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Mention Johnson City and you’ll probably hear one of two things — that it’s President Lyndon B.Johnson’s hometown and that it’s the best place in the Texas Hill Country to see lights during the holiday season.
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However, there’s more to Johnson City, and the fall schedule alone proves the community’s value as a great place for San Antonians toget awayand spend a long weekend. The small Hill Country town (population a little over 2,000) packs a Texas-sized punch when it comes to events, culture, dining, wine tasting, and family fun.
A small town with a surprisingly full calendar
Fall in Johnson City brings a lineup of events that would be impressive for a much larger destination. October alone offers motorcycles and classic cars, wine and live music, Halloween festivities and plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors.
Each event attracts different crowds, from motorcycle enthusiasts to wine buyers, to families looking for a fun weekend. The best part? Johnson City’s close enough that you can drive out for a day, spend a long weekend in a local short-term rental, or plan several short trips to enjoy everything the community has to offer.
Al fresco music and starry Texas nights
Picture this: a bottle of chilled wine, a picnic blanket and soft strains of jazz music floating around you. If that sounds like a perfect date night, then Johnson City is the place to be on Oct. 24.
Johnson City Jazz Fest brings renown regional artists to the stage for a free evening of outdoor jazz accompanied by Texas sunsets. Local restaurants and tasting rooms have their wares available for purchase, so you can acquire a picnic dinner and some cold beverages and enjoy the music. This year’s full slate of performers includes the powerful and creative Adrian Ruiz Quintet, the soulful Jerry Z Trio, and the rich vocals of Elena Diaz accompanied by the Daniel Durham Quintet.
The best of Texas wine and wine-buying
The Hill Country is known for wine, and Johnson City is making its mark on the Texas winemakers’ map. Johnson City and the surrounding area (Stonewall and Hye) is home to more Texas Vintners’ Cup winners and honorable mentions than any other community in the state.
The award, a program of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Uncork Texas Wines program, recognizes the 12 best wines in the state, and the local honorees include winners Carter Creek Winery, Elisa Christopher Wines, Pedernales Cellars, Tatum Cellars and William Chris Vineyards, and honorable mentions Lost Draw Wines, Lewis Wines, Rebecca Caroline, Ron Yates Wines, Calais Winery, Skeleton Key, Ab Astris and Pebble Rock Cellars.
That’s a lot of winemaking firepower from a handful of small-town Texas communities. And inJohnson City this fall, a nationally acclaimed wine festival brings them all together so you can taste and compare.
Texas Wine Jam, held October 17 in downtown Johnson City, is a one-day wine and music festival focused on bringing the best of Texas wines to Texas consumers. The event features wine tasting alongside educational “spotlight sessions” from wine growers and producers. All 12 of the Texas Vintners’ Cup winning wines will be featured and poured at the event, while attendees can enjoy live music from local artists.
The festival was recently named one of the 10 Best Wine Festivals in America in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and it provides an opportunity to see just how far the wine country has come and how big a player Johnson City is in Texas wine culture.
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“Our industry is doing some amazing things, and the wines have never been better,” said Daniel Kelada, owner of Vinovium in Johnson City and founder of Texas Wine Jam. “In “Johnson City, we’re fortunate to be positioned as the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, and to be able to create this festival where people can discover the best wines of Texas.”
Rolling through the Texas Hill Country
Two of the biggest October events are tied to wheels, which is fitting given the beautiful stretches of open highway and Hill Country sky that surround Johnson City.
Bikers come together the second weekend in October for the Hil Country Toy Run Pig Roast, a community celebration of all things motorcycle. Riders gather at the Blanco County Fairgrounds for barbecue, games, camping, and more.
The Johnson City community is also home to Gears and Beers, a classic car and motorcycle show on the historic downtown square. This event also includes six categories for motorcycles, because of its near proximity to the Texas Vintage Motorcycle Museum in downtown Johnson City.
The “Beers” portion of Gears and Beers comes from Pecan Street Brewing, a nationally and internationally recognized local brewpub with several World Beer Cup awards to its name.
Attendees for Gears and Beers can make their weekend twice as fun, combining car culture with cultural arts because the show takes place the same weekend as the Johnson City Jazz Fest. Visitors can come out for cars in the morning, stay for the evening concert, spend the night in a walkable local rental, then enjoy a morning hike or a leisurely brunch in town the following day.
Come for events, stay for community
Planning an October weekend in Johnson City is an easy, fun way to enjoy a little fall leisure time before the holiday hectic sets in. And the nice thing about Johnson City is that you may come once for an event, but that won’t be the only time.
President Lyndon B. Johnson famously said, “All the world’s welcome in Johnson City,” and that’s how people still feel to this day.
The community spirit, the small-town festivals with big heart, cozy short-term rentals that feel like home, and the hidden gems throughout the community make Johnson City a place where you’ll come for the festivals and special events, then return because you’ve fallen in love with the area.
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