New Braunfels Kicks Off the Holidays Twice. Here's How the Two Weekends Fit Together.

The City of New Braunfels calls the Downtown Lighting on Main Plaza "the official kickoff of the holiday season." The City also says Wassailfest "kicks off the holiday season." Both statements are accurate. In 2026 the two events fall 13 days apart, on Friday, November 20 and Thursday, December 3, and each one sits at the center of a full weekend.

The two weekends work differently. The first is built around the Sophienburg Museum & Archives' biggest fundraiser, so most of its schedule is ticketed. The second weekend has free admission throughout. If you plan November and December around that difference, you'll know where you need a ticket and where you can just show up.

Wurstfest goes first, running November 6 through 15 at Landa Park. The holiday season starts the following weekend.

The Season at a Glance

Weekend One Runs on a Museum's Calendar

Weihnachtsmarkt runs November 20 through 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, at the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center, 375 S. Castell Ave. Admission is $15. According to the Sophienburg Museum & Archives, all proceeds support museum operations and educational programming, and the market is the museum's biggest fundraiser of the year.

The market began in 1988. In its first year it used only the ballroom half of the Civic Center, and it has grown since. The museum calls it a German-style Christmas market "with a Texas Twist," with German collectibles and ornaments, decorations, gifts, apparel and antiques from retail merchants and artisans.

Because it's a fundraiser, the weekend comes with a set of ticketed events that a regular shopping market wouldn't have. Here's the schedule by day:

1. Thursday, November 19, 6–9 p.m.: The Gala at the New Braunfels Convention & Civic Center. It includes early shopping with more than 60 artisans and vendors, dinner, a full bar, live music from the Dirty River Boys, and entry to the market Friday through Sunday. The listed attire is "business casual, holiday chic."
2. Friday, November 20, 9–10:30 a.m.: The Brunch, a catered meal with a preview of holiday fashions from market vendors.
3. Friday, November 20, 1–3 p.m.: Kaffeeklatsch, or "coffee chatter." It's a hands-on floral design class using butterscotch poms and chrysanthemums. Your ticket includes materials, coffee, a sweet treat and a Market Day pass. The class is recommended for ages 16 and up.
4. Saturday, November 21, 9–10:30 a.m.: Breakfast with Santa, with breakfast, arts and crafts, and photos with Santa. One ticket covers one seated child and one standing adult. Any additional adult needs a $15 market ticket.
5. Saturday, November 21, afternoon: Mahjong open play hosted by Serving Up Mahjong of New Braunfels, with raffle prizes for wins. Players need to know American Mahjong already. The museum's page gives two different end times, so check the time when you buy a ticket.
6. Sunday, November 22, 1–3 p.m.: Holiday Tea, a full English afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones with jam, desserts and loose-leaf tea.

The museum's page lists prices for the $15 market ticket only. For the cost of the special events, check the Weihnachtsmarkt ticket page.

Friday Is the Day the Two Kickoffs Overlap

On Friday, November 20, the museum's market and the City's lighting share the same date. Weihnachtsmarkt closes at 5 p.m., and the Downtown Lighting & Santa's Arrival starts on Main Plaza at 6 p.m. That makes one easy Friday plan: shop at the Civic Center in the afternoon, then go to Main Plaza for the lighting. The Kaffeeklatsch ticket fits this plan well, since the class ends at 3 p.m. and the included Market Day pass lets you shop before or after it.

The lighting is free. The City describes it as thousands of lights switching on across downtown as Santa arrives. Here's what to plan around:

• Shopping: The Holiday Haus Vendor Market is small and tabletop-style, and the City gave priority to vendors selling holiday-themed treats and gifts.
• Food: The City says the event has no food trucks or street vendors, so plan dinner around it.
• Santa photos: Santa is available for free photos you take yourself in front of a backdrop made for the event, so bring a phone or camera.
• Parking: A free shuttle runs 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. It picks up at City Hall, 550 Landa Street, and drops off on West Mill Street.

Santa makes two appearances that weekend. On Friday night he arrives on Main Plaza with free do-it-yourself photos. On Saturday morning he's back at the Civic Center for the ticketed Breakfast with Santa. Families who want the free photo can go Friday. Families who want breakfast and crafts too can choose Saturday.

Gruene Keeps Its Usual Weekend

Old Gruene Market Days happens every month except January, on the third full weekend from February through November. In 2026 that falls on November 21 and 22, the same days as Weihnachtsmarkt. The market has run for more than 30 years. It features nearly 100 artisans selling handmade goods and packaged Texas foods in front of Gruene Coffee Haus, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

That means New Braunfels has two large craft markets running the weekend before Thanksgiving. Weihnachtsmarkt charges admission and focuses on German ornaments, collectibles and antiques. Gruene's market is free and focuses on handmade goods and Texas foods. A shopper can visit both in one Saturday, since the two markets are open the same hours.

Weekend Two Is Free

The second kickoff comes on Thursday, December 3, from 6 to 9 p.m., back on Main Plaza. The City describes Wassailfest as an annual downtown tradition with free wassail tastings, festive lights and music from local school choirs. Local businesses, nonprofits and organizations each serve their own recipes. The City lists the cost as free.

Downtown New Braunfels describes wassail as a traditional German holiday drink made from a warm spiced apple base with cranberry juice, orange juice and other spices. It comes "leaded" with alcohol or "unleaded" without. The same listing says details on getting the official Wassailfest mug are still to come. Follow that page if the mug matters to you. The City still lists the tastings as free.

Two days later, Gruene hosts its December edition. In December, Market Days moves to the first weekend of the month. Gruene Christmas Market Days runs Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with nearly 100 vendors selling Christmas gifts, handmade items and packaged Texas foods. Admission is free. Gruene's market office is reachable at (830) 832-1721.

So the second weekend runs Thursday night through Sunday afternoon without any admission charge. The first weekend asks for a $15 market ticket, and that money goes to the museum. The second weekend relies on businesses and nonprofits pouring wassail and on Gruene's monthly market, which doesn't charge admission any time of year.

Putting the Dates on One Calendar

For a household that wants all of it, here's the order:

• Thursday, Nov. 19: Weihnachtsmarkt Gala, ticketed, evening
• Friday, Nov. 20: Weihnachtsmarkt opens at 10 a.m. Downtown Lighting at 6 p.m., free
• Saturday–Sunday, Nov. 21–22: Weihnachtsmarkt and Old Gruene Market Days, both 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 3: Wassailfest, 6–9 p.m., free
• Saturday–Sunday, Dec. 5–6: Gruene Christmas Market Days, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., free

Both weekends start on a weeknight evening on Main Plaza. Both end with a Sunday market that closes at 5 p.m.

If you have family coming in for one of these weekends and want ideas for where to eat, park or spend the hours between events, Ashley Lomas is glad to help you plan.