SAN ANTONIO — The "best 10 days in sausage history" are back in the Hill Country, the gates to Wurstfest having reopened to long lines and hungry crowds Friday afternoon.
New Braunfels' beloved sausage-eating, beer-drinking, dance hall-jamming festival runs Nov. 1-10 at the Wurstfest Grounds in Landa Park, about an hour's drive from San Antonio. Having started in 1961 for Texans to chow down on sausage dishes – what the festival calls "the most delectable of local foods" – it's since turned into a 10-day extravaganza attended by thousands looking to celebrate the community's German heritage.
Pro tip: Come hungry to support the organizations and businesses who benefit from the annual event.
Here's what to know before you head out to Landa Park for the 2024 edition of Wurstfest.
Hours
- Friday, Nov. 1: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 2: 11 a.m. to midnight
- Sunday, Nov. 3: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 4 - Thursday, Nov. 7: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Free admission)
- Friday, Nov. 8: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 9: 11 a.m. to midnight
- Sunday, Nov. 10: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Free admission after 3 p.m.)
Tickets
Friday, Oct. 31, marks the last day to take advantage of early admission prices. The good news is that tickets are only needed for the weekends, and children 12 years old and younger get in for free.
Early tickets to check out Wurstfest cost $18 for Friday/Sunday admission and $22.50 for Saturday. Come Nov. 1, however, those prices rise to $20 for Friday/Sunday and $25 for Saturday. Group ticketing is also available.
Those arriving after 3 p.m. on Nov. 10, the festival's last day, also can get in free. Buy your tickets here.
Remember: You are able to leave the Wurstfest grounds and return the same day you bought your ticket, but you'll need to have your hand stamped at the gate.
Keep your food at home
Outside food and drinks are prohibited on the Wurstfest Grounds. But don't fret: There are stands throughout the grounds to satisfy your cravings.
For the first time, you'll be able to buy your brew using tickets or credit cards. Cash still isn't accepted at the bars, but they are at food vendors.
What about entertainment?
It isn't just sausage and beer that made Wurstfest a premiere Hill Country party. It's also the music.
A whole host of musicians – from accordionist Chris Rybak and the Bavarian group Die Bayrischen Hiatamadln to polka groups like Yodel Blitz and The Ooompahs – will grace Wurstfest's stages. Find the full entertainment lineup here, and know when to get your dancing shoes laced up.
Plus, if you need an entertainment area for your little ones, Wurstfest is introducing a brand-new space for children in the Kinderhalle, next to the Wursthalle and carnival area.
Where can I park?
Lots are available near the Wurstfest Grounds. For those who don't want to hunt for prime parking, a Park and Ride option from the nearby Comal County Fairgrounds is also available for $10 per visitor 13 years of age and older. (Children 12 and under can ride free.)
And, a heads up: The westbound lanes of Landa Street from Landa Park Drive to Zink will be closed to accommodate the crowds filtering into the Wurstfest Grounds.
What can't I bring?
Among the items that'll get you turned away at Wurstfest's three gates are weapons, flammable items and fireworks, costume masks, outside food and drinks, balls or frisbees, drones, pets (except for trained service animals), balloons, chairs, and bicycles and skateboards. See the full list here.