Grapevine's Historic Main Street will shut down to traffic for four days in September as the city's biggest tourism stretch of the year kicks off, channeling thousands of visitors into local wineries, restaurants and hotels across a packed festival calendar.
Three major draws anchor the month, according to the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau's September events calendar: the 22nd Annual ItalianCarFest on Saturday, Sept. 12; the 40th Annual GrapeFest from Sept. 17–20; and the Grapevine Main LIVE! free concert series running Friday and Saturday nights through Halloween, per the CVB.
Together they land in a city where visitors generate $2.5 billion in annual tourism-related spending and account for 84% of all sales tax collected, according to the CVB's 2026 tourism data.
That tax figure means September's festival surge isn't just a party. It's payroll for 12,580 hospitality workers and foot traffic for more than 200 restaurants and 20-plus hotels citywide.
GrapeFest turns 40
GrapeFest, billed as the largest wine festival in the Southwest, takes over Historic Main Street Sept. 17–20 with 40 wineries pouring more than 100 Texas wines. The centerpiece is the People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic, sponsored by Audi Grapevine, which the CVB calls the largest consumer-judged wine competition in the nation. Advance tasting sessions cost $28; VIP sessions run $55.
Admission is free all day Thursday, Sept. 17, and Friday, Sept. 18, until 5 p.m. After that, tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children and seniors. The festival, presented by Bank of the West, debuted in 1987 and has earned the No. 7 spot in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for top U.S. wine festivals.
ItalianCarFest and Main LIVE!
The month opens early with ItalianCarFest at Historic Nash Farm, 626 Ball St., on Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 90 modern and classic Italian vehicles will be on display, free of charge. The CVB positions the car show as the annual prelude to GrapeFest.
Grapevine Main LIVE! returns to Peace Plaza at Grapevine Main Station at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with tribute acts covering Boston, Turnpike Troubadours, Goo Goo Dolls, Garth Brooks, Matchbox Twenty and Alan Jackson. Admission is free.
Restaurants and venues cash in
Beyond the festivals, local venues are stacking their own programming. Tolbert's Restaurant & Chili Parlor on Historic Main Street offers live music every night of the week throughout September. Willhoite's Restaurant hosts bands Wednesdays through Sundays on a stage that once featured The Chicks and Pat Green. Hotel Vin runs Honky Tonk Thursdays in the WineYard from 6:30–9 p.m.
Ticketed food experiences round out the calendar: a Sushi Swirl at Messina Hof on Sept. 12 ($50 per person), An Evening of Spanish Wine at Winestein's on Sept. 26 ($69, with up to 50 wines), and a Harvest Moon Supper at Historic Nash Farm on Sept. 26 ($100, ages 21 and up).
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad adds a Harvest Wine Train on opening night, Sept. 17, at 7:40 p.m. Tickets are $56 per person for the 21-and-up ride departing from 707 S. Main St.
Joe Szymaszek, chairman of the Grapevine CVB board, said in April during National Travel and Tourism Week that "the success and energy we see in Grapevine are fueled by a vibrant travel industry."
Advance tickets for the People's Choice Wine Tasting Classic are on sale at GrapeFest.com; sessions sell out, and the CVB recommends buying early.
