Christmas on the Square - December 13

An exciting, eventful holiday weekend is planned in Burnet, Texas when we celebrate the annual Christmas on the Square!  On Saturday, December 13, the tree and the county courthouse will be lit up for the  occasion. 

Texas Tea-Licious on the Square is a delicious spot for Burnet visitors to enjoy a meal. 

Performances by local entertainers such as the Burnet Gunfighters, shops and restaurants open late, a visit from Santa, Main Street Bethlehem, and an old fashioned Fort Croghan Christmas are some of the fun activities planned. 

There is still limited room at The Verandas Guest House if you want to stay just steps away from it all! Call us (512) 588-0088 or use our online reservation form to book your stay. 

Main Street Bethlehem December 2014

Burnet First Baptist Church's famous Christmas Story reenactment, "Main Street Bethlehem," is the first two weekends in December from 6 pm - 9 pm. 
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Main-Street-Bethlehem/388984237812675) 

Just a short walk from The Verandas Guest House!

Get Spotted Shopping in Burnet, Texas - November 28-29

Some Burnet merchants will be helping Santa and his elves save a lot when they "Spot the Dot" on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday (some businesses are doing the sale longer!).  Participating merchants from the Burnet Association of Merchants such as All Mixed Up, the Burnet Antique Mall, and the Knot Hole will have select merchandise marked with a dot / discount.  Other businesses, such as Carolees also have discounts available for holiday shoppers.

The Picayune newspaper featured an article for the Spot the Dot event.  You can read their article HERE. 

Make a weekend of it and stay at The Verandas Guest House, right off the square.  You can walk to the shops and rest and relax in between all the bargains!  

  

Race On Down to Burnet! - November 2014

The Hill Country is a great area for runners, cyclists, swimmers, triathletes, etc. to test their skills.  Besides local 5Ks and 10Ks, more rugged areas such as Inks Lake State Park and Reveille Peak Ranch near Burnet, Texas have events for athletes of all kinds. The Houston Room at the Verandas Guest House has been a popular room for race participants to rest up prior to race day, and with its modern tub and shower, to clean up after the race was done!

One of the events that has been announced for November 2014 is The Lonestar Granite Enduro on November 15 and November 16 -- a challenging 1 or 2 day cycling event at Reveille Peak Ranch - more information is available on their Facebook Event Page.

The following week - November 22 -  Reveille Peak Ranch will host the Reveille Peak 100 mountain bike race.  This race is being presented by Terra Firma Racing and has solo and team categories.

Whether you are a participant or a spectator, The Verandas is a relaxing and restful place to prepare for or wind down after a race!  Visit us online at verandasburnet.com or call (512) 588-0088 to reserve your room!

Map Your Way to Burnet Art Festival - September 20-21

Downtown Burnet is hosting its first Map Your Way to Burnet Plein Air Art Festival and Contest Saturday, September 20 - Sunday, September 21.  .  

The festival booths will be located on the courthouse square, and a chalk art contest will be held on Saturday!  Visit the festival website for more information.  

Map Your Way to Burnet Plein Air Art Festival website

The Verandas Guest House is pleased to be hosting the judge's reception on Saturday evening from 6-8 p.m

Texas Hill Country Wine Trail Harvests and Grape Stomps

The Verandas Guest House in Burnet is convenient to wineries and vineyards that we like to call the "Wines Off 29".  August is harvest season for many local wineries, and some even celebrate with grape stomps!

About a 40 minute drive to the west of The Verandas is Fall Creek Vineyard (www.fcv.com).  They are located at 1820 County Road 222 in Tow, Texas.  Their 25th annual festivities on Saturday, August 23 are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and include star chef luncheons ($23 per person), a wine and cheese special barrel tasting ($25 per person for wine club members), grilled food available to purchase on the patio, and the barefoot grape stomp - which is FREE! Call (325) 379-5361 to make reservations and confirm times, prices, and info or visit the events webpage (CLICK HERE).  

Closer to the city of Burnet (15 short minutes away) is Perissos Vineyards (www.perissosvineyards.com).   7214 Park Road 4 West is just past Inks Lake if you come from Highway 29, or you can get there from Park Road 4 off of Highway 281.  Their tasting room hours are from 12 pm to 5 pm on Wednesday through Sunday, and they offer tastings as well as fruit and cheese plates to accompany your tasting.  We especially like their Tempranillo red!  Call them at (512) 820-2950 for more information.

Go north from Burnet on Highway 281 towards Lampasas to get to Texas Legato Winery at 2935 FM 1478 in Lampasas.  They had their grape stomp earlier in the month, but you can still go visit them!  Their hours are from 12 pm to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday and 12:30 pm to 5 pm on Sunday.  Call (512) 556-9600 to inquire about tastings.  Their website is www.texaslegatowinery.net . 

