Visitors to the Horseshoe Bay Property Owners Association’s 2023 Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off sample the championship chili. The event was voted Favorite Outdoor Activity in the 2024 Locals Love Us contest. Courtesy photo
A successful Spring Fling made way for a Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off that was so popular it was voted Favorite Outdoor Activity in the 2024 Locals Love Us contest by he Picayune Magazine readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners.
The Horseshoe Bay Property Owners Association event attracted a large crowd in 2023, only its second year in existence.
“Over 300 people attended over the course of the day, and many of them stayed to dance the night away,” said POA Event Chairman Karen Calderon-Schweitzer. “We already have people inquiring about next year.”
The mid-October festival drew twice the number of chili competitors than its 2022 debut. The POA cooked a pot of chili to make sure visitors had plenty to try, and vendors set up booths at Quail Point Lodge, where the event is staged.
“For me, this is about bringing the community together,” Calderon-Schweitzer said. “This is about bringing people to Quail Point, which is the community heart of Horseshoe Bay. This is where the big events are held, and people come to enjoy a free event and meet the neighbors they may not normally meet.”
The Fall Festival is also an opportunity for artisans and local vendors to sell their wares and for people to shop early for the holidays.
“It’s a well-rounded, fun, community event,” Calderon-Schweitzer said.
The committee is already making plans for the 2024 festival
“Every year, we tweak it a little more,” Calderon-Schweitzer said. “We’re giving it a lot of thought and want to make it better every year.”
By the way, the 2024 Fall Festival is Oct. 17.
