Top Festivals & Events in Fredericksburg, TX

From lunchtime (often earlier!) through closing you’ll find live music every day in Fredericksburg, Texas! From the bustling outdoor patios on Main Street to Main Stage in Luckenbach, music lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding good food, a cold brew or fine wine, and world-class live music in Fredericksburg.

The art scene in Fredericksburg is thriving! Fredericksburg’s top fine art galleries are open late until 8pm on the first Friday of each month for art lovers to view a unique collection of fine arts, crafts and sculptures by award-winning Texas artists, and enjoy fine wine and food from Texas Hill Country.

Every Thursday evening (5PM to 7PM) from April 21 through August 18 you can shop to your heart’s content, sip local wines, sample Hill Country flavors and relax with live music at the Fredericksburg Farmers Market on West Main Street. Featuring fresh produce from farmers, ranchers, orchards and wineries around the Texas Hill Country, our local Fredericksburg farmers market is a treat not to be missed. 

With over 400 annual events, it’s impossible to mention them all. There’s always something happening at the wineries along the 290 Wine Trail (and beyond!) – from grape stomp festivals to vintner events. With over 100 wineries and tasting rooms in Fredericksburg, you’re sure to find an event during your stay. 

On the third weekend of each month, Fredericksburg Trade Days rolls into town with seven barns and acres of shopping! Trade Days features over 350 vendors with everything from antiques and collectibles to clothing and jewelry, and a vibey biergarten with live music to rest your feet! Located across from Wildseed Farms, it’s a fun stop while you’re exploring the lavender fields, peach orchards and wineries in Texas Hill Country.

Some of the best blues artists in Texas make their way to the Luckenbach Blues Festival to perform for locals and visiting tourists. One of Fredericksburg’s favorite annual events, the festival features an all-day line up of outstanding blues on the Outdoor Main Stage in Luckenbach, the legendary music mecca of Texas.

A unique cultural experience awaits at the Hill Country Indian Artifact Show featuring some of the most unique Native American artifacts from Texas and other US states. From authentic Texas arrowheads to Native American beads and books, lovers of the arts, history and culture will find one of a kind treasures and unique historical artifacts at the Hill Country Indian Artifact Show in Fredericksburg, TX.

Pack your patriotic clothing and flags and come join us for an all American, small-town Independence Day celebration. The Fredericksburg Fourth of July Parade started in 1991 and shows the true spirit of the Fredericksburg community. The celebrations begin at 10AM with a parade east on Main Street to the National Museum of Pacific War, then along Bowie Street, followed by a kiddie parade at Marktplatz. The day ends with a fantastic 4th of July fireworks display at Lady Bird Johnson Park.

A Night in Old Fredericksburg is a weekend of old-fashioned Texas Hill Country fun, celebrating our rich heritage and German roots. It’s a great family-friendly event with pari-mutuel horse racing, a Lone Star Barbecue Society BBQ and CASI Chili Cook-Off, live country music and dancing.

The Hill Country Swap Meet is another favorite Fredericksburg event for car lovers! Lady Bird Johnson Park is packed with hundreds of vendors in the flea market, a big collection of classic and antique cars, and a Car Corral with vintage autos for sale.

Fredericksburg has four weekends of pari-mutuel horse racing in the summer months (rain or shine!) at the Fairgrounds’ Class 3 Racetrack. Bring your lawn chairs, place a wager on your favorite quarter horse or thoroughbred, and join other racing enthusiasts for a fun day at the races in Fredericksburg, TX.

The Gillespie County Fair is the oldest, continuous county fair in Texas! The four day event promises good, old-fashioned fun for the whole family with horse racing, livestock and tractor shows, a carnival midway, live bands and good old country dancing. You WILL see your neighbors entering their pies, quilts, and pumpkins hoping for a blue ribbon!