Not too far from there is Pillar Bluff Vineyards (www.pillarbluff.com) They are open Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 12:30 pm to 5 pm.  This vineyard is located at 300 County Road 111 in Lampasas, and you can call for more details at (512) 556-4078. 

Head southeast to Pilot Knob Vineyard (www.pilotknobvineyard.com) located at 3125 County Road 212 outside of Bertram, Texas.  Their tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm.  Call them at (512) 489-2999.  We are intrigued by the red wine with the smoke flavor, but it is nice to sit out back with a chilled glass of their lighter wine!

A new addition off of Highway 281 in Marble Falls (just 20 minutes south of The Verandas) is Flat Creek Enoteca at 112 Highwy 281.  Tuesday through Thursday 11 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 8 pm, and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm they have a "Flights and Bites" pairing of wines and artisan fare ($18 per person).  They are fairly new, so to get more information call them at (830) 637-7123.
 

CLICK HERE to see a Google Maps route of the "Wines Off 29" from The Verandas Guest House.

Marble Falls Lakefest Boat Races, Kyle Park Concert, and Hill Country Grape Stomps (August 8 -9)

There are so many reasons to stay and play in Burnet, Texas the weekend of August 8, 9, and 10!   The Verandas Guest  House (www.verandasburnet.com) lis located right in the middle of it all!



On Saturday, August 9, enjoy some live music from the Burnet Summer Concert Series in Haley Nelson Park off of Hwy 29 (http://www.cityofburnet.com/documents/Poster.pdf)
This concert features Kyle Park (www.kylepark.com) and the admission is $10. 
The flyer from the city suggests bringing lawn chairs for this outdoor concert, and coolers are welcome! 

A short 20 minute drive down the road, Marble Falls is hosting their annual Lakefest Boat Races (Friday - Show and Shine, Saturday - races and Deacon Willie concert in Johnson Park, and Sunday - races/finals)
 Tickets are $25 for race days and $45 for a three-day pass.  Available online  (http://www.marblefallslakefest.com) , at the gate, or call the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce (www.marblefalls.org)

And... it's grape harvest season!  That means that the Burnet area vineyards and wineries - we like to call them the "Wines Off 29" - will be hosting stomps and special events this month.  We will blog more about the grape stomps in the next post.  Here are the websites for the four wineries that are near The Verandas Guest House:
Fall Creek Vineyards, Tow (www.fcv.com)
Perissos Vineyard, off Park Road 4 (www.perissos.com)
Pilot Knob VIneyard, outside Bertram (www.pilotknobvineyard.com)
Texas Legato Winery, just south of Lampasas (http://www.texaslegatowinery.net/)

www.verandasburnet.comwww.verandasburnet.comwww.verandasburnet.com

Shopping the Square in Burnet Texas (August 1, 2, and 3)

Want something to do in the Hill Country as the summer winds down?  Start off August with shopping in Burnet, Texas!  There are several quaint and unique stores on the courthouse square and just down the road.

Right around the corner from The Verandas Guest House is CaroLee's.  You can shop for antiques, collectibles, jewelry, vintage items, and clothing.  When they had their grand opening last year, we bought a cute pink and green floral tapestry pillow for the chaise in the Austin Suite.

They are celebrating their one-year anniversary on Friday, August 1st from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.  Bonnie tells us that there will be refreshments and discounts for shoppers.  Be sure to stop in and tell them "Happy Anniversary!" and pick up a great deal.  

CaroLee's is located at 139 E Jackson (the southeast corner of the square, at Jackson and Pierce).  They are on Facebook, too!  Be sure to visit and "Like" them at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolees/239246349560623. Call them at (512) 525-4894 if you need more information.  

Other shops on the square are All Mixed Up, Burnet Antique Mall, The Grapevine, and Sassy Ann's.  Off the square (down the highways)  you will find shops including Crossroads Antiques, Finds of All Kinds, The Knothole, Pickers Paradise, and S&H Trading Post.   

Don't forget the local artists and vendors who are at the Farmers' Market on summer weekends, including Saturday, August 2!

Weekend To Do List: Relax (July 24-27)

There is a lot going on around Burnet at the end of July -- golf, live theater, live music, farmers' market, paranormal cave tours, sunset cruises on the lake, and wine trails.  Here are some more details to plan your fun -- and then you can relax in one of the comfy suites at The Verandas Guest House at the end of each busy day! 

