New Braunfels Civic & Convention Center

Here’s a riddle for you. Where in New Braunfels is a gathering place for comic book fans, train enthusiasts, Christmas shoppers, bookworms, gearheads, and blushing brides? Of all the great attractions in the city, there can only be one as versatile as that: the New Braunfels Civic & Convention Center. 

Trade Shows, Conventions, Markets, and More

With a constantly rotating lineup of trade shows, conventions, markets, and live performances, the New Braunfels Civic & Convention Center is the gift that keeps on giving. Its almost 12,000 square-foot exhibit hall is home to such anticipated events as the Retromania Toy & Comic Show, where you’ll find collectibles ranging from rare NES cartridges to life-size Gremlins figures. If you’re more into trains than trading cards, chugga-chugga choose the biannual New Braunfels “Jamboree” Train Show. You’ll find model railroad displays of all scales and be able to purchase your own model train parts from vendors. For the kiddos, the show even has a Junior Engineer Model Layout for kids to run the trains themselves.

All throughout the year, the Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall is home to a wide variety of pop-up markets for books, antiques, and locally grown foods. Among the most popular of the markets is the Peddler’s Show, which has been spotlighting small businesses since 1977. Around every corner is a new hidden gem, whether it’s custom-made homeware or a freshly baked pastry that will keep you turning that particular corner quite often. At the start of the holiday season in October, expect to find the Home for the Holidays Market. It’s one-stop shopping for the next three months of decorations!  

While you can spend all year attending events at the New Braunfels Civic & Convention Center, you can also hold events of your own! The Ballroom, Garden Rooms, and Courtyard are perfect spots for weddings, receptions, conferences, or any kind of gathering that requires something bigger than your living room. Importantly, both the Exhibit Hall and Ballroom are equipped with a stage and built-in audio/visual equipment. 

Close to the Historic Downtown New Braunfels

One of the very best qualities of the Convention Center is just how close it is to the heart of historic New Braunfels. Just a short walk from the center are some of the city’s finest boutiques, restaurants, and historic hotels. Stroll past a mural telling the story of early Texas and you’ll find a German beer garden, then around the corner from that is a main street right out of a classic western, fully populated with bars, museums, and music halls. This is all to say that few downtowns in Texas are quite as, well, Texas as the one in New Braunfels.