Once a year, history buffs from across Texas Hill Country and far beyond gather for a unique, educational, and family-friendly 19th-century heritage festival in the heart of New Braunfels. The annual New Braunfels Folk Fest gives locals and tourists alike a taste of what it was like to be a 19th-century New Braunfelser through a series of reenactments, live demonstrations, hands-on activities, and musical performances. We highly recommend visiting this engrossing two-day mid-April festival in-between lazy Comal River float trips, cave excursions, and winery tours. Start and finish each day at New Braunfels Escapes, home to the largest collection of riverfront New Braunfels rentals, all of which are within minutes of the annual Folk Fest at Heritage Village.
Heritage Village / Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture
The Heritage Society of New Braunfels hosts Folk Fest on the grounds of Heritage Village, home to the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture. Heritage Village, as you might expect, is popular for school field trips and large groups of tourists. The village is home to a cabinet shop, fully-furnished 1840s log cabin, and a limestone and log kitchen. Admission to this year’s festival is only $5 for adults, $2 for children, and free for children six and under or active duty military and their families. All proceeds benefit preserving Heritage Village and its ongoing projects. The festival is also free if you come dressed in a 19th-century-period costume!
The Festivities
This year’s Folk Fest will feature a seemingly neverending array of live entertainment, including music, dancing, demonstrations, and early Texas reenactments by Buffalo Soldiers, Confederate Veterans, and Revolutionary War officers. There will also be German-inspired food, German ales, sausage stuffing, candlemaking, woodworking, quilt making, and so much more! All hands-on activities are kid-friendly, educational, and provide a greater appreciation of our roots. This year we welcome back chuckwagon champion Donnie Demoin, who will demonstrate how cowboys were fed on the trail nearly 200 years ago. You’ll also be able to play nine-pin bowling, carve through logs with a crosscut saw, and embark on a free museum tour.
Private Riverfront New Braunfels Rentals
The annual Folk Fest is the perfect mid-day activity in-between Comal River floats and tours of the Natural Bridge Caverns. Heritage Village is a short drive from all of our affordable waterfront New Braunfels rentals, the area’s most popular attractions, and the best local restaurants. Watch a gorgeous Canyon Lake sunset at Blue Diamond Retreat, enjoy convenient direct river access at Camp Warnecke, or stroll along the Guadalupe River with your favorite four-legged friend near the dog-friendly Good Life. Browse through our extensive list of New Braunfels vacation rentals by visiting us online at NewBraunfelsEscapes.com, or give us a call today at 1-830-632-5455 to get matched up with a home or condo that perfectly suits your family’s size, style, and budget.