A TOAST TO TRADITION

Community celebrates Oktoberfest at local venues

Residents and visitors of Dripping Springs had two opportunities to raise their steins this weekend. Bell Springs Winery and Ghost Note Brewing both held Oktoberfest celebrations filled with craft beer, live music, and a little German flair.

At Ghost Note, visitors enjoyed pretzels and brats while shopping at the pop-up market. There was also an official U.S. Steinholding Competition. Winners had a chance to advance to State Championship Finals at Wurstfest in November. The evening wrapped up with entertainment from the Taylor Campbell band.

Activities at Bell Springs included steinheists and obstacle courses for adults and kids alike, some traditional German fare, and music from Lizzie Street, out of Taylor, Texas.

Back in August, Bell Springs celebrated its 15th anniversary. Owner Nate Pruitt said the venue has become a community space where people enjoy coming to spend a few hours or the whole day.

“15 years is pretty awesome,” Pruitt said. “The community’s been very supportive. We were one of the first wineries to open out here.”

Over the years, as the area has boomed, the venue has also grown, and now also has its own brewery.

“Integrating beer was something I decided to do, and we were one of the first wineries in Texas to actually have wine and beer at the same place,” Pruitt said. “And we’re continuing to make things inclusive, so we have mocktails, we have nonalcoholic, and we have a 100 percent gluten free beer on tap, which is one of the first in Texas to do that.”

They’ve also recently partnered with another winery, Graveyard Vineyards, which is now located on the property. Pruitt said he hopes to expand even further, becoming a sort of makerspace for other small businesses. However, his goal is always to be a place where people love to gather.

“Even though we’ve expanded, we’ve tried to keep it inviting and welcoming and family friendly and all that good stuff,” Pruitt said.