music is all over the place, but you can always pick out the polka and other traditional sounds. Heard this year: "Live is Life" by Opus," "What's Up" by Four Non-Blondes, and "Run Runaway" by Slade, plus lots of things sung in German. Go figure. There's a huge area for German food (and again, other unrelated stuff) but the potato pancake line is always the longest (but they are the best thing to get). The beer lines are insane and it's something like $17 for a pitcher, so if you imbibe it'll cost you (except late at night when people are sharing like crazy). It's really great to party with all age ranges and types of folks, just out to have a good time, with most wearing silly hats and doing the Chicken dance with strangers. A good time. Oh and traffic and parking are insane. Just know that and accept it, and you'll be OK. The line to get in will be huge if you go after dark, but it moves fast. Consider going over early to get your hand stamped, then come back later. Or just stay the whole time. Good for kids if you go early. I wouldn't recommend keeping them there late. read more

I am not religious but if God kissed you with a mouth full of beer and charged you 200 dollars for it that would be Wurstfest.... I know it's pricey but if you have the cash wurstfest is the worth it if go on opening night admission is free and if you a hot chick in dirndl dress it's free to drink at my table just kidding (not kidding) They have fun rides and really good food the potato pancake is the best..... Now hit the Atm put on your lederhosen and get with it read more

Wurstfest - Festivals Near Me - New Braunfels, Texas

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I am sad to report that I was not as pleased with my experience at Wurstfest as I had planned to be. Now the beer choices were great with a few German drafts and an entire trailer devoted to local craft beers. Each of these GOOD beers were $7 a cup or $28 for a pitcher. I wanted to try several different ones so I got the cups. For those that care the American add-junk lagers were $6 and $20. Lots of music from different venues across the park. Lots of food to tempt the taste buds but that's where things begin to deteriorate. The food vendors are primarily located in the Marktplatz and that is where you will find 75% of the people at Wurstfest. Everyone is in one place! It SUCKED. I was fortunate for a while because I got there on Friday, the opening day, around 5:15 pm and it was still navigable. I could walk right up to most vendors and get what I wanted unless I wanted a potato pancake. That vender in the center of the Marktplatz had a line on both sides of the booth that I was not willing to stand in for 30 minutes. But the entire complexion of the experience changed after about 90 minutes. By then thousands more people had showed up and I could not even WALK through the Marktplatz anymore. To make this an event that I would want to visit again the organizers need to find a way to design the layout so that not all the vendors' lines go the same direction. Somehow spread them out or double the size of that building. read more

I have a fun time every time I go, great staff, great food, great beer, and great music. Might want to put a cap on number of people though. Parking is getting horrible, and it's getting so crowded that it's hard to even walk in some places. Maybe it should take place more than once a year now that it is getting so popular, even though half the people I see don't seem to care at all about the tradition that Wurstfest is all about. They just care about getting drunk and eating cotton candy. This isn't a theme park but that's the way it looks like it's heading. read more

Good food, great beer, over 30 types of beer. Not cheap, but always a great time with lots of live music, a variety of types of music from polka to swing. Come on a cold night and there won't be a crowd! read more

Had a blast at Wurstfest! This was our first time to go and we weren't disappointed. When you get there if you already have tickets go to the left (there's a street and it takes you to a side gate). No one was there so we walked right in versus waiting 10 minutes in line. The side gate is by all the rides. We got drink tickets online and I think $60 worth. You turn them in for tickets when you get there the booth is by the rides. The craft beers are down by the river and we found our favorite Deep Eddy's Uber Octoberfest. Plenty of food places, just wish things were a ticket or two cheaper.... read more

Great time... lots of Beer, Jerky, Sauerkraut & Wurst Sausage links and live music

They could rename this to "disgustingly crowded fest". This festival was not my cup of tea. I went on the first Saturday night and It was literally packed to the gills, inside, outside, and every line for beer or food was at least a 20 minute wait. You could barely walk from one place to another, that's how crowded it was. The beer is extremely expensive, $29 for an imported pitcher. I get that festivals are expensive, but its hard to pony up 30 bucks for something I could have bought at the store for half the price. The selection of beer was good and they seemed to have a lot of food options, but finding a place to sit or moving anywhere within the festival was just horrible because of how many people there were. If you don't like crowds, skip this festival. Buy some German beers from Spec's, invite your friends over and cook bratwursts, save yourself the money and headache. We ran into some people that recommended coming early, at like 11AM when they open because it is much less crowded then, so that could be an option as well. For me, this just wasn't worth the hour drive from Austin. read more

