County Road 409 is a short road off Highway 71. Spicewood Vineyards sits at 1419 on it, and Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery sits at 101. Between now and the first week of December, most of Spicewood's scheduled evenings out and its biggest free holiday afternoon happen on that road, and most of those at the vineyard.
The other half of a Spicewood November usually happens about 20 minutes west at Pedernales Falls State Park, and this year the park's calendar has two gaps in it. Those gaps fall on the weeks when guests are most likely to be in town, so the order of the season comes down to which calendar is open on a given day.
Two closures that fall on hosting weeks
Texas Parks and Wildlife closes Pedernales Falls entirely three times this winter. Only permitted hunters may enter during those windows. TPWD's calendar listing says the closures cover wildlife management hunts, removal of invasive species, chronic wasting disease testing and wildlife surveys, and that only hunters chosen by lottery may enter.
| Closure window | Days of the week | What sits next to it |
|---|---|---|
| 10 p.m. Nov. 21 to 2 p.m. Nov. 24 | Saturday night to Tuesday afternoon | Reopens two days before Thanksgiving |
| 10 p.m. Dec. 13 to 2 p.m. Dec. 17 | Sunday night to Thursday afternoon | Between the Dec. 6 Santa event and the Dec. 18 stargazing program |
| 10 p.m. Jan. 18 to 2 p.m. Jan. 22, 2027 | Monday night to Friday afternoon | The week after the long holiday break |
The dates are listed on the park's alerts page. The November window affects Thanksgiving week the most. Gates reopen at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24, so the park is open for the holiday itself and the weekend after it. The closure begins on a busy day. Saturday, Nov. 21, has Family Volunteer Day and a Fishing with a Ranger session on the park calendar before the gates close that night.
The December window runs Sunday night through Thursday afternoon, which leaves the weekends on either side open. Weekends and holidays are when TPWD asks visitors to book day passes or campsites ahead, because permits often sell out. A day pass isn't strictly required. Visitors can pay at the gate if passes remain, but TPWD's day pass FAQ says an advance pass is the only way to guarantee entry. Daily entry is $6 for visitors 13 and older and free for children 12 and under.
Two smaller changes are already in effect or coming soon. As of Oct. 29, the North and South Equestrian trails are closed to horseback riders, and all other trails stay open. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, the water/electric campground closes through summer 2027 for construction, while the Twin Falls Trail remains open.
County Road 409 covers the weeks the park can't
Spicewood Arts calls Spicewood Vineyards its long-time home, and five of the six shows in its 2026–2027 season take place there. The season opens tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 6, with Paul Overstreet & Friends at the Spicewood Vineyards Event Center. Overstreet is a Nashville songwriter whose catalog includes "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "When You Say Nothing at All." The Spicewood Arts season page bills the evening as his visit just weeks after his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Mike Loudermilk and John Patti join him on stage.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30. General admission is $85 and reserved seats are $125, with 70 reserved seats in total. A $50 artist reception from 6 to 6:30 p.m. is limited to 20 guests, includes a glass of wine, and requires a concert ticket. Spicewood Vineyards sells wine at the show, and no venue on the series allows outside alcohol.
The series comes back to the vineyard on Friday, Dec. 4, for a holiday show with the Matt Wilson Band. Wilson starred as the "Piano Man" in the first national tour of Movin' Out, and he'll play with a six-piece band that takes requests. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show starts at 7, and general admission is $60. Season tickets cover all six shows for $300, and only 50 are offered.
The vineyard also hosts its own events between the two concerts. The Fall Wine Club Pick Up Party runs Sunday, Nov. 22, from noon to 5 p.m. with tastings of new wines, live music and light bites. RSVP wasn't open yet when the event page was last updated. It lands on the first full day of the park's Thanksgiving-week closure.
The free afternoon of the season is the 4th annual Sip & Shop With Santa on Sunday, Dec. 6, from noon to 4 p.m. More than a dozen vendors will sell gifts, and photos with Santa are free. The next Sunday night, the park closes for its December window.
