Maifest - May 9-10, 2008

The Brenham Maifest, one of the oldest spring German festivals in the South, will hold its 118th celebration on May 9-10, 2008 at Fireman's Park in Brenham, Texas. The Maifest is a community-wide festival celebrating local German heritage through the youth of the community in light of the joys of springtime. Highlights of the Brenham Maifest include extravagant parades, elegant coronations, a children's carnival and culminates with the Maifestival. The "German Village" promotes the German Heritage of Brenham and Washington County.

This year, we have added a "Kinder Village." Children will enjoy making a craft item, washing clothes, coloring, etc.

The celebrations begin both days at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Brenham with a parade. The 3rd Annual Brenham Maifest Golf Tournament will be held Friday at the beautiful Brenham Country Club with shot gun at 1:00 pm. The Maifestival is held Friday and Saturday at Firemen’s Park. Beginning Friday evening at 6:00 pm with German music, children's carnival, festival food and drinks. The Junior Coronation will be held Friday evening with young children participating in an elaborate outdoor ceremony, which provides entertainment and the presentation of the Junior King and Queen. On Saturday the Maifestival will begin at 11:00 am at Fireman's Park with German Village and Kinder Village activities, along with German Music, Arts & Crafts, and the Children's Carnival. The Senior Coronation will be held Saturday evening with former royalty and high school students providing entertainment for this outdoor event, the culmination of the Maifest Celebration is highlighted by the presentation of the Senior King and Queen.

Come and enjoy a day of fun-packed Washington County German Heritage, while in Brenham enjoy the beautiful springtime sites of Brenham and Washington Country. Also plan to stay at one of our many fine motels or Bed and Breakfasts.

There is no admission charge to the grounds for the festival. Tickets are required for the Junior and Senior Coronations and Children's Carnival rides.

Golf Tournament:
Click here for the Golf Tournament (PDF, 14K)

Arts & Crafts Vendors/Exhibits:
Click here for Arts & Crafts Exhibitors Contract (PDF, 7K)

Second Annual German Village - Sponsored By Mike Hopkins - Budweiser, Brenham, Texas

Maifest's German Village seeks to tell the story of the German pioneers who came to Brenham, Washington County and the surrounding areas between the late 1840's to the mid and later 1800's. These folks came here from a number of different areas of Germany, bringing their particular dialects and customs, ultimately becoming uniquely "German-Texans."

We will have a schmiedermeister (blacksmith) who is well-respected for his barbecue utensils, demonstrators showing us how to make sauerkraut, Christmas ornaments, butter and how to wash clothes using lye soap, a tub and a wash-board...another of our demonstrators will show us a number of his cowbells and discuss their uses and preservation. The blacksmith will be selling his wares, as will be our baker, who will be supplying us with homemade sauerkraut, pickles and coffee cakes (which are made to the exacting recipe she learned from her father...who learned from his father...who learned from his father...and on and on...) another of our vendors sells German imports along with other Central and Eastern European products. We will also have some of our local musicians filling in between the headliner bands.

A good number of our friends will be wearing the costumes of our ancestors and will be available to sit down and visit with guests...we will have family researchers available to assist with Stemwede genealogy and to give advice on beginning your journey into exploring your own German ancestry.

The German Village does not represent a particular area of Germany...it represents the Germans who made this area their home. It is a fragment of our history...a page of our lives dedicated to our grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great grandparents. We seek to portray the unique blend of European lifestyles which were adapted to life in early Texas... which makes us unique in these United States of America.

Beseucht sie bei uns...come visit us!

Contact Info: 1-888-BRENHAM or (979) 830-5393

For Junior and Senior Parade Information: Call Dottie Schaer at 979-836-3467 or email her at dottieks@yahoo.com. Or Lance Kuecker, E-mail: texasappraiser@netscape.net.

Coronations

Friday, May 9, 2008
Junior Coronation Ceremony, "The Toy Store", will be at 7:30 pm at Fireman's Park Stadium. Tickets for the Junior Coronation are $12.00 per person at the gate.

Saturday, May 10, 2008
Senior Coronation ceremony. "Court of Visionary Voyages" will be at 8:00 pm at Fireman's Park stadium. Tickets for the Senior Coronation are $12.00 per person at the gate.

The schedule of entertainment is as follows:

Thursday, May 8, 2008

6:00 pm - Carnival opens (bracelet night)

Friday, May 9, 2008

Downtown Brenham
10:30 am - Junior Maifest Parade

Brenham Country Club
12:00 noon - Golf Tournament
1:00 pm - Shot Gun Start

Fireman's Park
5:00 pm - Carnival Opens
6:00 pm - The Fabulous Six
7:30 pm - Junior Coronation
9:00 pm - Route 3

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Downtown Brenham
10:30 am - Senior Maifest Parade

Fireman's Park
11:00 am - German Village Opens. Sponsored by: Mike Hopkins Distributing
11:00 am - Kinder Village Opens - Sponsored by: Home Depot - Brenham
11:00 am - Arts & Crafts, Carnival
11:00 am - Valina Polka -- Rabble Rouser (Entertainer)
11:30 am - Fire on the Mountain Cloggers
12:00 noon - Shiner Hobo Band
12:30 pm - Maipole Dancers - Top Floor Dance Academy
2:00 pm - Henry Tannenberger Band
5:00 pm - Fire on the Mountain Cloggers
5:30 pm - Sauerkrauts
8:00 pm - Senior Coronation
8:30 pm - Night Shift
10:30 pm - Emory Quinn

Shuttle Bus Schedule

Friday, May 9, 2008 - 5:00 pm to Midnight
Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 12:00 noon to Midnight

Parking to ride the shuttle bus is at Brenham High School parking lot, located at 525 A.H. Ehrig Drive - off of Loop 577 and North Park.