From Wine to Wildflowers: Spring 2023 Events in the Texas Hill Country
Spring just might be the best season in the Texas Hill Country.
Warm, sunny…and the wildflowers! Whole fields are painted blue and red as far as the eye can see. It’s magical.
It would be a shame to let wildflower season pass you by without making the trek to Fredericksburg, Johnson City, or Stonewall. So to entice you out to our neck of the woods, here are some of the most exciting events on the calendar this spring.
Cool Spring Sips in Texas Wine Country
Encore Winery Tour & Brunch
Kick off spring wine season with the Encore Winery Tour & Brunch on March 11th. This tour includes brunch at Besos Cocina & Cantina in Round Rock, round-trip transportation from Round Rock to Fredericksburg, visits to three vineyards, and samples of 15+ wines. Groups are welcome, so gather the crew and make a day of it.
Annual Spring Wine & Dine Showcase
Sample wines from Brennan Vineyards, McPherson Cellars, and Lost Oak Winery at this sip-and-sup event on March 12th. Each wine will be paired with a small bite from Vivere Catering. (We’re drooling over the Red Wine Glazed Pork Spareribs.) It all happens at the Texas Wine Collective’s warm industrial event center.
Hilmy Wine Dinner at Hill Country Herb Garden
Hill country wine calls for hill country scenery. Find it at Hill Country Herb Garden on March 24th, when the Herb Garden restaurant will be serving a custom menu and special wine parings from Hilmy Wines. Hilmy’s winemaker Michael Barton will be there to talk through the pairings and introduce new releases. Book a cottage at the Herb Garden overnight, and spend the next day relaxing at the onsite spa!
Wine & Wildflower Journey
It’s 26 days of Bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and Hill Country wine! The Wine & Wildflower Journey (March 27th - April 21st) includes a digital Passport Book to let you discover over 40 wineries. Get free tastings at up to four wineries per day and soak up the beautiful blooms as you travel from destination to destination.
Texas Wine Auction
On April 29th, head to Vista Oaks Event Center for the 2nd Annual Texas Wine Auction. Bid on bottles at silent and live wine auctions. Then sample dishes by Texas chefs, each paired with a local winery partner. Guests can vote for their favorites—although with this much talent in one place, it may be hard to choose.
Planning Your Trip: Turn your visit to Texas Wine Country into a weekend getaway. Get recommendations for unique hotels, historic B&Bs, and luxurious vacation rentals from The Vind!
Feast Your Way Through Spring
“Dream a Little Dream” Farm to Table Experience
Inspired by the dream of spring, this fantastic lunch on March 11th will put your head in the clouds. Five courses highlight the fresh flavors of the season, with wine pairings for each from Diamond Vineyards. Plus, you’ll get to tour three different sites at the vineyard.
Mud Dauber Chili Cookoff
Clear your schedule for March 18th, because there’s chili to taste (and mud daubers to welcome back to Luckenbach). Get a chili tasting kit and go booth to booth, sampling the best efforts of amateurs and professionals alike. And if you have a chili recipe you’re particularly proud of, why not go for the gold—a $500 cash prize?
Wine & Wildflowers Vintners Dinner
Mark your calendar for the annual Wine & Wildflowers Vintners Dinner at Pedernales Cellars on April 1st. Details are still to come, but last year’s dinner was a triumph, with five fantastic courses and a blend of current vintage and reserve wines. Sitting in the shade of the oaks on the patio, you’ll be able to look out over the fields while you dine.
Fredericksburg High School Culinary Arts and Hospitality Program Benefit Dinner
On April 13th, the talented culinary and hospitality students of Fredericksburg High School will treat you to a 5-course farm-to-table dinner. This special event will take place at Swallows Eve, a beautiful barn event venue. Expect a menu chock-full of local ingredients, plus wine and spirit pairings from the Texas Hill Country. All proceeds go to the school’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Program!
Fredericksburg and Johnson City VFD Annual Fish Fries
Food always tastes a bit better when it’s for a good cause. At the Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department’s Annual Fish Fry on April 15th OR the Johnson City VFD Fish Fry on April 22nd, your donation will get you a hot-fried fish dinner with all the fixings. There will also be auctions and raffles to raise funds for firefighting equipment and protective gear.
Get Outdoors—Before It Gets Hot!
Enchanted Rock’s 45th Birthday Celebration
Happy birthday, Enchanted Rock! Celebrate the 45th birthday of this unique state natural area on March 2nd with guided hikes and a star-viewing party after dark. Plus nature journaling activities and a skull and skin table to teach you about the area's wildlife. (The park may be 45, but the rock itself is closer to 1.1 billion years old. She’s aging beautifully.)
Scallywompus Wanderlust Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k Race
Lace up your running shoes for a race through the hills on March 25th. Starting in the Marketplatz downtown, Wanderlust Half Marathon runners will get to take in country views while they run, finishing up back downtown for food and beer!
Wildflower Celebration
The Wildseed Farms Wildflower Celebration from April 2nd-17th showcases the farm’s many wildflower fields. Get a glass of wine from their tasting room and watch the butterflies flit from bloom to bloom!
Fredericksburg Summer Farmers Market
On Thursdays between April 6th and August 16th, farmers from around the Hill Country share their goods at the Fredericksburg Summer Farmers Market. Get local meat and produce, baked goods, and wines from area vineyards while enjoying live music
Music, Comedy, Art, and More!
Southern Boss Comedy Show
Comedian Jerry Wayne Longmire will be at The Station on 290 on March 25th, with his own brand of good-old-boy southern comedy. This will be a “clean” show for ages 16 and up!
Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical
The Fredericksburg Theater Company will be producing Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical from March 3rd through 5th. This biographical musical based on the life of beloved singer Rosemary Clooney features some of the most famous songs from her 50-year career.
Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular
Oooh and aaah your way through a performance by the Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular at the Rockbox Theater on March 4th. Warning: just watching these feats of bending and contortion may have you running to your chiropractor.
Redbud Artisan Market
Browse the handmade crafts and creations of over 40 Texas creators at the Redbud Artisan Market on March 18th and 19th. The Fredericksburg Marketplatz will be awash in jewelry, paintings, stained glass, and pottery, all accompanied by live music.
Make one of these events the focal point of a weekend in Texas wine country. Complete your trip with visits to vineyards, great food, and a stay in a charming hotel or B&B with The Vind pocket concierge!
Make Memories at These Family-Friendly Events
Touch-a-Truck
Get kids up close and personal with fire trucks, garbage trucks, bulldozers, loaders, and more at Touch-a-Truck on March 23rd. There will be hot dogs and hamburgers for purchase, plus free ice cream from Clear River. Trucks + hot dogs + ice cream = kids living their best lives.
Easter at the Farm
Celebrate a traditional German farmstead Easter at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm at LBJ State Park. On April 8th, families can dye eggs with homemade dyes, weave grass baskets, and see the traditional Osterlamm—a cake made to look like a sweet lil lamb.
Pioneer Museum Easter Egg Hunt
The annual Pioneer Museum Easter Egg Hunt sets off on April 8th! Don’t be late…eggs go fast. Once the kids have filled their baskets, they can enjoy a snack and take photos with the Easter Bunny.
We Can’t Wait to See You in the Hill Country This Spring!
Build out your entire spring trip with The Vind! Start with a pre-set weekend itinerary based on what you’re looking for—wine tasting with the girls, a couple’s retreat, a family getaway, and more. Then customize your trip with the special spring events of your choice!
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