Give Thanks in Gruene!

First and foremost, we want to say a big THANK YOU to our loyal fans, guests and customers who help us to make Gruene such a special place. We couldn't, and wouldn't, do it without you! 

Although most businesses in Gruene Historic District give their hardworking employees time to be with families on Thanksgiving, there are plenty of ways to come celebrate and give thanks during the week of Thanksgiving! 

Wednesday, November 27th - - Come out to the Hall with the family to do a little dancin' the night before Thanksgiving. Aaron Watson will be strummin' some killer tunes, and quite a few shops are open late. Don't forget to pick up your Jack Daniels Pecan Pie at the Gristmill...don't worry, we won't tell 'em it's not homemade! 

Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28th - - While most businesses are closed, there is still fun to be had in Gruene with the Comal Cops for Kids Gruene Turkey Trot. Sign up and registration begins at 6:30am, 5K Run/Walk begins at 8:30am and the 1/4 Mile Kids Turkey Chase begins at 10am. Fun for the whole family!!! 

Friday, November 29th - - Gruene is back in action so skip the crowds and come spend Black Friday with us!! Shop local, and while you're at it, snap a shot with Cowboy Kringle who will be in town from 10am - 5pm for pictures with the kids, pets or the whole family. Enjoy live music during the day at The Grapevine and Gruene Hall, then stick around for Bob Schneider at Gruene Hall in the evening!

Saturday, November 30th - - Small Business Saturday!!! We may be biased, but everyone loves a locally-made Texan gift! Come shop at over 30 unique shops ranging from home decor and antiques to pottery and Texas-made wine! And don't forget your Kringle Cash! We promise, it's better than the mall! Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights will be at the Hall that evening. 

Sunday, December 1st - - Close out your weekend on a high note...not only will we have live music at the Hall all day, but we've got a special treat in store at The Grapevine at 2pm. Don't miss the Bah Humbug performance - it's Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with an amazing twist — one actor plays all the roles in this powerful tale of hope & compassion! Award-winning stage actor Damian Gillen transforms before your eyes into all those beloved characters...from Scrooge to Tiny Tim, in this magical and imaginative re-telling of the holiday classic!

Cowboy Kringle is coming to Town!!

We're makin' our lists, checkin' them twice...gonna find out who's naughty or nice...Cowboy Kringle's comin' to town!!

Hard to believe, isn't it? But it's true, the holidays are more or less here. And with the Holidays in Gruene come one of our favorite Texas characters...our own brand of Santa, Cowboy Kringle.

Donning specially made chaps and a cowboy hat, Cowboy Kringle represents a true Texan Santa Claus, and fits in perfectly in good ol' Gruene. Cowboy Kringle's the friendly sort, and he will be available for holiday photos with the kiddos, pup or the whole family on weekends beginning Saturday, November 16th in the breezeway between The Grapevine & Gruene General Store. For a full list of dates and hours, click here.

And before you see him, make sure to stock up on your Kringle Cash to have a little extra spendin' money when you make your way to Gruene. Everyone deserves a little treat during the holidays, even if they've been naughty!

To kick off the holiday season, we thought we'd share some of our favorite photos of the Man in Red with you! HO HO HO!!!

The Best Wurst

It's that time of year again in New Braunfels - - that's right, the count down to Wurstfest is on. Only 3 more days until the annual 10 day celebration rich in German culture and full of Texas fun invades Landa Park on the Comal River!! And Gruene although Gruene is a few miles from the official grounds, we're not missing out on the fun of Wurstfest!! Here's how: 

Tour de Gruene Bicycle Classic
As an official Wurstfest event, the 30th Annual Tour de Gruene promises to be bigger and better than ever this year! The history, charm and ambiance of Gruene, a beautiful bicycle ride along the banks of the Guadalupe and live music at Gruene Hall...Yep, we're brewin' up quite a ride this year! Participants look forward to a leisurely bike ride through the Texas Hill Country on Sunday, and a competitive time trial in the afternoon. Sunday will bring competitive time trails. 
        Saturday, November 2, 2013
        15, 30 or 40 mile Recreational Tour
         6:30 am - Walk up registration begins at Gruene Hall
         8:00 am - Tours begin
         1-5:00 pm - Live music from Garrett LeBeau at Gruene Hall
         3:00 pm - Individual time trial begins


        Sunday, November 3, 2013
        Team Time Trials
         8:01 am - Time Trials begin
         12-3:00 pm - Live music from TBA at Gruene Hall
         4-8:00 pm - Live music from Bill Kirchin & Too Much Fun at Gruene Hall

Wurst Wagen
If you'd rather spend your time on the Wurstfest grounds actually in Wurstfest (instead of waiting to park, and waiting to buy tickets), our buddies down the hill at Rockin' R have the perfect solution - the Wurst Wagen. They'll pick you up at one of their many stops around New Braunfels, deliver you to Wurstfest, and then take you back to your stop after your evening of eating, drinking and doing the chicken dance! Plus, if you're not near one of our stop, call and we'll come find you!

