The Texas Hill Country is gearing up for the second annual Das Festival of Kendall, which serves as a major celebration of the region’s German heritage, and it’s set to take over Boerne’s Main Street Plaza from Friday, June 13 to and Sunday, June 15.
Here’s what to know about the festival:
Though only in its second year, the nonprofit festival has managed to pull off a slate of meaningful feats by returning an event back on Main Street after the beloved Boerne Berges Fest shuttered during the pandemic. In the event’s first year, organizers pulled off the event in just six weeks and had a well-attended event.
Burges was known for bringing German celebrations to the area for decades after it was founded in 1967. This year’s Das Festival of Kendall will mark a German-heritage parade’s return.
Veronica Brown, a festival board member and owner of Boerne’s Salvador Dobbs bar, told MySA that organizers are hoping to draw a crowd between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors this weekend.
There will be a Dachshund Beauty Pageant and Race, obviously.
You can also expect to see one of the world’s oldest continuing German bands performing at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Boerne Village Band was started in 1860 by a German immigrant settler, and you can still catch the players crooning in downtown Boerne throughout the year. You can also expect to see yodeling, sack races, wheelbarrow races, watermelon eating contests and egg-tosses and a stein-holding contest.
The Boerne Gazebo will transform into a bar, with cold beer and plenty of drinks up for grabs. Tejano singer Patsy Torres will headline the 9 p.m. show on Friday night. Expect plenty of live music, food and good vibes.
The nonprofit donates its proceeds to charity. This year’s profits will go toward Boerne Blaze Special Olympics, Private Bruno Phillip Veterans of Foreign War Post 688, Heartland Children’s Home and Comfort Table & Food Pantry.
The three-day festival is free, but you can purchase $50 VIP parade seating tickets online. Visit the festival’s website for more information.
