Anja Drewes Properties’ annual Fall Fest & Oktoberfest brings clients, friends and cultural traditions together, with connections reaching from Bavaria to Houston’s own German-American history.
On November 7, I attended Anja Drewes Properties’ annual Fall Fest & Oktoberfest, a gathering that brings past and present clients together to celebrate German culture.
The German folkloric team from Jordan High School returned this year, following appearances during the previous four years, to share an authentic selection of German dance music with the audience. The band Prost! also performed live German music.
Among this year’s sponsors were Warren Walker II with Cold Spring Appraisals, LLC, and Laura Levit, Sr. Loan Originator with Top Mortgage. Alongside the music and food, the gathering continued a tradition that began with Anja’s brokerage and reflects her connection to both Germany and Texas.
Anja’s story: German roots, Texas relationships
Anja shared the story behind the celebration:
“I moved to Texas from Hamburg, Germany, in 1997, and when I founded Anja Drewes Properties in October 2013, Oktoberfest seemed like the perfect way to celebrate both the beginning of my brokerage and my German heritage.
Oktoberfest is all about bringing people together, enjoying good food, music, and friendship. I wanted to share a little piece of my German culture with my clients and friends while thanking them for their trust and support.
What started as a celebration of my new brokerage has become a wonderful annual tradition over the past 13 years. Some of the clients who attended our very first Oktoberfest still come today, and every year we welcome new clients, friends, and families.
For me, real estate has always been about more than buying and selling homes. It’s about building relationships that last long after the transaction is complete. Our Oktoberfest is a reflection of that, combining my German roots with the Texas community I’ve called home since 1997.”
For Warren Walker II, the gathering provides a welcome opportunity to meet face to face with people he normally speaks with by phone.
Walker wrote: “As an Appraiser, we regularly work with agents, but it isn’t often that we have the opportunity to visit with people from the community or people that we work with regularly.”
In his response for this article, he described sponsorship as a way to support Anja and give back for her support of his business. He emphasized that he attends to enjoy the festivities rather than market his services.
His own heritage gives the celebration another personal connection.
“I’m part German, I love to experience some of that culture amongst the many fine cultures in our city.”
The royal wedding that started Oktoberfest
Long before Oktoberfest became a Houston-area tradition, it began with a wedding in Bavaria.
Crown Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. Public celebrations culminated in a horse race on October 17 on a meadow outside Munich.
The grounds were named in honor of the bride. They remain the Theresienwiese today, giving the festival its familiar local nickname, the Wiesn.
The celebration returned the following year under the organization of the Bavarian agricultural association. Munich took responsibility for the festival in 1819, and it gradually developed into the gathering of food, music, rides and beer tents familiar today. Official Oktoberfest history
Despite its name, much of Munich’s Oktoberfest now takes place in September. An earlier start offered warmer weather and longer days; the official festival website dates that shift to 1872. Official Oktoberfest FAQ
Munich’s 2026 celebration ran from September 19 through October 4. Celebrations elsewhere follow their own calendars, including Anja’s November gathering here in Texas. Munich’s 2026 festival dates
German heritage has deep roots in Houston
Houston’s relationship with German culture reaches back much further than its contemporary festivals and beer gardens.
The City of Houston’s history of Spring Branch describes German immigrant families settling in the area during the early and mid-1840s. Families including the Ahrenbecks, Schroeders and Hilendahls helped establish a community whose history remains part of the neighborhood’s identity. Spring Branch history
German-speaking Houstonians also formed organizations around shared interests. Founded in 1854, the Houston Turnverein began as an athletic and social club. Its activities expanded into concerts, dances and civic gatherings, with Turner Hall becoming an important community venue. The Heritage Society’s Turnverein history
Music created another lasting connection. The Houston Saengerbund was founded on October 6, 1883, so German immigrants could gather to sing in their own language. University of Houston Libraries preserves records documenting its growth and the pressures it faced during the world wars, when anti-German sentiment affected its activities. University of Houston’s Saengerbund collection
The society continues today, welcoming people interested in German music and culture whether or not they have German ancestry. Houston Saengerbund
Exploring the food
Food was also part of the cultural celebration at Anja’s event. For readers inspired to explore German cuisine, familiar starting points include bratwurst, soft pretzels, schnitzel, sauerkraut and German potato salad. Spätzle and Black Forest cake offer a few more possibilities for a German-inspired meal.
Those favorites provide a starting point for exploring Germany’s regional cooking traditions. Around Houston, restaurants and cultural events offer opportunities to continue that exploration throughout the year.
Where to experience German culture around Houston
Tomball German Christmas Market
The next seasonal outing is scheduled for December 11–13, 2026, near the historic train depot at 201 S. Elm Street. Organizers describe a family-friendly street festival with an open-air market and three stages of live music. Festival overview
Published hours are Friday, 6–10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Admission and parking are free. A free shuttle is planned from the east parking lot of HCA Houston Healthcare Tomball on Saturday and Sunday. Check the organizer’s website before leaving for any changes. Official visitor information
The Heritage Society’s German-American history tours
These tours explore historic buildings and their contents in Sam Houston Park, including the Kellum-Noble House, San Felipe Cottage and St. John Church. Visitors check in at the museum gallery’s gift shop at 1100 Bagby Street.
The organization lists tours Tuesday through Saturday. Consult its booking page for availability, admission prices and accessibility information. German-American history tours
Houston Saengerbund
For an ongoing connection through music, Houston Saengerbund offers information about performances, cultural activities and ways to participate. The society acquired the former Heights Christian Church in 2022 as a home for its activities. Check its current calendar before visiting. Saengerbund history and activities
Watershed
Located at 4820 W. Bellfort, Watershed combines German dishes with a broader neighborhood-pub menu. Published offerings include bratwurst, knackwurst, weisswurst and pork or chicken schnitzel served with spätzle. Check its website for current menu details and kitchen hours. Watershed · Menu
King’s BierHaus
The location at 828 FM 646 W. in Dickinson, serving the League City and Clear Lake area, offers German-inspired dishes and a biergarten setting. Its current website lists schnitzel, bratwurst and currywurst, along with reservations and operating hours.
Use the Dickinson address when planning a visit. Older guides to the Houston Heights location are no longer current. King’s BierHaus
A tradition that continues
At Anja Drewes Properties, the November 7 celebration continued a tradition rooted in her move from Hamburg, the founding of her brokerage and the relationships that have grown since.
Her account of first-year guests still returning gives that tradition a particularly local meaning. German heritage supplies the occasion, and the people who return each year help carry it forward.
