By Skye Lovelady
The Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival is an event that combines the very best of Texas wines, Texas beers, and Texas beef. The 12th annual festival takes place in Downtown Bryan Sept. 28-30 and brings the very best “reds” of food and drinks to the Brazos Valley.
Texas Reds was originally started by the City of Bryan as a part of their revitalization project, says Katelyn Brown, events coordinator for the Downtown Bryan Association. The DBA took over running the festival four years ago.
The festival kicks off on Friday with a concert by Wynonna & The Big Noise at 9:30pm. Saturday, guests have the chance to participate in a variety of activities, and on Sunday, Downtown Bryan shops open their doors for visitors to shop their hearts out. Also on Sunday is the Steak and Egg Brunch, complete with Texas wines and a mimosa bar from 11am to 2pm.
Greg Tivis Nawlins Jazz Band performs Sunday during the brunch from 12 to 3pm at the Palace Theater.
The main attraction on Saturday is, of course, the beer and wine tents. “You can enjoy Texas Reds in a variety of different ways,” Brown says. “Whether you want to drink wine or drink beer, we have different tasting packages available for that.” They offer packages just for wine, just for beer, for beer and wine, and for each featured steak meal. Brown says because of the growth of wine vendors and participants, the DBA added another wine tent this year so everyone has more “room to breathe.”
The food packages include certain dinners and brunches. One meal is their famous Saturday night J. Cody steak dinner from 4pm to 8pm, Brown says. On Sunday is the Steak and Egg Brunch, which will be held in the middle of Main Street — something the DBA has never done before, Brown says.
Texas Reds has also added a new dinner to the lineup this year. The DBA has partnered with Madden’s Casual Gourmet to host an “unwind and dine” dinner, Brown explains. It will be a three-course steak dinner that walks you through the wine pairings.
The Steak Cook-Off on Saturday is another popular event at Texas Reds. Teams compete to cook the best steak for a $1,200 cash prize for first place, according to the Texas Reds Festival website. The steak is provided by Texas Reds and the entry fee starts at $150. Guests are encouraged to walk around and watch each team prepare steaks for the judges, Brown says.
Free activities for festivalgoers include the grape stomp, hosted by the Bryan Noon Lion’s Club, in front of the Carnegie History Center and the Kids Zone, which features inflatable bounce houses, the Purple Turtle Art Studio, and a miniature barrel train, according to the Texas Reds Festival website. Additionally, throughout the streets of Downtown Bryan will be local artists and vendors, as well as musicians playing on different stages planted throughout the festival, Brown says.
Ultimately, Texas Reds is designed to bring guests to Downtown Bryan, and that is exactly what the festival does. “I just love that the community has the opportunity to come to Downtown Bryan and experience it in a very different way, and to celebrate all things Texas,” Brown says. “The Texas wine, the Texas beer, the live music, the arts … it’s just a big celebration.”
Tickets for tastings and meals are on sale now, and you can save five percent by ordering your tickets between Sept. 11 and 21. For more information on ticket pricing and the events, visit www.texasredsfestival.com.
