NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas. Sausage gave Wurstfest its start. When the festival returns November 6–15, that food tradition will share the grounds with an expanded German wine selection, local cheeses, live music, and family activities.
The 65th annual celebration takes place at Landa Park along the Comal River. For a festival that began as a one-day sausage gathering, this year’s program shows how German-inspired food traditions have become part of a distinctly New Braunfels event.
Food remains central, but so does the community behind the booths. More than 25 local nonprofit organizations will participate by selling food, drinks, and other goods, according to organizers.
Sausage at the Center, With New Offerings Alongside It
Wurstfest began in 1961 as a one-day sausage festival organized by local veterinarian and city meat inspector Ed Grist.
That beginning still shapes the celebration. This year’s program includes Wurstmachen, or sausage-making, giving visitors a chance to learn about a craft connected to generations of local families.
This year’s announced additions include an expanded German wine selection at the Weingarten near the mill pond in the historic Hydroplant area. Local cheese shop Otto’s is scheduled to serve cheeses for pairing with the wine.
Those additions bring another angle to a food story usually associated with sausage. They also show why it is useful to distinguish the festival’s German roots from its broader identity as a Texas community gathering.
Visitors should check individual vendors’ menus rather than expect every booth to serve the same dishes or follow the same culinary traditions.
The Community Behind the Food Booths
At Wurstfest, food sales also serve as fundraising opportunities for participating nonprofit organizations.
Community groups help shape what visitors find across the grounds while raising money for their organizations. Their involvement connects the festival’s food offerings to the city’s year-round community life.
The Wurstfest Association identifies preserving local German heritage and promoting the area’s economy through tourism as part of its mission.
For a food-focused visit, the booths offer more than a menu. They also introduce some of the organizations taking part in the annual gathering.
Five Stages of Music and Festival Traditions
Organizers advertise more than 40 bands performing over 250 sets across five stages.
Announced performers include Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, accordionist Alex Meixner, and Die Schlauberger. The program also includes polka and waltz contests, yodeling, and a state stein-holding championship.
Opening day begins at 4 p.m. Friday, November 6. The opening ceremonies, including the traditional “biting of the sausage,” are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Wursthalle.
Visitors planning around a particular performer should check the current entertainment schedule. With multiple stages, a meal and a performance may require a little coordination, especially during the shorter weekday evenings.
Family Activities Beyond the Music
Families can explore amusement rides, artisan shopping, and Kinderhalle, the festival’s designated children’s area.
Children ages 12 and younger receive free admission every day. Food, purchases, and activities carrying separate charges are not included simply because entry is free.
The program also includes a Veterans Day salute on Wednesday, November 11.
For households with different interests, the range of activities lets you pair food with music or children’s entertainment instead of building the entire visit around one performance.
Admission Prices and Festival Hours
The official Wurstfest ticket page lists free admission Monday through Thursday, November 9–12. Friday and Sunday admission costs $15 online or $20 at the gate, while Saturday admission costs $25 online or $30 at the gate. Children ages 12 and younger enter free throughout the festival. Admission also becomes free after 3 p.m. on the final Sunday, November 15.
The festival opens from 4–11 p.m. on Friday, November 6, and from 5–11 p.m. on Friday, November 13. Both Saturdays, November 7 and 14, run from 11 a.m. to midnight, while both Sundays, November 8 and 15, run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hours are 5–10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, November 9–11, and 5–11 p.m. Thursday, November 12.
Admission and bar purchases are cashless. That policy does not establish a single payment rule for every independent vendor. Visitors buying online tickets should download them before arriving.
Getting to the Grounds
Parking near the festival grounds is limited.
A park-and-ride option at the Comal County Fairgrounds costs $10 for visitors ages 13 and older, according to Community Impact. The publication identifies the Landa Park Pavilion on Mill Race Run, accessible through Gate 2, as the rideshare pickup location.
Check current transportation instructions before you leave, especially when arranging a pickup or traveling with a group.
Familiar Food or Something New?
Wurstfest’s food story begins with sausage, but this year’s announced offerings extend to wine, cheese, and opportunities to learn about sausage-making.
That leaves visitors with a familiar food-festival decision: return to something they already enjoy or make room for something different.
When you visit a food festival, do you head for an old favorite or try something new?
