Austin, Texas, is the perfect destination for a fall escape. Here you’ll encounter great weather, a seemingly endless amount of fun activities, and plenty of world class events in which to participate.
If you're a foodie, Austin is a can't-miss location. It’s a melting pot of cultures which is reflected in the city's selection of eateries. Franklin BBQ is a local favorite that sits near the top of Zagat’s list of Austin's Best Restaurants. You may need to wait in line for a while because of Franklin’s popularity, but it's worth it. You’ll instantly fall in love with the slow smoked brisket, pork, and chicken. Uchi is a Japanese inspired restaurant that embraces a western influence. The entrees were created by visionary chef Tyson Cole and feature fresh seafood flown in from Japan daily. The sushi is to die for and the pairings with sake and side dishes are unmatched. You’ll have no issue finding unique eateries in Austin; the biggest problem is choosing which one to visit during your stay.
Barton Springs Pool is the ideal location to soak up the Texas sunshine, located within the beautiful expanse of Zilker Park and right near the heart of Austin. The park is a major draw for tourists and locals, with over 800,000 people visiting annually. Barton Springs Pool covers three acres and is fed by an underground hot spring, leaving the pool temperature at about 70℉ and making it perfect for swimming throughout the year. Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World” and about a mile from Zilker Park you’ll find world famous 6th Street. The street is lined with bars and clubs that feature a variety of established and up-and-coming music acts. 6th Street plays host to a variety of large scale events such as South by Southwest and is a popular destination year round.
Events and festivals in Austin draw people to the city from all around the planet. AustOberfest is returning for its fourth year, with a special event celebrating the 150th anniversary of Scholz Garten (host location of the event). This is a unique celebration of German heritage, that features authentic German food, entertainment, beer, and more. It’s an all ages event, but you need to be over 21 to drink alcohol. With a paid entry you get to eat unlimited German style sausage, sample German beers in your complementary collectable glass, try a variety of great BBQ, and the perks go on. Give your next fall getaway a German flare and stop by AustOberfest for an experience you won't forget. We got the opportunity to speak to Reagan Meyers, representative for the festival, to talk about this unique celebration.
RAL: How long has the event been running?
RM: AustOberfest has been running for the last four years, but the Austin Saengerrunde has hosted an Oktoberfest for the past 137 years!
RAL: How many annual participants do you draw?
RM: We draw about 2,000 people to the event. Since this year is a specialty celebration of Scholz’s 150th Anniversary, we are limiting tickets to 1,000.
RAL: What is the typical demographic makeup of the event? Children? Families? Couples?
RM: Recently, it seems like anyone who owns a dirndl or lederhosen attends. Since we offer free admission to children under 13 we get a good mix of families and couples.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
RM: The Austin Saengerrunde uses a word that is not found in the English language, “Gemutlichkeit”. It means a situation that induces a cheerful mood, peace of mind with connotation of belonging, and social acceptance, coziness and unhurried. Our mission is to spread that here in Austin. We live in a fast-paced city and the Saengerrunde teaches the value in preserving traditions, interpersonal connections and sense of community. We believe in the power of music, food, conversation and of course, bier. Attendees will experience it all! You might also walk away with a new Oma or Opa.
RAL: Take me through the activities of a day at the event.
RM: Our activities separate us from other Oktoberfests. We have 15 different sausage vendors from all around Central Texas, that come in and offer tastings to our guest. Our bowling alley is one of the oldest in Texas and we encourage everyone to knock down some pins. Bier tastings are offered and every participant gets their own stein and hat pin. There will also be hair braiding, face painting, and the best competitions stage in Austin! Our attendees can compete in stein holding, costume contests, yodeling competition, and even a David Hasselhoff lip-sync!
RAL: What can an attendee expect to find for local lodging?
RM: What is great about our venue is we are located right downtown. There is a great range of hotels within walking distance, from the Driskill to Hotel 6 we have the total package. Lots of our attendees are actually from out of town!
RAL: What does this event mean to the community?
RM: With Austin growing so quickly, it is imperative to preserve it’s history. The Austin Saengerrunde is a Texas-German club that for the past 137 years meets once a week to sing, drink and pass on their traditions to keep their unique Texas-German culture alive. Scholz Garten is the oldest operating business in Texas and one of the oldest bier garten’s in the United States, the Austin Saengerrunde owns the property. Lots of people know Scholz but not the people behind it. This event is the chance for the Saengerrunde to introduce itself to the city and share it’s history and culture.
RAL: Why should people come to your event?
RM: We like to say, put your wallet away and just enjoy the day. You can’t do that many different places. On our ticketing page we ask how people found our event, we have found that a majority of people have come the last four years! That says something to the quality of the event. We cater to the foodies who want to try all of Central Texas best sausage. The family folks who just want to let their kids run. The bachelor and bachelorette parties that want to have some good beer and dance the chicken dance. Most importantly we are celebrating Texas-German culture and respect the preservation of one of Oldest Bier Gartens in the United States.
For more information about AustOberfest, please visit their website.
Photography Credit: LowKey Photo