Hill Country Events Update: September Through the Holidays
I went through the event calendars again this week across every community I serve in the Hill Country, and a fresh batch of fall and holiday events has appeared that I think you will want to know about. Several of these have been confirmed since our last update, and I have added a few that I wanted to make sure did not slip through the cracks.
This update brings in ten events across Canyon Lake, Wimberley, New Braunfels, San Marcos, and San Antonio. Many of them are brand new to the site — the Wimberley Arts Fest, the SMTX Pride Festival in San Marcos, Muertos Fest at Hemisfair in San Antonio, the Wimberley Trail of Lights, the Canyon Lake Yacht Club Parade of Lights, and the Canyon Lake Noon Lions Christmas Parade. Others like Wimberley Market Days, Rocktoberfest, the Gruene Music & Wine Festival, and Wurstfest are annual favorites that I want to make sure are on your radar with their 2026 dates confirmed.
As always, fall and the holidays in the Hill Country are something special. The weather turns mild, the trees shift color along the river corridors, and every community seems to have its own way of celebrating the season. If you have been following our earlier event guides, this edition focuses on what is coming up between now and the end of the year with events that have not appeared in those earlier posts. I recommend checking official event pages before you head out, since dates and times can shift.
Wimberley Market Days
Central Texas' largest outdoor market runs the first Saturday of every month, rain or shine, with over 450 vendors selling antiques, artisan crafts, home decor, clothing, jewelry, and fresh local produce. Live music fills the grounds, and the BBQ booth run by the Wimberley Lions Club serves some of the best brisket sandwiches you will find anywhere. September through December are the best months to go — the weather is milder, the crowds are enthusiastic, and the holiday vendors start appearing in November. If you are new to Wimberley or just visiting, Market Days is the perfect introduction to the community. Admission is free.
More DetailsRocktoberfest — Canyon Lake
The Canyon Lake Junior Women's Club hosts this annual celebration at Holiday Harbor Park featuring live music, craft beer tastings from local breweries, food vendors, and community fun with a lake view. Admission is free. Beer tasting tickets are sold separately. This is one of those Canyon Lake events that captures everything great about lake living — live music under the oaks, neighbors catching up on the grass, boats tied up at the dock, and a cool breeze off the water. October afternoons on Canyon Lake are hard to beat.
More DetailsGruene Music & Wine Festival — New Braunfels
The 39th annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival presented by Gruene Hall and KNBT 92.1 FM. Four days of live music across multiple stages in the historic Gruene district, plus Texas wine tastings, food vendors, and the kind of Hill Country atmosphere that keeps people coming back year after year. Gruene Hall's lineup around this festival is stacked — Robert Earl Keen plays October 8, and Shane Smith & the Saints play October 9. With the Guadalupe River running through town and the historic dance hall at the center of it all, this weekend is one of the best on the New Braunfels calendar.
More DetailsWimberley Arts Fest
National artists showcase fine art for sale in the beautiful Hill Country setting of Wimberley. Paintings, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and live music throughout the weekend. The Wimberley Arts Fest draws serious collectors and casual browsers alike, and October is the perfect time to wander through an outdoor gallery under live oaks. Wimberley has long been an artist community, and events like this remind you why. Free admission.
More DetailsSMTX Pride Festival — San Marcos
San Marcos celebrates its annual Pride Festival at Plaza Park with live music, vendors, food, and community organizations. San Marcos is a vibrant college town with a welcoming spirit, and the Pride Festival is one of its most joyful events of the year. September is still warm in San Marcos, but the plaza has plenty of shade from the old oaks, and the river is right there if you want to cool off afterward.
More DetailsMuertos Fest — San Antonio
San Antonio's largest Día de los Muertos celebration, free to attend, at Hemisfair. Features the city's largest open altar exhibition, the Muertos Mercado with artisan vendors, live music across five stages, traditional dance performances, poetry readings, and hands-on activities for kids. The Day of the Dead River Parade on October 23 — where decorated barges float down the River Walk with mariachis and candlelight — is a spectacle you will not forget. October evenings in San Antonio are warm and golden, and this festival captures the city's cultural soul.
More DetailsWimberley Trail of Lights at EmilyAnn Theatre
A free walking trail through approximately eight acres of lighted exhibits at the EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens. This is the theatre's largest fundraiser of the year, with holiday lights, whimsical displays, and the beautiful Hill Country setting making it a Wimberley Christmas tradition. Donations are accepted and appreciated. Wimberley nights in December are cool and clear, and the trail of lights winding through the gardens is pure holiday magic. If you are considering a move to Wimberley, come see what the community does for the holidays.
