Wurstfest: The Best Fest in Texas

Really, it was all about the hat.True, Wurstfest had plenty more exciting things to offer: Pork chops on a stick, fried sauerkraut balls, beer, and yes, sausage. But those simply could not be properly enjoyed without the hat. So Sean and I grabbed a beer and promptly found the hat line. The line wasn't long, but the wait wasn't short. So we waited. And waited. It seems the hat purveyors at Wurstfest take their trade seriously, which only makes sense when you consider the importance of a good drinking hat.Now, this wasn't just any old festival hat. This was a Bavarian Alpine hat, perfect for accompanying the consumption of large beers and hot sausages. Just as important to the hat was the feather, which is what Sean was waiting for. His hat already sat proudly on his head. He just needed to top it off with a squirrel feather.The hat line came to a stall. The guys in front of us were measuring head sizes and discussing styles. They eventually spent $260 on a hat. This, from my perspective, was very un-Wurstfest-esque, but who am I to deny a man his right to a drinking hat (and feather!).My purchase, which cost a paltry $20, took place in record-setting fashion. The line cheered as I made my transaction in under five minutes. For a brief moment, I was King of Wurstfest, and all admired my feathered hat. Finally, we could celebrate.There were about six in our group, each with a different style of enjoying the fest. Will rightly recognized that this was indeed a Sausage Fest, so he focused on consuming as much meat as possible. His battle with the pork wings was particularly admirable. Sean suffered an allergic reaction to something, but the blotches on his skin couldn't hide the pride in that squirrel feather. Ed made sure we caught the night's final musical act: Alex Meixner Band. After rousing versions of German polka music and Guns and Roses covers, they closed their set with a somber rendition of Amazing Grace played through a beer bong.As for me, I just tried to take it all in. The sights, the sounds, the beer, the sausage. And I did so with that Bavarian Alpine hat on my head. I've heard stories that my Grandpa Larson used to wear a similar hat daily. Sounds like a man with stellar fashion sense and a readiness to enjoy a beer that anyone could admire.We got home only to talk about going the next day. Maybe even the next weekend. As things tend to go, we didn't, but I miss just having that option. "Next time" seems like such a long time to wait to have a time like that again.