I'm on the fence between awarding Wurstfest 3 or 4 stars. I'm going with 4 because, in all honesty, despite its downfalls, I have always thoroughly enjoyed my visits. You just need to know what to expect if you haven't been. So I write this as a sort of survival guide, ESPECIALLY to those with children. The way to ensure that you get the most fun and diversion out of your experience is to know what to expect and come prepared, mentally, monetarily, physically, etc. Tip 1.) Dress comfortably. Ladies, I know we all want to look good. But keep in mind when you're choosing your style for the day that you'll be surrounded by thousands of people, you'll be walking every where you go and you'll need to be nimble on your feet. On top of that, you'll most likely be parking a good distance from the gates, so don't wear heels. The first year I went, I had no idea what Wurstfest was (I even thought it was a street festival in downtown Austin a la Pecan Street Festival!) so I wore wedges and a dress. A cute dress you can get away with, I would never recommend wearing a heel. Dress comfortably chic. For the fall evening weather, you're golden in a light shirt, jeans and riding boots. You'll be warm in the dining hall and tented areas. Tip 2.) Bring cash and be prepared to wait in lines. The missing star in the review is due to what I consider one of the most bull-headed currency exchange arragements I've ever come across. You will stand in line for a good 20-30 minutes to get your ticket to enter... then you stand in a separate line to have your ticket torn and to enter. (Huh?) Then you will stand in line to exchange money for tickets at a ticket boot, then go stand in a separate line to exchange those tickets for beer. I understand it's likely a licensing and legal thing where they can't accept money for booze, so the cash exchange has to be for a ticket, instead. But this is going to get annoying. Luckily, the staff are well-versed and the lines move relatively quickly. But be prepared for this. Tip 3.) Designate a driver ESPECIALLY if you are coming in from out of town. Beer abounds here, it's a huge part of the festival and the day, and you'll drink more than you realize. Make sure you have a safe way home. Oh, and hang onto your pitchers and your cups. They're sturdy and nice collectables. Tip 4.) IF YOU BRING YOUR CHILD / CHILDREN, make sure you do it during the day. I went last weekend on a Saturday evening. I have an all terrain stroller which is perfect for these things, but we were swallowed by the crowd. The main thing to remember is that even though there's a carnival there, the majority of this crowd are beer-soaked adults who in no way yeild to your pram, or to a child, or give a damn that you may be overwhelmed and need to get through so that you don't have your leg peed on by a distressed three year old. Crowds don't care. Drunk crowds care less. I also almost got run over by a festival-worker on a garbage gator. He literally played chicken with me as the crowd would NOT let me move from side to side. I had to scream at him to stop as his front bumper drove up and touched the front wheel of my stroller with my daughter still in it. Crowds are hard to deal with... but this is also part of the point deduction. As a parent, just make sure you go during daylight hours and be prepared that navigating this with a child and a stroller is going to be a headache. I'm going back this coming weekend without the kid to get a different experience. Tip 5.) Eat. As I mentioned, you'll be drinking a lot most likely. Make your way to the Biergarten and then into the dance / dining hall pavillion to enjoy some time off your feet and some traditional phallic food. Everything is delicious, and you can't go wrong with publicly deep-throating a 12 inch sausage on a stick while cupping the bread-roll base. The food's pretty affordable and those booths accept cash. read more

Wurstfest = Life Win. First off, if anyone tells you about parking they obviously don't know how to 'fest. Get a huge group together and everyone throw in $50 to rent a party bus to take you down and back from wherever your initial destination is. Stock some coolers and a few party CDs and your Wurstfest is ready to begin before even entering the festival. Not having to worry about how you get home should be priority one. Now with that problem solved, proceed over to one of the many fine drink stands and order pitchers, anything else just makes you look like an amateur. Additionally, everyone deep down loves being the person walking around with a fat stack of pitchers and a shit eating grin on their face. They have face painting, which I didn't get because I'm not 4 years old. They have rides like a Ferris Wheel, which I didn't ride because I was afraid of getting caught in a situation of having to either vomit or pee and contrary to popular belief a confined space above a crowd of people is not an appropriate location to be making split second decisions. The music is awesome. The food is awesome. The dancers are gorgeous. Everyone is always smiling so its a great vibe all around. But remember, when the festival is closing you're going to want that party bus to make sure you get back alive (and dont forget about the extra beer in the coolers on the bus!). read more

Any place that serves fried oreo's gets 5 stars from me. Yum!