German Eats
Craving some good ol' German food, but don't want to spend your time at Wurstfest in lines?? Stop by Mozie's or the Gristmill before heading over the the fair. Grab a Big Dog with our homemade Sauerkraut and a Warsteiner Dunkel at Mozie's while you watch football, or snack on some Gruene Bros. 'Best' Wurst Sausage at the Gristmill. 

It's Time to CHOW DOWN!

The oncoming of fall means many things: back to school, cooler weather, and best of all football! Many businesses in Gruene have fall traditions of their own, too. Mozie's has their Weekly Stu, and Cantina del Rio has the Chow Down Showdown!

What is the Chow Down Showdown, you may ask - is it an eating contest? Well, you could look at it that way. But we like to describe it as our ultimate school spirit event - a battle of the local high schools that allows us to support school spirit and football, and here's how it works.

In New Braunfels, there are two high schools that have been rivals as long as we can remember - New Braunfels High School and Canyon High School. To add to the rivalry (and do our part to give back to local schools), we created the Chow Down Showdown. During the weeks prior to the game between the two schools, we invite their fans to come chow down at Cantina del Rio.

When placing an order, customers have the choice to place their receipt in either the Canyon Cougars helmet or the New Braunfels Unicorns helmet. 10% of each receipt is donated to the designated team, and in the end, the team who raises the most gets an additional $500 and the prized Cantina Cup.

So grab your friends and come show your school spirit! The Chow Down Showdown starts this Friday, September 20 at 4pm and goes through Friday, October 11. May the best team win!!

Gruene's Best Bets for Back to School

Although you would never know if by looking at a thermostat, summer has come to an end. Labor Day has come and gone, and its time to buckle down and get back to the basics, and school. We've picked some of our favorite goodies to make going back to school this year a little more fun for the kiddos!

1. Big Tex Pencil

This jumbo size pencil will be the envy of the whole class! Not to mention, it will likely last the whole school year! Grab yours at Gruene General Store.

 

2. Hair Bows for Any Occasion

These super cute hair bows from Lone Star Texas Eclectic come in many colors and sizes to fit everyone's school spirit! Plus, the cute middle button is also a bottle cap!

 

3. Homework Table

A chalkboard-top table makes any homework more fun!! Grab this antique table (perfect size for the kiddos) at Gruene Antique Company.

 

4. Killer Lunchbox

A lunchbox as cool as these is sure to make any kid more excited about heading off on the bus in the morning! Gruene General Store has tons of old-fashioned boxes to choose from.

 

5. Antique Globe

Geography is much more fun when you can say you're using a globe from decades ago! Pick yours up at Gruene Antique Company while supplies last!

 

6. Cute Canteen

These cute animal canteens from Lone Star come with a tiny stuffed animal keychain to keep on your canteen or put on your backpack! Perfect for hydration on these hot days!

 

7. Some Great Advice

No one ever said it better. Grab this book to teach your kiddos the ropes at Cotton Eyed Joe's!







Every Man's Fantasy...Football and more!

Summer is coming to an end. And although that means the end of tubing season, Friday Afternoon Club, Two Ton Tuesdays and all other summer fun, it does bring about a few good things - - cooler weather for one, and FOOTBALL!

And with football season (which starts September 8th) comes the Second Annual Mozie's Weekly Stu - a barely-legal gambling initiative we like to sponsor to celebrate the best time of the year.

Not only is Mozie's already the best place to catch the game (premium wells, 8 flat screen TVs, greasy sliders and Shiner Bock onion rings), but with the addition of the Weekly Stu, you can also add light-hearted gambling and potential prizes to that list of every man's dream.

