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Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival sows seeds for future move and spinoff winter fest

The Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival announced its 2023 return, along with more exciting news for the future.

Photo courtesy of the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Fest

The summer heat is not yet behind us, but at least we can start looking ahead to fun fall festivities like the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival. The beloved annual festival is returning for six weekends, from September 23 to October 29, for its third year at the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead — the last before it moves to a new location.

Riding high from the success of last year's events that saw nearly 60,000 attendees, the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival is bringing back some familiar favorites for attendees of all ages to enjoy: 50 fall-inspired games and activities, craft vendor booths, a petting zoo, musical performances, and much more. Of course, no pumpkin fest is complete without its signature pumpkin patch.

Food and beverage vendors slated to participate include Afuga Coffee, Cilantro Tacos, Connor's Creamery, Downtown Burgers, El Mariachi Tacos, K.O. BBQ, Wetzel's Pretzels, and several others. Local breweries and wineries like Fitzhugh Brewing and Solaro Estate Winery will also be participating in the festival.

The 2023 festival is the last at the Pound House mostly for a happy reason — it completed its goal. The initial objective behind the event was to help restore the landmark Pound House after a multi-year shutdown due to mold and weather damage. The restoration is now complete, and the museum is scheduled to re-open to the public by the festival's grand opening weekend.

Organizers also said that increased development around the Pound House would mean more competition for parking in the coming years.

“We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments,” said festival co-founder and production coordinator Gretchen Bray in a release. “We would like to thank the City of Dripping Springs, our vendors, sponsors, nonprofit partners, and the tens of thousands of attendees who have helped rebuild and preserve this majestic Texas State Historical Landmark."

The Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival's new home has not been disclosed yet, but festival co-founder and producer Christopher Durst is excited for the future of the event and for the inception of a new, highly-anticipated winter festival.

"Our new location provides us an opportunity to really grow the festival, which in turn allows us to do even more for our community; it’s truly a win-win situation," Durst said. "Furthermore, we now have the ability to launch our long-awaited Christmas festival."

Here is a glance at the schedule for each weekend of the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival:

Weekend 1: September 23-24
The theme for the first weekend of the festival is "Scarecrow Disco" and attendees are encouraged to dress accordingly. There will be live performances by DJ Henry Invisible, local country bands, KASE 101 and Anne Hudson, and more. Other festivities planned for the weekend include a fall celebration kickoff, foam dance party, giveaways, and more.

Weekend 2: September 30-October 1
The second weekend's theme is butterflies, and there will be plenty of butterfly merchandise fluttering around if a guest forgets their costume. Attendees will get to participate in a live butterfly release, enjoy butterfly pea lemonade, and celebrate National Love People Day and National Ghost Hunting Day.

Weekend 3: October 7-8
Weekend three is all about celebrating indigenous traditions. Kalpulli Ayolopaktzin will perform at 1 pm and 4 pm with ceremonial Aztec dancing, and a Comanche Indian Intertribal Exhibition is scheduled at 1 pm and 4 pm on October 8.

Weekend 4: October 14-15
"Pioneer Palooza" is the theme for weekend four. The Texas Trick Riders will be the talk of the town this weekend, so attendees are welcome to don their best Western attire. For a special annular solar eclipse from 10:24 am to 1:32 pm on October 14, the festival will pass out free solar eclipse viewing glasses while supplies last.

Weekend 5: October 21-22
Weekend five is dedicated to bubbles. Families can experience fun bubble shows and interactive activities with a special foam dance party, or simply enjoy running around the bubble machines. Guests are encouraged to bring their own bubble makers to keep the party going all day long.

Weekend 6: October 28-29
The last weekend of the festival is themed the "Pumpkin Jamboree." Guests can paint pumpkins, and dress in their best costumes to participate in some pre-Halloween trick-or-treating. The final celebration of the festival will take place at the farmstead on October 29.

The festival will be held at 419 Founders Park Rd., Dripping Springs, and will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm beginning September 23. Tickets ($15 per person, free for children under three and seniors aged 65 and older). Pre-sale tickets are available at geoji.com.

austin dripping springs pumpkins festivals

Movie Review

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are both funny and deep in A Real Pain

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain.

Comedy film duos have a long history, from Laurel and Hardy in the 1920s and ‘30s to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in movies like Baby Mama. But the majority of duos have either been friends or work partners; relationships that can be close, but not as close as family. The new film A Real Pain aims for the comedy that a great duo can bring, but hits deeper because the two lead characters are related to each other.

Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are first cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland to visit the childhood home of their grandmother, who has recently passed. Their personalities could not be more different, with David buttoned-down and reserved and Benji extremely social, if a little wild. This contrast is on display from the moment they leave on their trip, affecting almost every aspect of their journey.

The two meet up with a diverse tour group in Poland, including guide James (Will Sharpe), recently divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), married couple Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), an African man who has converted to Judaism. As the group visits various historical sites, David confronts contrasting feelings about Benji, who goes from charming to abrasive seemingly at the drop of a hat.

Written and directed by Eisenberg, the film is about both the family we have and the history of those who came before us. With Benji and David being Jewish and their grandmother having escaped from the Nazis in World War II, the themes hit harder than they might in other situations. Eisenberg takes care to honor his Jewish ancestors both in the way he has Benji and David talk about their grandmother and the places they visit.

But even though emotions are heightened due to the significance of the trip, the film is far from a dour affair. Benji keeps things interesting at almost all times with a series of impulsive decisions, many that are entertaining for both the tour group and the audience watching the film. He is one of those film characters that is great to watch on screen, but would likely be too much to handle if you were confronted with him in real life.

The relationship between Benji and David is a complicated one; the two obviously have love for each other, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on the best way to approach certain situations. This tension keeps the film grounded, and Eisenberg does a great job at showing the push-and-pull the two cousins have with each other. The little moments, especially when Benji and David go their separate ways, say a lot as the characters try to reconcile where each is at in their respective lives.

Eisenberg has always been an understated performer, so this role is almost perfect for him. Culkin, fresh off his Emmy-winning role in HBO’s Succession, is an ideal foil for Eisenberg, as he has a manic energy that he can control or not control at will. It’s also nice to see Grey in action again, as she brings just the right touch to her supporting role.

The drama in A Real Pain comes from the life experiences of its two main characters, which are on full display despite the story only doling out details in small doses. The film is subtle yet powerful, a testament to Eisenberg’s filmmaking ability and the actors never trying to make too much of their scenes.

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A Real Pain opens in theaters on November 15.

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Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival sows seeds for future move and spinoff winter fest

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