This was not an enjoyable experience at all! The parking was not free and extremely far away only to wait in line and pay to get in. Once we entered, we waited in another long line to buy drink tickets only to enter yet another long, slow line to try to buy a drink. It was super crowded and after about 30 minutes, we finally gave up, and sold our drink tickets at a discount to someone else's waiting! We asked for a refund on our entry fee and they refused. It was a huge waste of money and time! read more

Wurstfest was fabulous and the lone downfall is that it lasts only two weeks. My mistakes: arriving at 5:30pm and not spending an entire day here; also, forgetting to eat the delicious food! My joys: good, cheapish beer, plenty of seating space, plenty of fun! This review may also be tagged as short because I had so much fun I can't remember! read more

In San Antonio for business and heard about this festival so headed down. Had a great time and loved the food

Awesome event, lots of vendors, and a great overall experience. Tons of brats, beer, pretzels, music, and awesome folks having a great.

Polka bands, tejano music, Wurst - That's sausage to the some of you, and Beer, Beer, and more Beer. It's like an old time Oktoberfest only in November. Over the years this baby has grown from a small town bash to a national attention getteing event - 2006 Good Morning America will broacast from the grounds. It is held - rain or shine, and for Texans, we know that this time of year can bring anything from sunny - let's wear shorts an t-shirt to - dang - it's cold - where's my parka type weather. This puppy has been held even during record hail storms. A big warning to all -- The DPS, county sherrifs offices and local departments know some of us will have a drink of 2 or three at this king sized beer bash -- I-35 and all roads that lead to and from anywhere near the city will be blanketed by troopers during those 10 days - So make sure you have a designated driver. ( I was it one year ) Believe me when I tell you, you do Not - Not want to be on the road with one to many those nights ( well - I would prefer that no one be one over any night - get a Designated driver Please) If you like Oktoberfest you'll love it - if you don't - hey enjoy the Wurst and beer and wear earplugs to block out the Um Pa Pa music. P.S. 2006 schedule is posted on their web site Runs Nov. 3- 12th read more

You have to buy drink tickets for drinks. I bought $20 of them thought I could also use it for food, not so (although I have to be fair, there is a sign that says you pay cash for food), I don't get it, why invent a third kind of currency when you can only buy half of the stuff? At other events I went to (Oyster Bake off), you buy $20 tickets and you get to use it to buy drinks AND food. Well, here at Wurstfest, you can only get drinks. No problem, I thought at first, I'm sure I can drink it up. Well, plan changed, one of our friends is feeling sick so we have to go. And I still have $12 worth of the ticket left, since I'm the driver, I'm not going to spend the rest of the tickets on drinks, so I thought about get a refund of the tickets, but the line is a mile long, so I end up selling the tickets for $9. Now, $3 isn't a big deal, I'm just annoyed with the fact that I use CASH for those tickets and I can't use them for everything. At Oyster Bake off, I had 4 tickets left, so I decided to buy a turkey leg and took it home with me. Here, I don't think it is legal to buy a pitcher of beer and take it home. Anyways, $8 for admission (Under 12 is free), $20 for pitcher of domestic beer, $22 for a pitcher of import beer, $4 for a 16 oz beer. Tip: I parked at Frost Bank so it was free, other places charges $5~10 for parking. Cons: - Beer: Bud light and miller light are everywhere, Shiner are there too, I didn't find too many selection of German beer. - Food: Their sausage is ok, I think I had better at other BBQ joints (Smitty's sausage is awesome, just FYI) - Might not be family friendly IMHO. Tons of people smokes and curses. So if you have kids, this isn't the place for you. Here are the pros: - Girls dress up in German clothing, stocking and in high heels. - Did I mention Girls dressing up slutty? If you never been to an Oktoberfest or a fair, this is ok, as I said, food and beer selection are ok, I think I can get better beer and sausage at other restaurants. I would come back only if the Admission fee includes free lap dance from those "German" girls. read more

I heard a lot of good things about this festival, but was kind of disappointed when I got there. They have plenty of beer to drink there, good polka music and little shops around the place......but thats about it. Its really small and I got bored after an hour of walking around. Not much to do there but drink beer. read more

