Craft Shows in the Hill Country: 1st Stop.

So, this weeks post isn’t about sewing, but something just as fun. I wanted to share with you our little trip to Fredericksburg, Texas. Living in San Antonio, we are very close to many small towns, so it’s not a long trip that our two little ones can’t handle. Although, my six year old still manages to ask before we’ve even left the city, “Are we there yet?” (At least five times)

If you haven’t visited the Texas Hill County, you need to add it to your to-do list! It really is like no other. Plan on getting gas before you leave because you won’t find many places to fill up along the way. Take your time driving down I-10, you don’t want to miss the views!

Fredericksburg is a lovely, little town. It was founded in 1846 by German immigrants (source: your Texas History textbook 😁). The houses are so quaint and you’ll find many bed and breakfast and vacation cottages. Downtown is thriving with many shops, wine bars, biergarten’s (beer garden) and of course, German food!

Every third weekend of the month,  the town holds their craft show and trade days. It’s a three day event. I read up a little about it on their website before heading out there. http://www.fbgtradedays.com/

First of all, this place is huge! Be a little more prepared than I was, and wear walking shoes. Don’t try to look cute because your feet will hate you. When you first walk in, you’ll see the cutest cottages with shops inside. There are also many canopies with shops set up under the Texas sun. Keep walking and you’ll find more and more of these delightful cottages with shop owners smiling and greeting you. And then there are the barns. There are seven massive barns throughout the property. Each barn holds at least twenty craft booths.

We discovered lots of antiques, vintage toys, repurposed items and so many wonderfully hand crafted items made by some really creative Texans. You will literally find anything you’re looking for or didn’t know you were looking for.

And then there’s the food and beer! Yes, we drink a lot of beer in Texas (no shocker) and it is absolutely appropriate to drink a beer at a craft show. Take a seat at the picnic tables and enjoy the biergarten and sausage on a stick with lots of mustard. They are also apparently famous for their jalapeño creamed corn, which I promise to try next time we go out. And just when you thought this is the best craft show ever, there’s live music! This was really the only part my kids liked. They aren’t big on shopping antiques and fun finds.

The best thing I took away from this event was the people. Many booths had people just gathering to chat with one another. We had fun talking with shop owners and it makes you want to come back just for the atmosphere. This is first stop of a handful of craft shows we’ll be visiting, so please stay tuned for more! And more “Are we there yet?” From my son!