Here's the scoop: Each Thursday at 8:40am, KNBT 92.1 FM's star sports pickers Stu and Brandt select their winners for the week's schedule and announce their picks on air. Then, sometime before Saturday at 1:00am, you come in to Mozie's, pick up a ballot and circle your picks for the following week while you enjoy an ice cold beer at the bar. On Tuesday morning, we will tally up Brandt and Stu's winning percentage, and place all of the winning (same or higher winning percentage than Brandt and Stu) customer ballots in a box. Then, we pick a winner of a $50 Mozie's gift card. It's as easy as that - pick the winners and you'll be entered to win $50 to Mozie's!

And not only can you fill out your ballot, but we'll have all the games on so you can come root in your team with us - - just make sure to check the weekly sports schedule on our website! So grab your lucky rabbit's foot and come join us for a drink when NFL season rolls around on September 8th - - you won't regret it!



UPDATE: 27th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival!

 

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4 Days. 4 Distinct Events.

October 10-13, 2013 | www.gruenemusicandwinefest.com

Mark your calendars and raise your glass, the 27^th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival is right around the corner! Join us for a weekend full of Texas music, wine and food, all to benefit the United Way of Comal County. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 1 pm.

 

Thanks to our generous sponsors (Ammo Advertising, Chase Bank, Frost Bank, First Commercial Bank, Gruene Hall, KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels, ManriqueCustom Vision Center, M&S Companies, New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, and TheGrapevine), this year promises to be better than ever!

 

Events Schedule

That's Right, It's Not From Texas - Thursday, October 10th
5:30-7:30pm: The Grapevine: Kick-off event featuring New World & German wines, live jazz music, and best of all, spectacular "Not From Texas" vacation package door prizes including trips to:

• Charleston, SC with two passes to the Magnolia Plantation
• Anaheim, CA with four passes to Disneyland
• Memphis, TN with four passes to the Pink Palace Museum and four passes to Sharpe Planetarium
• Orlando, FL with four passes to Orlando Putting Edge
• Your choice of a Golf or Sports Vacation Package and more!

8:00pm: Gruene Hall - The Mavericks


Rockin' With Texas Wine & Food - Friday, October 11th
5:30-8:30pm: Gruene Hall - Private show and meet 'n' greet with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, catered dinner by the Gristmill River Restaurant and a wine tasting with three featured Texas wineries. Silent auction and The Great Guitar Auction with autographed guitars by:

• George Strait
• Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
• The Mavericks
• Los Lonely Boys
• Willie Nelson
• The Bacon Brothers
• Dwight Yoakam
• Merle Haggard
• Ryan Bingham
• Randy Rogers
• Ray Price
• Jerry Jeff Walker
• Stoney LaRue

9:30pm: Gruene Hall - Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell

Texas Tastings & Tunes - Saturday, October 12th
Noon-6:00pm: The Grapevine Grounds - Taste over 90 different Texas wines from over 30 different wineries, try the stellar cuisine from Fork in the Road, Institute of Chili, Where's That Truck and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner at Le Cordon Gruene haute food truck park and shop the craft market, all to the beat of live, original Texas tunes.  
9:00pm: Gruene Hall - Los Lonely Boys

Texas-Style Music Fest - Sunday, October 13th
10:30am-Noon: Gruene Hall - Gospel Brunch with a Texas Twist catered by the Gristmill River Restaurant.
1:00-6:00pm: The Grapevine Grounds - Brew-n-Que with the very best in beer and Texas barbeque from Rudy's, The Smoke Shack, Big Daddy BBQ, The DUK Truck and Institute of Chili. Original Texas tunes showcased live throughout the day.
2:00-10:00pm: Gruene Hall - Eight full hours of the very best in Americana music on two stages. Lineup TBA.

For a full list of vendors, please visit www.gruenemusicandwinefest.org.

 

5 River Essentials!

A trip to Gruene is not complete without a fun filled float down the Guadalupe or Comal river! As frequent river floaters, there are a few products that we have learned (the hard way) not to float the river without. The best news? You can get them all here in Gruene before heading down the hill to the water!

1. A Groovy Hat

Goin' for the cowgirl look? These cowboy hats (plus a wide variety of baseball caps) are available at Cotton Eyed Joe's.

More of a fisherman? Grab these straw hats at Gruene Outfitters, they're sure to shade you're whole face!!

 2. Snazzy Shades, and of course, a Croakie!

When it comes to your eyes, you need the best in sun protection! Grab some Costas, or other shades, at Gruene Outfitters or Cotton Eyed Joes!

With all the rapids, the last thing you want is your sunglasses to get knocked into the water. We suggest investing in a croakie to ensure they stay around your neck!

