Real Estate Photographer in New Braunfels, TX

It’s time (cue Mariah Carey’s "All I want for Christmas"). Spooky season has passed, and in New Braunfels, a town famous for its German festivals and celebrations like Wurstfest, a different winter tradition with twinkling lights and steaming cups of cider is just around the corner.

Downtown New Braunfels will soon warm up for Wassailfest, celebrating its 33rd anniversary with spiced cider, festive lights, live music and a holiday atmosphere that turns historic streets into a winter wonderland.

"The purpose is to bring the community together, to create these shared memories, to connect them with their fellow residents, connect them with the community and give them an opportunity to create family memories," said Jenna Vinson, New Braunfels’ director of communications and community engagement.

Wassailfest began in 1992 as a holiday open house for downtown merchants and has since grown into a major community-wide celebration that officially kicks off the Christmas season. The festival is named after wassail, a traditional German beverage whose name originates from a seasonal greeting meaning "be in good health." Warm and spiced, the drink has been a centerpiece of holiday celebrations for generations, and sampling the many local variations is a highlight for visitors.

Originally intended to bring residents and visitors to downtown New Braunfels, the festival has expanded over the years to include live music, school choir performances, food vendors and wassail tastings, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

" It continues to grow," Vinson said. "It continues to be a local favorite for those people who have, um, lived here for a long time. And then also for people who maybe just moved here, they get to come and check out downtown."

During Wassailfest the city's historic streets are decorated with lights and decorations, creating a winter wonderland atmosphere that also highlight's New Braunfels' German heritage and delights all ages with music, shopping specials, food vendors and, of course, plenty of wassail. Attendees can enjoy live performances, sample warm spiced cider from local businesses and nonprofits, browse extended-hours holiday shopping and explore streets filled with lights, decorations and festive cheer.

"It's such a nostalgic event, but it's in a place that just holds so much. It's truly like the heartbeat of our town," New Braunfels Downtown Association President Clarisa DeSanto explains to MySA. "It's almost like our Hallmark movie moment. One night of the year we turned downtown into this just magical Christmas hallmark moment place, celebrating the holiday season is a community."

Beyond its winter charm, Wassailfest serves as a community reunion and a kickoff to the holiday season, drawing residents and visitors together in celebration of New Braunfels’ German heritage and festive spirit.

Wassailfest runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on December 4 at Main Plaza in New Braunfels.

Find it: 500 Main Plaza, New Braunfels, TX 78130

Nicholas Hernandez is a digital reporter for MySA. Previously, he worked as an associate producer for NJ PBS’s nightly newscast. His bylines have appeared in Eater, the Bronx Times, AMNY, NJ Spotlight News and Bleu Magazine. A graduate of Seton Hall University, he also holds a master’s degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

New Braunfels, TX — October 2, 2025, two people were injured in a car accident at about 11:15 p.m. on Interstate 35/Monarch Highway.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2018 Kia Forte and a 2018 Jeep Compass collided while heading north near the Guadalupe River Turnaround, causing one of them to hit the median barrier.

The Jeep driver, a 19-year-old woman, and a backseat passenger, a 19-year-old man, were seriously injured in the crash, according to the report. The other two passengers were not hurt.

The two men in the Kia suffered minor injuries, the report states.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Comal County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

In the wake of any major collision, especially those involving serious injuries, it's natural to wonder not just what happened, but whether everything that should be examined actually was. Too often, attention stays fixed on surface-level facts, while critical questions that could reshape the understanding of the crash go unasked.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? A collision involving multiple occupants, serious injuries and a highway barrier strike deserves more than a standard scene review. Was the crash site laser-mapped? Did investigators attempt a full reconstruction to determine each vehicle’s movements before impact? At that hour, fatigue or distraction could have played a role. Was any effort made to trace the drivers' activities leading up to the crash? Not all crash units have the same training or tools, and if deeper analysis wasn’t pursued, important nuances might have been missed.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? Two vehicles of the same model year collided, and one then hit a median. That invites questions about whether something went wrong inside either car before impact. Could there have been a brake failure, steering malfunction or even a stuck accelerator? When injuries are this serious, a thorough mechanical inspection of both vehicles is essential, especially if the crash dynamics don’t add up just from driver actions alone.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Today’s vehicles carry a wealth of information about what happened in the moments before a crash. Speed, braking and steering data can help confirm or contradict driver accounts. Was any of this retrieved? With multiple occupants, it’s also worth asking if phone activity was checked, and whether traffic or dash cameras captured anything helpful. These tools can clarify driver behavior and even identify distraction or lack of control in the seconds before impact.