More DetailsWurstfest — New Braunfels
New Braunfels' biggest event of the year — ten days of Bavarian-style celebration honoring German heritage with authentic food (sausage, sauerkraut, strudel), beer, live music, carnival rides, and the kind of Gemütlichkeit (good cheer) that has made Wurstfest a Texas tradition since 1961. This year's entertainment lineup includes national acts and local favorites across multiple stages. The grounds are right next to Landa Park and the Comal River, so the setting is beautiful even when the festivities are at their liveliest. This is the kind of event that makes the Hill Country unique — where German heritage, Texas hospitality, and river-town charm all come together. Wurstfest draws visitors from across the country, and for good reason.
More DetailsCanyon Lake Noon Lions Christmas Parade
A beloved Canyon Lake tradition — the 48th annual parade along FM 2673 in Sattler. Antique cars, marching bands, the Alzafar Shriners, horses, community floats, and Santa and Mrs. Claus riding at the end. This is small-town Texas at its most charming. December mornings in Canyon Lake are crisp and clear, and the community lines the route with coffee cups in hand. If you are new to Canyon Lake or considering a move, this parade is a wonderful window into the heart of the community.
More DetailsCanyon Lake Yacht Club Parade of Lights
The 43rd annual Canyon Lake Yacht Club Parade of Lights. Festively decorated boats cruise from Eastport through the East Bay and under the boat tunnel, their lights reflecting off the dark lake water as dusk settles over the hills. This is the signature Canyon Lake holiday spectacle, and it draws residents from all around the lake. Bundle up, bring a thermos of hot chocolate, and find a spot along the shore. December evenings on Canyon Lake can be chilly, but the sight of a flotilla of lights gliding across the water is worth the layers. This is why people love lake living during the holidays.
More DetailsMaking the Most of Fall and the Holidays in the Hill Country
A few things I have learned from a career in Central Texas that might help you plan the next few months:
- September is the sweet spot. The summer crowds thin out after Labor Day, the weather starts to cool, and the Hill Country feels like it takes a deep breath. Wimberley Market Days, Rocktoberfest on Canyon Lake, and the SMTX Pride Festival in San Marcos all happen in this window. It is also the best time to explore communities you are considering moving to — the pace is relaxed, locals are out, and you get a real feel for daily life.
- October is packed. The Gruene Music & Wine Festival, Wimberley Arts Fest, and Muertos Fest in San Antonio all happen within a few weeks of each other. If you only have one weekend to spend in the Hill Country this fall, pick the one that fits your personality most — live music in Gruene, fine art in Wimberley, or cultural celebration in San Antonio. You really cannot go wrong.
- Wurstfest is a Hill Country institution. Ten days of German heritage, live music, and sausage in New Braunfels starting November 6. If you have never been, this is the year to go. If you have been before, you already know why people come back. The grounds are right on the Comal River, and the festive atmosphere is unlike anything else in Texas.
- Holiday traditions in the Hill Country are special. The Canyon Lake Noon Lions Christmas Parade, the Yacht Club Parade of Lights, and the Wimberley Trail of Lights at EmilyAnn Theatre are all events that bring communities together in a way that feels genuine. December nights on Canyon Lake, with decorated boats gliding through the dark water, are pure magic. If you are thinking about a move to the Hill Country, the holiday season is a wonderful time to visit and see what the community spirit is really about.
- Wimberley Market Days is a year-round tradition with holiday flair. The November and December markets are especially wonderful — holiday vendors, festive decorations, and the smell of roasted pecans and BBQ filling the air. It is the kind of event that makes you glad you chose the Hill Country.
- Use events to explore a community you are considering. If you are thinking about a move to Canyon Lake, Wimberley, New Braunfels, San Marcos, San Antonio, or anywhere in the Hill Country, attending a local event tells you more than any website can. You see how people interact, what they value, and whether the pace fits your lifestyle.
“The Hill Country during fall and the holidays is about as good as it gets anywhere. Cool mornings, warm afternoons, community parades, boat parades of lights on the lake, art festivals under live oaks, and ten days of sausage and polka in New Braunfels. Whether you have lived here your whole life or you are thinking about making the move, now is the time to get out and enjoy it.”
Steve Giannone
If you want help finding the right community — or you are curious about what daily life looks like in Canyon Lake, Wimberley, New Braunfels, San Marcos, San Antonio, Austin, or anywhere in the Hill Country — I am always happy to talk. Years here have taught me that the best real estate decisions start with the right local knowledge.
Thinking about a move to the Hill Country? Let us talk.