After New Year's, the series leaves the vineyard for a while. The Peterson Brothers play Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery, also on County Road 409, on Saturday, March 6, 2027. Will Taylor & Strings Attached play the Lopez Hill Art & Tequila Gallery at 12649 E. State Highway 71 on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027.
The park after dark, on the weekends it's open
Both of the park's night programs fall on weekends just outside the closures, and both use the dark skies over the Pedernales River.
Hiking to the Stars, Saturday, Nov. 28, 6 to 7:30 p.m. This is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, four days after the gates reopen. The group meets at the Falls Parking lot and hikes to stargaze from the falls. RSVP by email to the ranger listed on the event page. There's no extra fee beyond park entry, and the program is child- and dog-friendly if weather allows.
Christmastime Constellations, Friday, Dec. 18, and Saturday, Dec. 19, 6 to 7 p.m. both nights. The Friday session is the park's first evening program after the December closure ends on Thursday afternoon. The group meets at the Star Theater behind the bird blinds to look at the December sky. No registration is needed beyond park entry. Rangers make the go or no-go call for weather at 2 p.m. two days before each session.
Earlier the same Friday, Dec. 18, a Guided Geology Hike looks at the park's rock formations and fossils. Combined with the evening program, that makes a full day at the park the day after it reopens.
Closer to home on Highway 71 and Bee Creek Road
Spicewood also has two new places since early October.
4 Sisters Bar & Pavilion held its grand opening on Oct. 10 inside Vino Tramonto Cabins at 212 County Road 413. It serves wine, cocktails, local beer and food, with indoor and outdoor seating, a covered pavilion and live music. Its posted hours on Sundays and Mondays are noon to 10 p.m. That gives Spicewood a new evening spot on the Sunday of the wine club party and on the Sunday of Sip & Shop.
On Bee Creek Road, the counter at 4900 Bee Creek Road, Suite 205, is now Neighbor's Cafe. Community Impact reported that Winston's: Coffee, Provisions, Pizza changed ownership of its Spicewood location in October, and that owners Aaron and Sally Creamer are concentrating on their Winston's at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave. Neighbor's Cafe serves the same kind of menu: coffee drinks, pizza, salads and breakfast.
Highway 71 Brewing Co., at 22111 State Hwy. 71, #601, has been open for more than a year. Local Eats reported in mid-October that the taproom has filed for a mixed-beverage permit, which would let it add cocktails. Farther out on the calendar, SpiceQ is a restaurant-and-retail project proposed for 5600 Hwy. 71. According to Community Impact, the filing projects construction from January 2027 through July 2028.
The season in order
- Fri., Nov. 6: Paul Overstreet & Friends, Spicewood Vineyards Event Center, doors 6:30 p.m.
- Sat., Nov. 21: Family Volunteer Day and Fishing with a Ranger at Pedernales Falls. The park closes at 10 p.m.
- Sun., Nov. 22: Fall Wine Club Pick Up Party, Spicewood Vineyards, noon to 5 p.m.
- Tue., Nov. 24: Pedernales Falls reopens at 2 p.m.
- Sat., Nov. 28: Hiking to the Stars, Falls Parking lot, 6 p.m., RSVP by email
- Fri., Dec. 4: Matt Wilson Band holiday show, Spicewood Vineyards, doors 6 p.m.
- Sat., Dec. 5: Fishing with a Ranger, Pedernales Falls
- Sun., Dec. 6: Sip & Shop With Santa, Spicewood Vineyards, noon to 4 p.m., free
- Sun., Dec. 13: Pedernales Falls closes at 10 p.m.
- Thu., Dec. 17: Pedernales Falls reopens at 2 p.m.
- Fri., Dec. 18, and Sat., Dec. 19: Christmastime Constellations, Star Theater, 6 p.m.
The year's last closure comes after the holidays, from 10 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, to 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, 2027. By then the park's water/electric campground will have closed for its construction project.
Hosting family in Spicewood this season, or deciding whether a home near County Road 409 or the Pedernales fits the way you spend your weekends? Chris Krueger knows this side of Highway 71 well and is glad to talk through it with you. Let's Work Together.
