PEACHY KEEN

Hill Country town sweetens up for summer with peach festival and rodeo

Woman holding a small basket with freshly harvested peaches, close-up

Stonewall celebrates its agricultural heritage during its annual Peach Jamboree and Rodeo.

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As roadside fruit stands pop up between the Hill Country and Austin, the town of Stonewall is bringing back its peach of a summer festival. From June 19-21, the community is launching the 64th edition of the Peach Jamboree and Rodeo, promising sweet treats, live music, and bronco-busting action.

The festivities get off to slow trot on Thursday, June 19, with a performance from regional favorite Scott Crofts Band and a free slack rodeo starting at 8 pm. The tradition allows for an overflow of contestants to compete outside of the main event.

The official rodeo events pick up the pace at 6 pm on Friday, starting with a couple of cherished traditions: the introduction of the Peach Queen finalists and the ever-popular mutton bustin’, where kids hold on to an irritated flock of sheep for dear life. Red Dirt singer-songwriter Wade Bowen will amp up the crowd after the evening’s competition.

The jam-packed Saturday starts with a 10 am parade and more live music between 11 am and 2 pm. Fans of the seasonal stonefruit won’t want to miss the afternoon’s array of peachy competitions between 1-4 pm, including a peach show, eating and pit-spitting, and a baking contest and auction.

The rodeo starts at 6 pm with more mutton bustin’ and the Peach Queen coronation. Alt-country icon Cody Canada, of Cross Canadian Ragweed fame, will provide the evening’s tunes with his band, The Departed.

Stonewall is only a short hour-and-15-minute-drive away from Ausin, making a quick day trip easy. Better yet, book a casita at The Martinsburg and stay the weekend. Stonewall has plenty of other attractions, including wine tastings at the award-winning William Chris Vineyards and lavender-filled Becker Vineyards. The town also boasts the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and a terrific Asian restaurant, Hye Thai.

The shindig takes place at Stonewall Chamber Grounds, appropriately at 250 Peach St. All daytime activities are free, but the evening rodeo and concerts require tickets. Prices range from $25 for Friday and Saturday evening shows to $40 for a weekend pass. Discounts are available for first responders, military, and seniors.

rodeos peaches wine stonewall hill country festivals

HILL COUNTRY HOTELS

New Braunfels hotel will include restaurant by celebrity Texas chef

SpringHill Suites by Marriott New Braunfels

Rendering courtesy of Oldham Goodwin.

The new SpringHill Suites by Marriott is expected to open in the last quarter of 2026.

A new riverfront hotel in New Braunfels will come with some culinary star power: SpringHill Suites by Marriott will debut with a restaurant from celebrity chef Tim Love.

Real estate firm Oldham Goodwin has broken ground on a new eight-story hotel, at 738 IH 35 N.

Love will open the Hill Country’s first outpost of his Tex-Mex concept, Paloma Suerte, in the hotel. The chef-owner of several Fort Worth and Austin restaurants like Gemelle and Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, he is also a frequently featured personality on Chopped, Top Chef, and Iron Chef.

“I’m thrilled to bring a taste of Fort Worth hospitality and Paloma Suerte’s bold, vibrant flavors to New Braunfels,” said Love via a release. “Our team is known for dishes and drinks that keep people coming back for more, paired with exceptional service and a good time — we can’t wait to create that same energy and experience here.”

Tim Love's Paloma Suerte will anchor the hotel.Paloma Suerte/ Facebook

It is not Love's first partnership with SpringHill Suites by Marriott. His acclaimed tapas restaurant-bar, Atico, sits on the rooftop of a SpringHill Suites hotel in the Fort Worth Stockyards, not far from his Paloma Suerte restaurant in the historic district.

According to the release, the new Hill Country hotel’s architectural lines will be contemporary, and design company Niles Bolton Associates will use locally familiar materials as a nod to New Braunfels’ Hill Country charm. The building is tucked away from the highway to take advantage of the wooded landscape.

“By thoughtfully integrating the hotel into its natural surroundings, we’ve created a destination that feels both fresh and authentic. From its riverside views to its modern comforts, the design aims to deliver an elevated, resort-like experience that enhances the guest journey and celebrates the spirit of the Texas Hill Country,” said project principal Andres Rubio in a statement.

Inside, 150 suites will be serviced by luxe amenities like ballroom-style meeting halls, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a breakfast lounge, and boat docks. A two-tier swimming pool will boast Palomalita, “an exclusive poolside food and beverage experience offering fresh, inspired bites and refreshing libations.”

Oldham Goodwin did not share any interior design details, but SpringHill Suites hotels typically lean minimalist with neutral furnishings and splashes of color from abstract art. The hotel is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2026.

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