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A local yearly German heritage festival is adding a new event for the upcoming celebration in Boerne.
Latest update
Das Festival of Kendall—a German heritage festival hosted yearly in downtown Boerne—announced the addition of a new event called the Das Pageant for 2026.
“We’re really trying to bring back the old traditions here in Boerne,” Veronica Brown, the vice president of Das Festival of Kendall, told Community Impact.
Brown said the addition of the beauty pageant is one “baby step” toward bringing a dedicated German festival back into the spotlight for local residents after the Boerne Berges Fest ceased operations in 2021. The event first began in 1967.
More details
The new Das Pageant will feature participants from several age-based categories.
Brown said the Das Festival queen, princess and duchess will all be selected from grades 9 through 12, while the Das Festival junior queen will be selected from grades 6 through 8. An additional Mädchen queen will be selected for those in grades 3 through 5.
The pageant will take place on June 19 at 6 p.m. at the Main Plaza—more details will be announced about the contest on Feb. 18. To stay updated about the festival, check out their Facebook page here.
Final takeaways
The 3rd annual Das Festival of Kendall will take place on Father’s Day weekend, from June 19-21, at the Main Plaza in downtown Boerne.
Like last year’s event, the celebration will feature a myriad of German-inspired entertainment and activities, from Dachshund races to stein holding, Brown said.
All proceeds will go toward several local nonprofit organizations throughout Kendall County and the Hill Country.
According to Brown, the festival has only grown since its inception in 2024—last year saw 8,500 attendees, and she hopes the community will come together once again.
“We wanted to be a nonprofit that gives back to the entire county,” Brown said. "The support we get every year is unreal."
