A Day at Musikfest, 2025

I kicked off my Saturday around 3:15 on the Southside, taking in everything from the aroma of food trucks to the crowds shuffling toward Levitt Pavilion. After wandering for a bit and catching up with a friend, my sister and I hopped on the shuttle and headed to the Northside to meet up with my aunt and a few other family members.

Our first stop was the courtyard at the Sun Inn on Main Street, where we came up with a plan of attack for the day. Even as a local who’s been going to Musikfest for over 10 years, I still find myself needing somewhat of a game plan — there’s just so much to do, eat, and see.

I tried taking a “shortcut” at the end of Main Street, which turned out to be the long way (classic). We wound up down the hill near the Luckenbach Mill, which honestly isn’t a bad move if you want to start from a less crowded area and gradually work your way through the festival.

Our first food stop: Island Noodles. This place is a staple for me every year. Think of it like an upgraded chicken lo mein with a little kick. I always get mine with teriyaki chicken, and the best part (in my opinion) is the chunky broccoli and mixed veggies. They add such a good crunch! The sauce is light, not too heavy, which makes it the perfect opening “snack” for a long day of festing. Rating this year’s batch: 8.5/10.

Right across from Island Noodles is Martin Guitar Handwerkplatz, which was next on our list. I’m a little candle-obsessed, so naturally we had to stop by the Blue Mountain Candle tent. After smelling about 25 different scents without actually buying one (don't judge), I knew it was time to move on before I walked out with a whole crate of Mango Margarita candles. This platz has a more laid-back vibe and shows off Musikfest’s artsy side. Some tents sell vinyl record art, handmade jewelry, paintings, essential oils, and more. I always like perusing around here for unique gift ideas.

We crossed the bridge over the creek and arrived at what I consider the busiest and best spot at Musikfest: Festplatz. This is where “Food Row,” as I like to call it, really begins. You’ll find everything from homemade pastries to juicy bratwursts and every craveable fest-favorite in between.

But the Festplatz tent itself is the real star. The energy here is unmatched. There are always people dancing, laughing, and crowding in to watch free performances that range from polka to pop to nostalgic throwbacks. It’s a special place for me, as my family and I would always sit here with my late Poppop, who liked to entertain us with his stellar performance of the chicken dance. More on this platz later.

Next up: Zinzenplatz. If you're new to Musikfest, yes, the names can get a little confusing, but thankfully, there are large banners that welcome you to each location. We used this platz as a little pit stop while waiting for my cousin to meet us. On our way over, we passed D&J Concessions, located near Plaza Tropical. This tent is essentially a lineup of every fried fair food you can think of. As much as I love my greens, I’m a sucker for a sweet treat (or five), especially when my sister wanted fried Oreos. Just thinking about them makes my mouth water. Warm, slightly crisp cookies wrapped in thick funnel cake batter, topped with powdered sugar? I’m sold. Yes, we had powdered sugar all over us. Was it worth it? Duh. Rating: 9.3/10.

On our way back toward Festplatz after grabbing my second tequila Fresca, I spotted the Flying V Poutine truck across from the tent. I knew that once I had just one ounce of space free up in my stomach, those fries were going to be mine.

Inside the Festplatz tent, as we looked for seats, which sometimes can be hard to come by, I heard a familiar tune. “Wait… is this the Arthur theme song?” It was. And suddenly I was 8 years old again, way too close to the TV, watching DW be the menace she was born to be (if you know, you know). A few songs later, they started playing The Fairly OddParents theme song, which got the entire tent singing and laughing. Naturally, the mention of the milkshake in that song got me hungry thinking about that poutine. It was time.

We waited for about 20-25 minutes in line, and honestly, it’s always so worth it. You can pick from different combinations that range from a little to a lot of toppings, but I just go for the classic poutine. You can never go wrong with perfectly cooked fries topped with soft, melty cheese curds, drizzled with brown gravy that you can taste in every single bite. These will always be ranked 10/10 for me, but you can’t go wrong with any of their poutine creations. If you’re going to Musikfest, this is a non-negotiable stop.

All in all, our five-hour day of festing was a blast. My favorite part was getting to hear all the different bands play and eating lots of food, of course. It’s also fun just walking around and taking everything in! Whether you go on a weekday or weekend, there are so many different tents to stop at to try a bite, hear some music, or do some window shopping. And for us locals, it’s extra special to see the whole community come together for 10 days of music and fun. And when it’s all over, we’ll all be counting down the days until next August.

Happy festing!