San Antonio, TX, October 11, 2025
News Summary
Throughout October, San Antonio will be alive with a variety of festivals, cultural celebrations, and Halloween events. Highlights include the 39th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival, the Barbacoa & Big Red Festival, and several family-friendly Halloween attractions. Events encompass music, food, and cultural traditions with options suitable for all ages, many of which are free or low-cost. Expect to find a blend of entertainment including culinary competitions, cultural performances, and spooky fun throughout the month.
San Antonio
San Antonio will host a wide range of festivals, food-and-drink events, cultural celebrations and Halloween attractions throughout October. Major highlights include the 39th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival (October 9-12), the Barbacoa & Big Red Festival (October 11-12), and a cluster of family-friendly and Halloween-themed events across parks, theatres and venue grounds. Events cover music, food, cultural traditions, arts, nature education and haunted attractions, with options for all ages and many free or low-cost entries.
Key events and dates
Below is a concise list of the principal events scheduled in October, with locations, dates and the main focus of each offering.
Event details
- 39th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival: Location: Gruene Historic District; Dates: October 9-12; Features: Music performances and wine tastings.
- Barbacoa & Big Red Festival: Location: Freeman Coliseum Grounds and Expo Hall; Dates: October 11-12; Highlights: Local food, entertainment, and a mini mercado; admission cost $8.29, children under 12 are free.
- San Antonio Beer Festival: Location: Civic Park at Hemisfair; Date: October 12; Note: 21+ event.
- Floresville Peanut Festival: Location: Historic downtown Floresville; Dates: October 10-11; Activities: Parade, carnival, vendors, live entertainment, and peanut treats.
- Diez y Seis Mariachi Festival: Location: Arneson River Theatre at La Villita; Date: October 11; Description: Cultural celebration featuring local mariachi performances.
- Burger Showdown 6.0: Date: October 10; Location: Cherrity Bar; Focus: Culinary event for burger enthusiasts.
- Oktoberfest Celebrations: Various venues including a Food Festival at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Mad Dogs British Pub on the River Walk.
- Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo Fest: Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden; Dates: October 10-11; Events: Halloween shows and character appearances.
- CiboloFest: Location: Multi Event Center, Cibolo; Date: October 18; Activities: Live music, carnival rides, and performances.
- ConcordiaFest: Date: October 12; Location: 16801 Huebner Road; Admission: Free, featuring food, games, and activities.
- Jazz in the Garden: Dates: October 10 and November 7; Location: Japanese Tea Garden; Features: Live jazz concerts.
- KLRN Kids Fall Festival: Date: October 11; Location: Mission Marquee Plaza; Include: Activities and a meet-and-greet with Elmo.
- Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival: Date: October 18; Location: St. Paul Square; Description: Featuring over 250 artists with live music and art displays.
- Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival: Date: October 18; Location: Brackenridge Park; Focus: Family-friendly nature education activities.
- Muertos Fest: Dates: October 24-26; Location: Hemisfair; Notable: Celebrating DÃa de los Muertos with live music and festivities.
- Fright Fest 2025 at Six Flags Fiesta Texas: Dates: Select nights through November 2; Features: Haunted mazes, scare zones, and live shows.
- Haunted Dollhouse: Experience: Daytime self-tours for those interested in haunted attractions.
- Zoo Boo! at San Antonio Zoo: Admission: Free with regular entry, featuring trick-or-treating and creative Halloween displays.
- Nightmare at Owl Creek: Activities: A pumpkin patch by day and haunted experiences at night.
- Terrorland: Experience: Haunted hayride and other spooky attractions.
Practical notes for attendees
Many events list specific age limits, admission costs or location details. The San Antonio Beer Festival is a 21+ event. The Barbacoa & Big Red Festival lists an admission cost of $8.29 and notes that children under 12 are free. ConcordiaFest is free to attend. Some attractions, including several haunted experiences and amusement-park events, run on select nights or have separate admission policies.
Background and context
October in San Antonio traditionally includes a mix of harvest-season fairs, cultural observances and Halloween programming. This October’s lineup emphasizes community festivals, food and music events, arts showcases and multiple options for family-friendly and seasonal spooky entertainment. Venues include outdoor parks, historic districts, theatre spaces and theme-park grounds, reflecting the variety of public and private event spaces used across the metropolitan area.
