Live music, a variety of food and beverage vendors and festival crowds filled downtown Corpus Christi for Surftoberfest and the Texas Jazz Festival.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Live music, food and festival crowds filled downtown Corpus Christi as Surftoberfest and the Texas Jazz Festival brought visitors to two nearby events.

With festivities taking place along Chaparral Street and at Heritage Park, respectively, the events offered a chance to experience the food, music and culture drawing people to the Coastal Bend. The crowds also meant drivers had to account for traffic and parking around downtown.



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Surftoberfest returned to Chaparral Street for its 11th year, bringing German-inspired food and drinks to the area while raising money for the Texas Surf Conservancy.

Amado Luis Contreras, general manager of Executive Surf Club, said the festival has continued to grow since its beginning.

“It’s grown pretty much exponentially year over year, and we’re super happy about that,” Contreras said. “We’re happy about the weather, and we’re able to offer like some genuine German items.”

The event also raised funds for the Texas Surf Conservancy, which supports conservation efforts connected to the Coastal Bend’s coastal and marine environments.

Jeff Pollack, a surfboard maker whose board was on display at the festival, said he and his wife had worked with the conservancy for years.

“(We) absolutely think the world of what they do for this community, the surf community, the conservation community,” Pollack said, pointing to its work involving oyster mariculture, oyster restoration and broader ecosystem restoration.

For some attendees, Surftoberfest was also an opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere and support a good cause.

Gabriel Palomo, who was visiting from San Marcos, said it was his first time attending.

“Who doesn’t love beer, man? You know, beer is the key to success,” Palomo said. “This is such a great event, and you know Surftoberfest, it’s been a blast.”

Less than a mile away, the Texas Jazz Festival brought its own crowds to Heritage Park, filling the area with live music.

Patty, a festival attendee, praised the welcoming atmosphere in Corpus Christi, which she is visiting this weekend for the first time. 

“This is beautiful. And the people here are so sweet and accommodating,” she said, encouraging others to visit the city for Jazz Fest.

The two festivals also created opportunities for people to move between events and support nearby businesses. Alex Davied, marketing director for Water Street Restaurants, said the proximity of the festivals helps highlight what downtown has to offer.

“We love being here and having Jazz Fest just down the street,” Davied said. “We’ve seen a couple people come over from here. I know you’ll see our lederhosen and guests walking over to Jazz Fest, and again, it just really kind of highlights all of the great things happening here in Corpus Christi.”

Parking prices downtown ranged from about $15 to $20, depending on the location and timing. Visitors could also use the Regional Transportation Authority’s free shuttle service from the Nueces County Courthouse and Corpus Christi City Hall to help avoid parking hassles.

The Texas Jazz Festival continues Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. at Heritage Park. RTA’s shuttle service will remain in effect.