Delaware Springs Golf Course
July 25-26
Bring Your Best 3 Person Scramble 1:30 shotgun start both days  
(512) 756-8471  
http://www.delawaresprings.com/event-calendar/BringYourBest.html 

Hill Country Community Theater, Cottonwood Shores
Hello,  Dolly!
July 24, 25, 26 at 7:30 pm July 27 at 2:15
adults $20 (830) 798-8944
http://www.thehcct.org

Uptown Theater Marble Falls 
Guy ForsythJuly 26   Doors 6:00 pm Showtime 8:00 pm
$13.75 / $18.70 
(830) 693-2622  
http://www.theuptownonmain.com/calendar.html

Burnet Farmers Market
Local farmers and vendors on the square in Burnet 
July 26 9 am - 1 pm 

Burnet Gunfighters Show 
July 26 Show times are at approximately 1:30 PM 
Wild west gunfight re-enactment
Across from the train tracks off of League Street
burnetgunfighters.org

The Hill Country Flyer
July 26 Departs 10:00 AM, Returns 4:00 PM.
$36 - $500 
(512) 477-8468  
http://www.austinsteamtrain.org/ 

Longhorn Caverns State Park 
July 26 7:30 and 10 pm 
Paranormal Cave Tours  ($25)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/longhorn-cavern 

Inks Lake State Park 

Night Sky Party Stargazing Through Aug 31  8:30 to 11 pm (361) 438-8733 $4 ($3 for TSPP holders, children ages 6 and under are free) + park entrance fees
 http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/inks-lake 

Inks Lake Sunset Electric Boat TourJuly 25 7:45 - 8:45
Preregistration required, $12 adults, $10 TSPP Holders, $10 seniors / children.
+ Park entrance fees 
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/inks-lake

Burnet Area Wineries and Vineyards We like to call this little pocket of wineries and vineyards "Wines Off 29" 
Perissos Vineyard, Burnet http://perissosvineyards.com/
Pilot Knob Vineyard, Bertram http://www.pilotknobvineyard.com/
Fall Creek Vineyard, Tow http://www.pilotknobvineyard.com/
Texas Legato Winery, Lampasas http://www.texaslegato.com/ 

Bluegrass / Live Music - July 19

Burnet, Texas is hosting a bluegrass festival in Haley Nelson Park on July 19, 2014.  Flyers from  the city recommend bringing a lawn chair, and welcome coolers. Admission is free (however, we saw info on a different source that said admission was $10, so you may want to call the city or the chamber to clarify).  

The music is scheduled to be going on from 1 pm - 11 pm, and will feature Flatt Lonesome Band  (http://flattlonesome.com). More information can be found on the flyer from the City of Burnet website http://www.cityofburnet.com/documents/Poster.pdf 

Texas Tea-Licious on Main Street is continuing its live music nights on Tuesday and Saturday from 6-8pm.  Their schedule is posted on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Tea-licious-Specialty-Food-Store/124297507583503  

The Verandas Guest House has a little "live music"of its own when the the frogs and crickets start "singing" by the pond each evening!  We also recently added an antique melodeon reed organ  to the parlor....and it actually works!  Be sure to call (512) 588-0088, email verandasburnet@gmail.com, or book online at verandasburnet.com to book yourself a great nearby place to stay for the wonderful music events!  

Independence Day Happenings - July 3 - 5

Burnet and the Hill Country area have lots of celebrations and events planned for the long 4th of July weekend. Come have a blast at the local communities' celebrations, and then relax and unwind the rest of your weekend on the porch of The Verandas Guest House.

Most of these events came from the chamber websites of the communities.  You may want to call ahead to verify times / dates / prices, etc.  

Thursday, July 3 

Kids Independence Day Brigade: Herman Brown Free Library 

10 am, crafts and parade around The Square

Aqua Boom Street Dance, Kingsland
8 pm - 11 pm, featuring The Band 24K
Free admission 

Friday, July 4 

Independence Day Bike Parade, Inks Lake State Park 

9 am bike decorating, 10 am parade 

Park entrance fees apply

Rockin' River Fest, Llano TX
9 pm - 10 pm Fireworks in Badu Park

Community Fireworks, Marble Falls TX
5-6 pm Music by The Flashbacks
6 - 7 pm Concert by Hill Country Community Band (inside Pavilion)
7:30 - 9 pm Music by The Wonderfuls
DARK - Fireworks Show

AquaBoom Activities, Kingsland TX
9 am Kids Parade, 10 am Land Parade, 6pm Boat Parade
4 pm Wacky Raft Race, 5 pm Rubber Duck Race
7 pm Malibu Boats Ski Show
7:30 - 9:00 pm Brooks Crossing Band
DARK - Aqua Boom Fireworks show