Event summary table
| Event | Location | Dates | Highlights / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival | Gruene Historic District | October 9-12 | Music performances and wine tastings. |
| Barbacoa & Big Red Festival | Freeman Coliseum Grounds and Expo Hall | October 11-12 | Local food, entertainment, mini mercado; admission cost $8.29, children under 12 are free. |
| San Antonio Beer Festival | Civic Park at Hemisfair | October 12 | 21+ event. |
| Floresville Peanut Festival | Historic downtown Floresville | October 10-11 | Parade, carnival, vendors, live entertainment, and peanut treats. |
| Diez y Seis Mariachi Festival | Arneson River Theatre at La Villita | October 11 | Cultural celebration featuring local mariachi performances. |
| Burger Showdown 6.0 | Cherrity Bar | October 10 | Culinary event for burger enthusiasts. |
| Muertos Fest | Hemisfair | October 24-26 | Celebrating DÃa de los Muertos with live music and festivities. |
October timeline (selected)
| Date | Event | Status / Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 9-12 | 39th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 10 | Burger Showdown 6.0 | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 10-11 | Floresville Peanut Festival | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 11 | Diez y Seis Mariachi Festival | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 11-12 | Barbacoa & Big Red Festival | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 12 | San Antonio Beer Festival; ConcordiaFest | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 18 | CiboloFest; Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival; Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival | Scheduled / Event listing |
| October 24-26 | Muertos Fest | Scheduled / Event listing |
| Select nights through November 2 | Fright Fest 2025 at Six Flags Fiesta Texas | Scheduled / Event listing |
Simple event-type chart
Visual representation of listed events by broad type (counts reflect events named in the article).
| Type | Count | Visual |
|---|---|---|
| Music & Arts | 7 | |
| Food & Drink | 5 | |
| Family / Kids | 5 | |
| Halloween / Haunted | 6 |
FAQ
39th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival
Location: Gruene Historic District Dates: October 9-12 Features: Music performances and wine tastings.
Barbacoa & Big Red Festival
Location: Freeman Coliseum Grounds and Expo Hall Dates: October 11-12 Highlights: Local food, entertainment, and a mini mercado; admission cost $8.29, children under 12 are free.
San Antonio Beer Festival
Location: Civic Park at Hemisfair Date: October 12 Note: 21+ event.
Floresville Peanut Festival
Location: Historic downtown Floresville Dates: October 10-11 Activities: Parade, carnival, vendors, live entertainment, and peanut treats.
Diez y Seis Mariachi Festival
Location: Arneson River Theatre at La Villita Date: October 11 Description: Cultural celebration featuring local mariachi performances.
Burger Showdown 6.0
Date: October 10 Location: Cherrity Bar Focus: Culinary event for burger enthusiasts.
Oktoberfest Celebrations
Various venues including a Food Festival at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Mad Dogs British Pub on the River Walk.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo Fest
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden Dates: October 10-11 Events: Halloween shows and character appearances.
CiboloFest
Location: Multi Event Center, Cibolo Date: October 18 Activities: Live music, carnival rides, and performances.
ConcordiaFest
Date: October 12 Location: 16801 Huebner Road Admission: Free, featuring food, games, and activities.
Jazz in the Garden
Dates: October 10 and November 7 Location: Japanese Tea Garden Features: Live jazz concerts.
KLRN Kids Fall Festival
Date: October 11 Location: Mission Marquee Plaza Include: Activities and a meet-and-greet with Elmo.
Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival
Date: October 18 Location: St. Paul Square Description: Featuring over 250 artists with live music and art displays.
Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival
Date: October 18 Location: Brackenridge Park Focus: Family-friendly nature education activities.
Muertos Fest
Dates: October 24-26 Location: Hemisfair Notable: Celebrating DÃa de los Muertos with live music and festivities.
Fright Fest 2025 at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Dates: Select nights through November 2 Features: Haunted mazes, scare zones, and live shows.
Haunted Dollhouse
Experience: Daytime self-tours for those interested in haunted attractions.
Zoo Boo! at San Antonio Zoo
Admission: Free with regular entry, featuring trick-or-treating and creative Halloween displays.
Nightmare at Owl Creek
Activities: A pumpkin patch by day and haunted experiences at night.
Terrorland
Experience: Haunted hayride and other spooky attractions.
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Additional Resources
- News 4 San Antonio
- Wikipedia: San Antonio
- KSAT News
- Google Search: San Antonio fall festivals 2025
- San Antonio Things To Do
- Google Scholar: San Antonio events October 2025
- Fox San Antonio
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Fright Fest Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- CultureMap San Antonio
- Google News: San Antonio Halloween events 2025
Author: STAFF HERE SAN ANTONIO WRITER
The SAN ANTONIO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESanAntonio.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in San Antonio, Bexar County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Fiesta San Antonio, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and Dia de los Muertos. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, plus leading businesses in retail, insurance, and energy that power the local economy such as H-E-B, USAA, and Valero Energy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREDallas.com, and HEREHouston.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