3. Cool Cover Up

When the sun starts to get to you, the best way to shield your skin is to put on a cover up! These awesome options from Cotton Eyed Joe's will keep you lookin' river ready!

4. Sturdy River Shoes

When the water gets low, you may have to walk your tube. You'll definitely be glad you're not barefoot when you check out the rocky bottom of the Guad! These Chacos from Gruene Outfitters are some of the best river/outdoor shoes we've seen!

5. And last, but definitely not least - something to keep your drink cold!! Cotton Eyed Joes has snazzy Gruene or Gristmill Koozies!



Or, if you're on a part of the river where the Can Ban is in effect, make sure to grab a beer pouch at Cotton Eyed Joes or a thermos from Gruene Outfitters!

What are some of your must-haves when floatin' the river?

Family Friendly Fourth of July!

Looking for the best ways to spend Independence Day (or week!) as a family? We've rounded up the best of the best, and planned a full week of old fashioned family fun for you and the whole gang in New Braunfels, Texas!



Monday, July 1st - Check the crew into the newly renovated Schlitterbahn Treehaus Suites (one suite can sleep up to 12!) and unwind. Send the kiddos out to the river while you unpack the week's worth of luggage. Once you're settled in, head over the Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar for dinner along the Guadalupe River. Recently named one of America's most popular family-friendly restaurants by UrbanSpoon, the Gristmill has something for everyone, and the relaxed outdoor atmosphere will keep the whole family entertained!

Tuesday, July 2nd - Let the kids release a little energy at Schlitterbahn parks. They open at 10 am, and be sure to get there early to avoid the lines! With your stay at the resort, you get free access to the park, so be sure to get your fill of the Boogie Bahn and the Master Blaster! At 6 pm, head on over to legendary Gruene Hall for Swing Dance Lessons for the whole family. Then stay to try out your new moves at Two Ton Tuesdays starting at 8:30 pm.

Wednesday, July 3rd - Take a break from the water, and head out to Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch and Caverns. See the brand new baby (twin!!) giraffes, along with the other African animals, and then beat the heat in the afternoon in the deep caverns learning about stalactites and stalagmites!

Thursday, July 4th - Get an early morning start at the Landa Park Spring-fed Pool, then, when the kids get hungry (and the park starts to get too crowded) head over to Cantina del Rio in Gruene for lunch, and some of the best fish and shrimp tacos in the area. Stay all day for the two free concerts at Gruene Hall with the Danny Brooks Band and The Damn Quails - the kids can play P-I-G on the old basketball hoop Hal Ketchum built in the '80s - then head back to Landa Park for the fireworks!

Friday, July 5th - Now that the holiday is over, and the crowds have died down (a little), it's time for the river!! Head down to Rockin' R River Rides, hop in a raft, and relax! Let a guide steer the way, or take to the rapids of the Guad yourself. Finish the float back at Rockin' R, head up the hill to Gruene, and finish your week with some shopping. The kids will love an ice cream cone or root beer float from the old fashioned soda fountain at the General Store, and you'll love the wine and beer tastings from the Grapevine - the best of both worlds! Make sure to stop by Buck Pottery where the kiddos can watch a pottery demonstration, and maybe even make their own!

For some, the road may end here, but should you choose to stay through the weekend, Gruene Hall has live music all weekend, Schlitterbahn remains open, and you might also want to stop by the Snake Farm or Bucee's.
We hope you have a blast in New Braunfels!!

17th Annual Americana Music Jam Donation!

  17^th ANNUAL KNBT AMERICANA MUSIC JAM RAISES OVER $60,000 FOR NON-PROFIT

KNBT Radio & Gruene Hall Present Donation Check to Connections

 

Pictured (Left to Right): Kris Mund (Mund Group Casualty Co.), Trevor Bird (Gruene Harley Davidson), Mattson Rainer (KNBT 92.1 FM, Project Director), Pat Molak (Gruene Hall, Owner), Chris Young (Val-Mark Chevrolet), Shane Wolf (Rockin’ R), Brian Betsworth (Christus Santa Rosa Hospital), Kellie Stalling (Connections, Exec. Director) and Doug Miller, II (Connections, Board VP)

Not pictured: Wynn Wallace (NB Mattress)

 

JUNE 20: (GRUENE, TX) – Mattson Rainer, General Manager of KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels, and Pat Molak, owner of Gruene Hall, presented $60,698.43 to Connections Individual and Family Services, the benefiting organization of this year’s 17th Annual KNBT Americana Music Jam. The Jam was held on Sunday, May 19, 2013 at Gruene Hall.