Saturday July 5 

Burnet Farmers Market  

9 am - 1 pm, Burnet Square

Live Music - Rick Bussey, Texas Tea-Licious
6 pm - 8 pm 

Burgers and Blues: Fall Creek Vineyard, Tow TX 

12 - 2  Lunch from the grill / 2 - 5 games,  music 

$15 (Wine tasting extra) 

Independence Day Celebration: Canyon of the Eagles, RR 2341 

5 - 10  BBQ meal and celebration 

$18.95 adults, reservations recommended

Mud Races at Toyland, Llano TX
7 pm
$10

Aqua Boom Activities, Kingsland TX
8:30 a.m. (shotgun start) Golf Tournament -  Lighthouse Country Club
10 am Horseshoe / Washer Tournament
10 am - 3 pm Poker Run on the River
8 pm  Street Dance featuring River Rat Revue Band

Summer Concert - Granger Smith / Earl Dibbles Jr - June 28

Burnet, Texas is presenting its summer concerts in the park again this year. Coming up on June 28, 2014 is Granger Smith  (Earl Dibbles Jr.).  Fans of Smith (Dibbles)  know him for his country music and videos such as  "The Country Boy Song."

The concert will be on west Hwy 29 at Haley Nelson Park at 7:30 p.m..  Ticket prices are $10 per person, coolers are welcome, lawn chairs are encouraged for seating. 

More information can be found at www.grangersmith.com (check out the link for Tour Dates), or at the Burnet Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.burnetchamber.org/calendar).

Hats, boots, and spurs worn in the
Gunfighters re-enactment shows in Burnet.

 

Of course, if you are planning on coming to Burnet for the Saturday concert, you will enjoy staying at The Verandas Guest House overnight!  Email us (verandasburnet@gmail.com), call (512) 588-0088, or use the online reservation system at verandasburnet.com.

Burnet County Fair - June 20 and 21

The annual Burnet County Fair  will be held this year at the Burnet Community Center at 401 E. Jackson Street.  The theme this year is PATRIOTISM. 

Exhibits and entries will be taken and judged on Thursday, June 19.  Children's events and presentation of awards will be on Friday, June 20.  On Saturday, June 21, the Lake Area Rods and Classics car club will have a show, the Austin Steam Train Hill Country Flyer will make a trip to Burnet, and the Burnet Gunfighters will perform at 1:30 p.m.  Don't miss the 4-H Barbecue to be held on Saturday from 11 to 2 (tickets will be on sale at the door).  

You can find a more complete schedule and more information on the official website 

burnetcountyfair.com or you may call 512-756-9396. 

After a long day of fun and excitement at the fair, unwind at The Verandas Guest House, just a short walk from the Community Center.  Make an online reservation at verandasburnet.com, email verandasburnet@gmail.com, or call us at (512) 588-0088.   

Children of the Republic of Texas Convention - June 20 - 21

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas have chosen Burnet to play host to their annual Children of the Republic of Texas convention Friday, June 20 through Saturday, June 21, 2014.  According to the DRT website, the convention is held each year to complete business and award scholarships on behalf of the organization.  While the meeting itself will be held at a local hotel, we are honored to be hosting some of the ladies here at the Verandas Guest House.  We welcome the DRT and CRT to Burnet and all the historical aspects it has to offer!

More information about membership and the convention can be found at http://www.drtinfo.org/membership-2/children-of-the-republic-of-texas




Update June 20 :
The crowd at Ft Croghan were treated to live music, a show by the Burnet Gunfighters, and cowboy stew served from a real chuck wagon! 

Burnet Pro Rodeo - June 13 and 14

The Burnet CPRA Pro Rodeo will be held June 13 and June 14 at the Burnet County Fairgrounds (1301 Houston Clinton Drive).  The Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association website contains more information and contacts at  http://www.cprarodeo.com/schedule.php#burnet

If you need a place to hang your hat and kick off your boots, the Verandas is a perfect lodging / accommodation choice for the weekend! The original part of the house was built in 1856 as a stagecoach stop for the Burnet area.  The limestone walls in the heart of the house and the limestone well on the front porch are reminders of the "Wild West" beginnings of the community.

Use our online reservation form, email us at verandasburnet@gmail.com, or call us at (512) 588-0088 to book your room!

Congratulations, Hill Country Graduates!

Burnet High School's Class of 2014 will graduate this weekend, and Marble Falls High School will hold commencement for its graduates next weekend.  We are happy to be hosting celebrations for families of graduates from each of these local communities.  What a great way to begin our first full summer season!