Harper is a small Texas Hill Country town, 23 miles east of Fredericksburg. Step back in time at the Harper Frontier Days & Rodeo for an afternoon of pond fishing with the kids, washer pitching, 42 domino tournaments, and a Picker’s Circle with live music. End the day with a meet and greet with cowboy legend and world champion bull rider Donny Gray, followed by a BBQ dinner, rodeo and country dance.

The Lone Star Gourd Festival is a nationwide competition where artists from across the US compete in a gourd art competition – the ancient art of skillfully transforming dried gourds into fine works of art. The festival features over 50 exhibits, vendor booths, and creative activities including an Imagination Station with gourd art classes and carving or wood burning classes on the patio.

The Fredericksburg Oktoberfest is THE best Oktoberfest outside of Munich! Our German roots shine bright through this three day festival, the largest festival in Fredericksburg drawing visitors from across the globe! It’s an authentic German experience with waltz & yodel contests, five stages with constant live entertainment, oompah bands and Hauptstrasse chicken dancing. There’s a great Kinderpark for the kids and enough German eats and hoppy beverages to feast all weekend.

The Texas Mesquite Art Festival features the world’s largest collection of original mesquite art skillfully sculpted by the world’s finest mesquite craftsmen. Over the years, the festival has grown into one of the top events in Fredericksburg showcasing everything from fine furniture and hand-crafted musical instruments to mesquite pens, pencils and Christmas tree ornaments.

Staying in the spirit of Oktoberfest, the Knights of Columbus Bestfest is an annual charitable event at Marktplatz in Fredericksburg. Bring the whole family for a day of all you can eat specialty German sausage, Texas & German craft beer, fun activities for the kids, and live polka country music and dancing, all day!

The Hill Country Indian Artifact Show is back in town!

The Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest is an annual celebration of the world-class artisans, food, wine and beer in the Texas Hill Country. Food & Wine Fest features tasting tables with the best Texas made wines from award-winning wineries on the 290 Wine Trail, a beer tent with all Texas craft beer, and food booths featuring some of the top chefs in Texas. Special events include a Texan dinner at Messina Hof, a Celebration of Texas Food & Wine at Becker Vineyards, a Patron Brunch at Marktplatz and an exceptional day of food and wine pairing at Grape Expectations Cooking School.

The Peddler Show is a unique marketplace that has been traveling through Texas cities since 1977! Each show features a fresh and new collection of artisans, craftsmen, jewelers, and clothing boutiques with one of a kind collectables and treasures found only at the Fredericksburg Peddler Show. It’s a must for art lovers and creatives. 

Our guests come to Fredericksburg just to see the Christmas lights! Over Christmas time, known as Weihnachtszeit in Fredericksburg, our small town comes alive with festive cheer and night skies illuminated with twinkling Christmas lights. Join the locals every evening at Marktplatz for a 10-minute audio presentation of Fredericksburg German heritage, holiday carols, and a countdown to the nightly lighting of the Fredericksburg Christmas lights and 26-foot traditional German Christmas Pyramid.

Fredericksburg’s Light the Night Christmas Parade will get the whole family in the holiday spirit! The parade features over 100 brightly lit and colorful entries rolling down Main Street, Washington Street and Edison Street. Reserve your seating on the bleachers or bring your blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets for a festive night out on the town in Fredericksburg. From 8PM your kids can get their annual Santa pic with Mr. & Mrs. Claus in the Peppermint Platz area at Marktplatz.

The Fredericksburg Historic District features over 700 historic homes dating back to the 1800s, many which are beautifully lit during the festive season. The Holiday Candlelight Tour of Homes offers small group tours or self-guided walking tours of select historic Fredericksburg homes each year, or indulge with a Cocktail party tour ticket for a home tour and cocktail party at the historic Woolen Mill.

Fredericksburg is a family-friendly destination and our New Year’s Eve celebrations cater to the whole family! Let the countdown to 2023 begin at two free events in Marktplatz on Main Street – 4PM to 6PM is geared for the little ones with arts and crafts, face painting, and a ball drop in the square. The main event begins at 9PM with live music and dancing through to the grand finale, the midnight ball drop at Marktplatz.