South Texans can pretty much count on two things every November: notable weather changes and Wurstfest in New Braunfels.
This time of year can bring every type of weather to the area — from cold to warm, to dry or rainy — so it’s probably not a surprise that the weather has played a role in the German festival’s history over the past 60-plus years.
We looked back at how South Texas weather has impacted Wurstfest in years past and looked ahead to the forecast for the festivities this year.
1961 rain changes location
In 1961, the mayor proclaimed the festival for the first time, and the then-one-day festival honoring local foods and sausage began.
Publicity from all over the globe helped spread the word, ultimately bringing in 2,000 guests to New Braunfels.
Wurstfest was originally going to be held at Landa Park, but “threatening” weather caused the first festival to move to the National Guard Armory that year.
Pleasant weather in 1969 skyrockets attendance
After growing significantly in the first few years and expanding to a 10-day period, “balmy” weather was found throughout the festival in 1969.
According to Wurstfest’s website, those mild temperatures contributed to record attendance at the time with 75,000 visitors present!
The Flood of ‘98
The well-known ‘Flood of ‘98′ came rushing through New Braunfels just 13 days before the festival was supposed to begin.
Over 20 inches of rain sent both the Comal and Guadalupe rivers to extremely high levels, flooding the majority of the property owned by the Wurstfest Association.
However, after festival officials were able to get out and assess the damage, it was determined that the festival would still go on as planned.
Locals gathered together to repair and fix the Wurstfest grounds just in time for opening day. Rain fell half the time which reportedly slowed attendance that year, but the incredible triumph of making the festival even happen was a huge success in and of itself.
Turning things around in 1999
After a rough year prior, a much calmer weather pattern was the theme for Wurstfest in 1999.
Officials note that “clear skies, mild temperatures, good food and a strong line up of popular performers” made for the perfect Wurstfest recipe since the 1999 festival rang in as the “top income producer” of the decade.
Wurstfest 2024′s forecast
Looking ahead to the remainder of this year’s Wurstfest, which runs through Nov. 10, hit-or-miss rain chances are in the forecast for Thursday and Friday before a quiet and pleasant weekend takes over.
We’ll be monitoring! You can always find the latest forecast from Your Weather Authority by clicking the link here.
In the meantime, ‘Prost!’
Editor’s note: While many years have brought a few rain chances and temperature variations to the 10 day period, the years mentioned above are specifically noted as weather-impacted years on Wurstfest’s official website.
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