The first weekend of April is booked solid in Llano with the 16th Annual Chuck Wagon Cook-Off and the 43rd Llano Fiddle Festival. On Friday morning, April 3, students from Llano Elementary, Packsaddle, and Llano Christian Academy will make their yearly trip to Badu Park to learn about life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Stations will be set up with chuck wagons, where kids get to learn the ageless art of biscuit making and the history of the prairie schooner.
On Saturday, live music will entertain the crowd that packs in for the much-anticipated high noon meal. Up to 20 wagons are eligible to enter the cook-off. Categories include: Meat, Beans, Potatoes, Bread, Dessert, Wagon and Campsite Authenticity. Smoke fills the air against the backdrop of chuck wagons along the Llano River. There’s always a sharing attitude among friends—you won’t be treated like a stranger in Llano! Food is sent off to the judges and at 3:00 p.m., results are announced at Badu Park.
Make it a weekend in Llano—Fiddle Fest Kick-Off Jam is at noon on Friday at Fuel Coffee House. Many talented Texas fiddlers are brought to town through this annual festival. For decades, Llano held a traditional fiddle contest, and in 2011, the event was re-introduced. The Llano Air Fiddle and Anything Goes – Tricks and Licks Competitions allows fiddle enthusiasts to join in the fun. You don’t need any formal training, just a whole lot of heart and attitude. Head to Tommy’s Pizza to participate or just to watch the sport unfold.
On Saturday, the 43rd Llano Open Fiddle Contest will commence at the Lantex Theater, followed with an evening concert by the Quebe Sisters. Fiddle Fest concludes with a Sunday service and cowboy breakfast, with music featuring The Wilsons at 8:30 a.m. at the Llano County Museum. All fiddlers are welcome to join in the playing of “Amazing Grace”. It’s a truly unique experience to hear the classic hymnal to multiple fiddles in sync.
Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18 are long-awaited days in the Texas Hill Country. The food, drinks, music and all-are-welcome atmosphere make the 31st Annual Llano Crawfish Open an event you don’t want to miss. Vendors set up for the festival with booths of art, knives, t-shirts, gifts and more. Last year, over 18,000 pounds of crawfish were consumed and you can bet that this year folks are hungry for more. Enjoy live music throughout the festival from musicians such as Lee Roy Parnell, Caleb Young Band, Jon Wolfe and more. Llano Crawfish Festival is worked by volunteers and raises thousands for local charities. Come out and enjoy some tasty crawfish while it lasts, while supporting a community that gives back to those in need.