Without pressing these kinds of questions, a crash like this risks being boxed into a simple narrative. But real understanding comes from looking deeper, especially when lives are upended and the causes aren't immediately obvious.

Key Takeaways:

The hottest barbecue rivalry in Texas is about to get a whole lot hotter. With construction underway for a "barbecue restaurant" at the former Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant in New Braunfels, locals have been speculating what is taking over the vacant site. Now, the mystery is solved.

Terry Black’s Barbecue, the famous Central Texas chain with locations in Austin, Dallas, Waco, Fort Worth and Lockhart, has confirmed plans to open its first New Braunfels smokehouse at the former Los Cucos space.

"New Braunfels is one of the premier small cities in the state," co-owner Mark Black explains to MySA. "It’s an area we wanted to be, and we love what they’ve got going on there. We’re excited to open in that market."

What makes this so steamy is, once open, Terry Black's will on the same street as Black's Barbecue, the legendary smokehouse that Terry Black's splintered from amid a family feud over a decade ago. The former Los Cucos at 1310 E. Common Street is only a three-minute walk east of the Black's Barbecue at 936 TX-337 Loop.

The Black family has been in the pit business since 1932, when Edgar Black Sr. opened the original Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart. In 2013, a falling-out split the family, with Terry Black and his twin sons, Mike and Mark, parting ways with Terry’s brother, Kent Black.

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The trio went on to launch Terry Black’s Barbecue in Austin the next year, a move that led to lawsuits, dueling signs and what became known as the "family beef." When asked about the family history, Mark Black added no further comment, saying "the whole story’s been told," but he emphasized his excitement about expanding to New Braunfels.

"Barbecue-obsessed city, that’s one of the reasons we wanted to be there," Mark said. "There’s a lot of barbecue, that’s where people go for it. We’re really excited."

Crews are currently renovating the building, as the upcoming site prepares to welcome another chapter of Central Texas barbecue to New Braunfels. There is no official timeline for opening as construction continues, the restaurant confirmed. Locals and fans of Terry Black’s will have to wait to see how the newest smokehouse will fit into the city’s already crowded barbecue scene.

Find it: 1310 E. Common St., New Braunfels, TX 78130

It’s been over three months since New Braunfels launched its downtown paid parking program in early July and residents remain divided. Some praise efforts to ease congestion, while others say it drives locals away from the heart of downtown.

Discussions about downtown parking in New Braunfels stretch back more than 80 years, to the founding of the Downtown Merchants Association in 1967, whose earliest goals included tackling the city’s long-standing parking challenge. The debate resurfaced during a packed City Council special session on Monday, October 20, where officials shared early data, takeaways and recommendations from the first three months of the program.

City staff and representatives from Interstate Parking reported more than 54,000 parking sessions since July. The system runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., chosen for simplicity and better monitoring of trends, though several residents, including council member Mary Ann Labowski, have called for changes to hours and days of enforcement.

Program findings show measurable patterns in downtown parking. Drivers stayed for an average of 2.3 hours, with nearly half taking advantage of the first free hour. About 31% of visits lasted two hours, while longer stays of three hours or more represented a small share. Despite early skepticism, the city reported a 93% compliance rate, attributed to social media campaigns, newsletters and clear signage. The program has generated approximately $80,000 in net revenue, earmarked for downtown improvements including lighting, infrastructure, public safety and enhancements to the visitor experience.

Earlier reports from the City of New Braunfels in July suggested 1,490 citations had been issued and $18,840 collected in citation fees, with total revenue of $30,012 at the end of the month. However, updated data presented at Monday’s City Council meeting shows that of 58,257 parking sessions since early July, only 565 resulted in citations, while 3,402 (5.84%) were courtesy notices, a notable difference from the initial numbers.

The City of New Braunfels explained to MySA that the original figure included all courtesy notices and citations across downtown. The updated numbers separate the two types of notices and distinguish between the downtown and river districts, providing a clearer picture of the downtown paid parking program.

Reaction among residents and business owners has been mixed. Some, like Jennifer Wilson of The Mess Around and two other local businesses, say the program has improved parking turnover and made it easier for patrons to enjoy downtown.