The KNBT Americana Music Jam is an annual celebration of Americana music featuring exceptional artists of the genre. Sponsors of this year's Jam were NB Mattress, Rockin’ R River Rides, Christus Santa Rosa New Braunfels, ValMark Chevrolet, Gruene Harley Davidson and The Mund Group.

The music lineup included Jack Ingram, Randy Rogers, Hayes Carll, Reckless Kelly, Cody Canada & The Departed, Wade Bowen, Sean McConnell, Uncle Lucius, Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros, Slaid Cleaves, Monty Byrom Band, Zack Walther, Midnight River Choir, Bleu Edmondson, Statesboro Revue and Dustin Welch. Most of the performers are long-time veterans of the Americana Music Jam, and were thrilled to help such a great cause once again, and to support KNBT and Gruene Hall, both of which are major advocates of Americana music.

Connections Individual and Family Services

Connections is a 501(c)3 private, non-profit organization that was founded by a group of community leaders in 1981 to provide a safe and secure alternative to the “streets” for homeless, abused, or at-risk youth. Today, Connections provides program services in eighteen (18) rural counties and operates thirteen (13) counseling offices and three (3) residential locations. Connections provides social services to families and individuals to include:
1) Counseling and prevention education services for youth, adults, and families
2) Short-term residential services for runaway, abused or neglected, homeless, and at-risk youth
3) Chrysalis Transitional Living Program for older youth ages 16-21
4) Crisis hotline and referral services
5) Kids Exchange/supervised visitation services
6) Substance Abuse Prevention

Gruene Hall is a true Texas tradition. The 6,000 square foot, open air dance hall has remained much the same since its start. The wood floors, antique advertisements on the walls and rustic stage provide perfect examples. A favorite music venue for artists and patrons alike, the overriding attraction from the late ‘70s has always been the magic and intimacy created between the audience and performer due to the close proximity of the stage to the dance floor. The booking direction is focused on singer-songwriters and artists who play original material, and the Hall stage has proved to be a fertile ground for many former “new talents” such as George Strait, Hal Ketchum and Lyle Lovett. For a lengthier list of artists who have played the Hall, please visit our website. For information, call (830) 606-1281 or visit www.gruenehall.com.

KNBT 92.1 FM Radio New Braunfels is the leading Americana radio station in the nation and is designed to attract a loyal and attentive audience of passionate Americana music fans. Between achieving national recognition and being a local New Braunfels radio favorite, KNBT has carved out a unique place on the radio dial and on the web, with its Americana music. Featuring artists like Alison Krauss, Robert Earl Keen, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams and other acclaimed singer/songwriters, the Americana format brings together some of the most desirable listener demographics in music and radio.

5 Ways to Celebrate Father's Day - Texas Style!!

Join us in Gruene Historic District for a Texas-sized Father's Day this June! It'll be one he never forgets!

1. Texas Wine Sippin'
With one of the largest seletions of Texas wines in the state, The Grapevine in Gruene is the perfect setting for the whole family to celebrate Father's Day. Grab a glass of your favorite wine (maybe Dad will like Three Dudes ;)) or a pint of craft beer, and plop down in the garden to enjoy the sounds of the Bo Porter Duo from 3-6pm.

2. Big Texas Eatin'
From mouth-watering ribs, bone-in ribeyes and chicken fried steaks with towering onion rings at the Gristmill, to sizzlin' fajitas at Cantina del Rio and a 1/2 lb Char-King or sirloin cooked Hofffbrau-style at Mozie's, we've got the dad-palate down to a T. We get it - good food and lots of it!

3. Texas Two-Steppin'
Tell Dad to put on his cowboy boots and head to Gruene Hall for a little two steppin! Ruby Jane Smith will be at the Hall from 12:30-4:30 followed by Shinyribs from 5-9pm, both free shows. Buy him a Lone Star and call it a day!

4. Texas River Floatin'
Throw on your swimmin' trunks and head for the Guadalupe! Grab a toob, or put the whole family in a raft, and get to floatin'! While the river's not rippin' and roarin', it is perfect for all ages, and makes for the perfect Sunday in the Texas heat.

5. Texas Style Cookin'
If your dad prefers home-style celebrations, make sure to stop by Gruene Market Days (June 15-16) and grab some Blanco Valley Farms seasonings, dips and salsas to add a Texas kick to your meal.

Yee haw, Dad!