Driftwood Fall Festival

Vista Brewing is hosting the Driftwood Fall Festival at its 21-acre Hill Country ranch in Driftwood, just outside Austin. It's a boutique pumpkin patch that runs from Wednesday, October 7, through Sunday, November 1, and it's part of a wider fall spread across four local properties rather than a single event. The ranch itself runs a closed loop: the Great Pumpkin Smash sends smashed gourds to the pigs and sheep next door, who also eat the brewery's spent grain and eventually return as pork on the kitchen menu. Nearby, Driftwood Estate Winery—the area's original commercial vineyard, planted in 1998—has added an in-house craft beer program to its wine-only tasting room. Camp Ben McCulloch runs its own fall camp season alongside the festival, and The Axe House & Bar hosts a weekly Texas Hold'em tournament every Saturday. On the ranch, the grounds are described as less crowded, with free parking and no nickel-and-diming.

Hours change by the day: Wednesday and Thursday from 4 PM to 7 PM; Friday from 2 PM to 7 PM; and Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 7 PM. They're also open Monday, October 12, for the school holiday. Weekdays cost $8, which includes a free mini pumpkin. Friday Happy Hour from 2 PM to 4 PM is $5, and weekends—Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—are $15. A season pass is $40. Children 3 and under are free, and seniors 65+, veterans, active military, first responders, and teachers pay $5 with ID.