Gourdgeous Glass from Wimberley Glassworks

It is that time of the year when the temperatures and the mornings start to get a little cooler and bearable, the days grow a little bit shorter each day, and it is time to officially say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn.

It is time to start thinking about Halloween pumpkins and Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. It is also time to check out the hand-blown glass pumpkins and gourds at Wimberley Glassworks.

This is the fourth year for the Gourdgeous Glass Pumpkin Patch and Festival at the glassworks. This year it is on Saturday, September 28 with lots of music and fun for the whole family, with lemonade and a pretzel bar, coloring contest and more.

It all starts at 10 a.m. and continues until 5 p. m. with glass blowing demos all day long.

One of those demos will be very special; a custom glass monster creation selected from entries from the students at Wimberley, San Marcos, Dripping Springs and Canyon Lake schools. The monster eventually will go to the winning student after being on display though October.

Everyone can watch as the team, under the eye of glass maestro Tim de Jong, creates the glass “monster.” The runner up’s monster will also be on display.

Starting in June, the hundreds of glass pumpkins and gourds are created in the studio and then put on display to marvel at. They can be translucent or a solid color with a lot of sizes to choose from. You can even have one custom made with your choice of colors.

The glassworks studio’s creations are a collaborative effort, and new ideas are shared. “We design as a group, where everyone has input, everyone has different experiences…extraordinary people work here and they make the place,” Tim de Jong said. “I have wonderful people that work for me.”

There is also something new this year in pumpkins – ones that glow in the dark. The idea came from employee Manda Barnes, by mixing the glow in the dark powder into the glass itself. Once in the sunlight, the energy is stored until it is in the dark, then it glows.

”When kids see glass blowing in person and feel the heat and see everyone working on one piece, they get excited about art,” Marketing Director Vanessa Horodecky said. “We expose the kids to the arts that day.”

The exhibits of de Jong are always beautiful, practicing an art that dates back to the first century B.C. and perfected through the centuries. Glass events like the annual Christmas ornament release, glass blowing classes, the release of glass evergreen trees, are just a few events coming in the fall and winter months. Throughout the year their events are well worth attending.

If you RSVP through Eventbrite at Gourdgeous Glass Pumpkin Patch you’ll be entered for giveaways, like a beautiful glass pumpkin. Simply go to their website at wgw.com and enter.

Saturday, September 28 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. located at 6469 Ranch Road 12, (at Hugo Road) San Marcos, Texas 78666. (512) 393-3316.