One of the best ways to learn about Texas food and wine is to immerse oneself in it. That is one of the goals of the annual Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest, celebrating its 2nd Annual 25th Anniversary Saturday, October 22, 2016. Culinary tourism continues to grow in popularity, and our fest offers a great “one-stop” experience. The Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest features the best of Texas wines, food, and entertainment. Texas Specialty booths and Texas wineries vie for attention from discriminating gourmets and oenophiles, as well as novice “foodies”. All fest activities are located on Fredericksburg’s beautiful downtown MarktPlatz (Market Square).
Twenty-seven Texas wineries will be on hand pouring over 100 types of wine. Guests will also have an opportunity to visit with some of the wine makers. Join us are Barons Creek Vineyards, Becker Vineyards, Bell Mountain Vineyards, Chisholm Trail Winery, Fall Creek Vineyards, Fawncrest Vineyard, Fiesta Winery, Flat Creek Estate, Fredericksburg Winery, Georgetown Winery, Grape Creek Vineyard, Haak Vineyards, Inwood Estates Vineyards, Llano Estacado, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards, Lost Draw Cellars, McPherson Cellars, Messina Hof Winery, Pleasant Hill Winery, Rohan Meadery, Singing Water Vineyards, Sister Creek Vineyards, Texas Hills Vineyards, Texas Mead Works, Thirsty Mule Winery , Val Verde Winery and Wedding Oak Winery.
We also will have a selection of Texas beers from Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner), Pedernales Brewing Company (Fredericksburg), St. Arnold’s Brewery (Houston) and Real Ale Brewing (Blanco).
A variety of Texas made products will be available for sampling and purchase as well. Look for lavender products, salsas, jams and jellies, pasta, candies, seasonings, nuts, cheese, olive oils, beef and lamb, items made from used wine barrels and hand-painted glasses, among many other great selections.
Our ever-popular Grape Expectations Cooking School starts Saturday at noon, showcasing four Texas chefs. The Texas chefs participating are Retail Manager/Chef Leo Aguirre, Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods; Chef/Owner Ross Burtwell, Cabernet Grill; Executive Chef Jesse Frost, Navajo Grill; and Pastry Chef Lois Rodriguez, Austin. Seating is limited to the first 150 persons. Cost is $25 per person for all four sessions. Plus admission into the Fest.
A new feature this year added especially for the 25th Anniversary is Twenty Five at Five. Guests will have an opportunity to meet the Chef. Our featured Chef is Josh Raymer, owner of Joju Bakery in Fredericksburg. Raymer will prepare three dishes, each paired with wine, for guests to sample. Raymer will take you through the steps and share the recipes. Cost is $25 per person for all four sessions. Plus admission into the Fest.
The 2nd Annual 25h Anniversary poster art is by local artist John Austin Hanna, who will be at the Fest to sign posters. The original artwork will be one of the items offered in the silent auction. As a 20-year illustrator in New York and Dallas, Hanna has been published in several magazines. He has also done work for several large corporations such as Mercedes, Volkswagen, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin, Borden’s, Pearl Beer, Coors Beer, and others.
Despite his successes as an illustrator, Hanna believes his career really took off once he traded in the “big city skylines” for the rock houses, livestock, landscape and old barns of Fredericksburg, Texas. “My years in New York and Dallas as an illustrator were great, but I wasn’t really following my heart,” explains Hanna. “Throughout my childhood in Beaumont, I was always drawing and dreaming of becoming a ‘real’ artist. I finally decided that I had to pursue that dream”.
Hanna’s paintings are strong in dramatic light and rich in color. His paintings embrace a variety of subjects from landscapes, still life and portraits, set anywhere from the Texas Gulf Coast to quaint country homes on the back roads of Missouri. Some of his paintings portray the big picture, some zero in on a walked-over piece of life.
Lively entertainment will include music by great Texas artists Mau Mau Chaplains, the Frank Gomez Band, El Tule and Josh Dodds.
Organizers are also planning three Special Events to enhance the experience of this year’s fest. These special events have limited seating, tickets are on sale now.
Please call for tickets for Thursday at Messina Hof Hill Country Go! Texan dinner, food will be prepared by August E’s; Friday’s Celebration of Texas Wine & Food at Wildseed Farms with food by Cartewheels Catering and music by John Arthur Martinez; and the Saturday Patron Party on Marktplatz catered by Delicious Details.
The Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest opens at noon Saturday and continues until 7:00 p.m. General admission is $25 for adults, $5 for those under 21, and free for children under 12. The $25 admission includes one souvenir fest glass, 6 sampling tickets (which can be used for three 2 oz. sample pours or one glass of wine), and Texas specialty booths, Texas wineries, a silent auction, entertainment, food court and the Great Gargantuan Grape Toss.
Sponsors of the 2nd Annual 25th Anniversary of the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest include the City of Fredericksburg, Security State Bank & Trust, Opa’s Smoked Meats, Fischer & Wieser, Atmos Energy, and HEB.
More information on the event, and advance ticket purchase, is available by contacting the Fest Office at 830-997-8515, or by visiting www.fbgfoodandwinefest.com. Proceeds from the Fest go toward the continued upkeep of Marktplatz (Market Square).
