Celebrate German-Texan Heritage at the 3rd Annual Bluff SchuetzenFest

Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill State Historic Sites invite one and all to the third annual Bluff SchuetzenFest on Saturday, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This free family festival offers a full day of live music, traditional crafts and games, living history programs, tours of the Kreische brewery ruins, food and drink, and more.

“Bluff SchuetzenFest commemorates the activities of the Bluff Schuetzenver-ein— a marksmanship and social club from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that once made the Bluff their central gathering place,” says Assistant Sites Manager Gavin Miculka. “It was a regular tradition— almost monthly—for the local community to meet at the Schuetzen Pavilion on the Bluff to dance, shoot, celebrate German-Texan heritage, and of course, drink a glass or two of Kreische’s popular Bluff Beer.”

The festival pays homage to these historic traditions with a variety of activities, exhibits, and programs. New this year is the Spasslauf 5K Fun Run, which retraces the likely route of the Schuetzenverein, who, according to an 1880 account, marched from the Fayette County Courthouse to the Bluff Schuetzen Pavilion, accompanied by music and the waving FrischAuf banner. The fun run begins at 9 a.m. at the courthouse square and leads participants to the historic sites. Registration is open until the morning of the event. Fun Run winners will be announced at the Bluff SchuetzenFest opening ceremonies at 11:15 a.m., which will feature German music and a root beer toast.

Another of the festival’s central traditions is marksmanship. Volunteers and staff have designed a unique laser rifle shooting range, inspired by the historic competitions held on the Bluff in the past. Those looking for a true test of skill can join the King Shoot competition, sponsored by the German-Texan Heritage Society, where the top marksman will be crowned Schützenkönig, or “King of the Marksmen.” Along with bragging rights, winners also receive a special Schuetzenverein medal and a complimentary annual membership to the sites.

SchuetzenFest’s main attraction is the National Bank & Trust Texas History on Tap Beer Garden, where ticketed guests can experience the legacy of the Kreische Brewery and other Texas brewing pioneers. The beer garden, open 1 pm to 7 p.m, will showcase 17 Texas craft breweries, offering over 45 varieties of Texas craft beers, with seven brewed as special limited releases for SchuetzenFest. Beer garden admissions support educational and preservation programs led by the nonprofit Friends of Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill. Tickets are available online or at the door. For details on Bluff SchuetzenFest, visit www. bluffschuetzenfest.org, or call (979) 968-5658.