"I’ve noticed a tremendous increase in turnover of those parking spaces and people being able to come and enjoy their time at our restaurant," Wilson said. "I think it’s an extremely reasonable fee, and I’m highly in favor of managed parking."

Chip Lyons, owner of the Tavern on Castell, said sales have dropped about 35%, citing fewer local visitors rather than summer flooding. He also expressed concern for staff, particularly female employees walking several blocks after dark.

"We don’t need young girls, 20 years old, walking three or four blocks at night," Lyons told council members. "If we’re going to do downtown parking, you’ve got to get a shuttle."

Terri Jennings with the Downtown Antique Mall in New Braunfels, said older customers struggled with the QR code system, including an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran who spent $100 and still received a ticket, vowing never to return.

Some residents renewed calls for a downtown parking garage, but a 2023 study found a 400-space structure could leave the city facing nearly $1 million in annual debt costs, making shared agreements with private lots a more viable alternative. David Ozuna of the New Braunfels Hispanic Business Alliance said he was initially opposed to the program but found it surprisingly convenient.

"It can be improved a little bit, but overall, I think it’s working," Ozuna said, noting the first free hour and app convenience, while suggesting flexibility for residents and people with disabilities.

Officials plan to release the next program update in February, after analyzing off-season data from the months following the busy summer of river tourism.

The countdown has begun in this historic Texas German town. For 10 days, New Braunfels will be filled with sausage, music and some of the best "wurst" times around as the 64th annual Wurstfest kicks off, a beloved celebration of German heritage through food, music, dancing and beer. And for one local favorite, the celebration runs deeper than tradition.

New Braunfels Smokehouse has been serving Wurstfest crowds since the festival’s very first year in 1961, and serving locals long before that. Founded in 1945, the Smokehouse has become a cornerstone of the community and a must-stop booth at the annual festival.

"We were here from day one and we’re still there today," Vice President & General Manager of New Braunfels Smokehouse Joshua Klein tells MySA. "Obviously the event has grown, and with the growth of the event, so has our booth."

When a fire destroyed the food court at the festival in 2019, longtime vendors lost their booths and equipment. But after Wurstfest returned in 2021, New Braunfels Smokehouse came back stronger than ever with the largest booth footprint on the grounds, complete with a built-in cooler designed to handle pallets of sausage.

The booth’s most famous item, the Wurstkabob, remains the star: a sampler skewer stacked with five sausages — original, cheddar, bratwurst, jalapeño and apple wurst — finished with a bread roll "to soak up the grease and maybe some of the beer," Klein laughed.

Other crowd favorites include smoked turkey legs, pork ribs, ham hocks, sauerkraut and the Smokehouse’s beloved bread pudding. After a brief hiatus, New Braunfels Smokehouse also brought back its pigs in a blanket, a festival classic.

Behind the scenes, the operation runs like clockwork. Preparation begins in early September, when Research and Development Manager of New Braunfels Smokehouse Christine Binz starts recruiting leaders and building production schedules.

"It’s a 24-hour-a-day operation for those 10 days, pretty much," Binz said. "We have about 15 to 20 people working a shift, registers, runners, kitchen, and on the nights and weekends that's when the most crowds come."

While the booth might look effortless, the hardest part, Binz said, is coordinating hundreds of hours of labor.

"The schedule for working those 10 days is the most challenging thing to come up with, and honestly, it takes the longest to do," she said. "The most rewarding part is getting through the 10 days as seamless as we can."

This year brings new challenges, including a nationwide turkey shortage that has driven prices up and forced the Smokehouse to swap its popular turkey jerky for a new Wagyu ghost pepper jerky.

"We just can’t get enough turkey to produce it," Klein said. "But the Wagyu jerky eats really well and has great flavor. It’s something different for our guests this year."

Even with price hikes and supply strain, Wurstfest remains a cornerstone for the Smokehouse, both financially and as a source of community pride. The festival also comes at a special time. This year marks New Braunfels Smokehouse's 80th anniversary.

"It’s very humbling to work for a company that’s still family-owned, three generations deep, and 80 years old," Klein said.

Now, as the festival approaches, the New Braunfels Smokehouse team is in full prep mode. For the next week they’ll be cleaning the booth, stocking coolers, testing ovens and ensuring every detail is in place.

From dry goods to condiments, registers to signage, the team is dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s to make sure New Braunfels Smokehouse is ready to kick off another year of tradition and give a true taste of New Braunfels at Wurstfest.