I went to my first Wurst Fest last night. It was a mistake to venture out for the first time on a Saturday night. The lines were insane. We spent $8 in admission to be squished and hot. That said, it was still fun to people- watch for crazy hats and lederhosen. We spent a while waiting in a really long line for tickets. We got $17 in tickets (one ticket equals one dollar... why do they bother?) for a pitcher of beer, and then waited in another crazy long line for beer. Then, food was payable in cash, in yet another line. Since it was Wurst Fest, I wasn't expecting many vegetarian options, but actually had a few things to choose from, and said non-meat options had nice short lines. So my one vegetarian friend and I quickly got nachos, while everyone else in our party battled more lines for food. Once we finally got all that settled, it took us another while to find a place to sit. We settled down on a low brick wall, taking turns sitting or standing on a slippery muddy hill. Once we got set up over at the brick wall though, things got pretty fun. We could talk, watch drunk people, and hang out. I don't know if it was worth $8 to hang out on a brick wall, but so be it. It was my fault for not wanting to fight more crowds to see the bands, rides, etc. At least I can now say I went to Wurst Fest. read more

Went to my first Wurstfest last year and ended up coming back for multiple nights. The food is authentic, if not incredibly unhealthy I'm sure -- and I loved the live bands that rocked the packed dance hall. I feel obligated to return this fall, if only to show off my silly hat one merchant talked me into purchasing. read more

First trip to this festival. Awesome selection of microbrews. In many cases you get to meet the head brewer. All the micro-brews were available for purchase with drink tickets. On tap was mostly the standard beers (bud light etc). I would guess most of the consumption of pitchers of beer was standard beer and not the craft beers. Great music: three bands kept thing lively. Overall a great afternoon! read more

Had a great time and plenty of great food..... not a big fan of beer, but from what I heard, it was really good. Entertainment was good and overall a good experience, expected a bit more, but by the size of the venue, it was really good and opted out of bringing children, but there were rides for kids, so maybe next year once my daughter is old enough to ride the rides. read more

German delight must gets are the rotary clubs potato pancakes with applesauce and add a link of sausage for an extra $2, best deal in the place. Also the New Braunfels Smoke house sampler on a stick is not to be missed. Good polka . Awesome beer, just lots of fun. read more

Loved it!! Good times, and just OK shopping. Had much beer and bought many beer coupons. Woke up this afternoon with 16 left. Anyone want to buy them? ? .75 cents a coupon . I'll meet you out front read more

Go during the day. It is very family friendly with rides and games for the kids. The variety of food is great. Also, the prices were reasonable all things considered. I will definitely come back next year with the family. read more

If you love beer, sausage, crazy hats, and German outfits, this is the place to go for a good time. I personally love the atmosphere and think it's a must event at least once a year. So grab a pitcher, bring some cash for the great wurst kabob and get ready to party, German style! read more

First time there. We have been in New Braunfels for 10 years. Personally, We couldn't see what all the hype was about. seems like it was just a reason to get together, drink beer, and have German sausage, which, by the way was not very good, tough casings. We decided it's over rated. Probably better eats at a fair! read more

Lots to do and fun things happening if you go on the right day. Don't wait till the last weekend, it's too packed and the event is not set up to accommodate a huge amount of people. The lines turn into crowds and it's almost impossible to get a drink. No where to sit, bathroom lines are wrapped around buildings. Miserable. read more

It was my first time and won't be my last. Good and tasty variety of foods. Plus beer, can't get any better than that.

I freakin love Wurstfest! I actually look forward to it more than any other festival or event each year. What's not to love about a festival devoted to beer and sausage?! Like everyone else I look forward to the bratwurst! I actually prefer the one served in the pita rather than a bun. Top it off with some saurkraut and spicy mustard and that is livin my friend! The beer is always cold and the crowd always fun! What kept me from giving it the fifth star was the price of beer. 17 dollars for a pitcher of domestic beer is crazy to me. But it is a festival and I understand why they price it that high. Doesn't mean I have to like it hahaha. 17 bucks a pitcher however is not enough to deter me from one of the best festivals South Texas has to offer if not the best! read more

Had a great time! With carnival rides, music and great food it's fun for the whole family. I particularly enjoyed the sausage from the Senior Citizen's Center booth and the fried pickles. I also had a funnel cake, but stood in line for 20 minutes only to be disappointed. My only gripe is that the import beer was a little on the pricier side. I mean, you have to pay to get in and then $6 for import beer and $4 for domestic. So go prepared to spend some money and definitely bring cash. The bars only accept drink tickets and the food stands accept cash. read more

The food is ehh the beer is good. Everyone is drunk and that about the gist of the whole thing. Nothing too original or exciting to see here. Worth 10 bucks to get in? Maybe but only once. read more

Family fun German style. If you're in to German beer and sausage or just beer then this is the place for you. It is family friendly with amusement park rides and games for the kids. Did I mention sausage? Get out there and wear your favorite goofy hat. Don't worry if you don't have one, there are vendors with what you need. read more