A Lantern Parade in Austin's 1857 German Schoolyard

The German Free School at 507 E 10th St opens its gates as the sun drops. The society reads and reenacts the St. Martin story, families sing, and everyone walks with lanterns. Bring a lantern or buy one there. Eventbrite describes a walk through the historic grounds, the society's homepage says the lanterns go around the streets of Austin. Prepare for the street version, a hand free for a toddler, a stroller you can lift over curbs, something reflective. Eventbrite says everyone is welcome, whether it is a first Umzug or one of many. The society lists no suggested age. The parade runs for the third time this year, with attendance up from over 225 in 2024 to more than 350 in 2025.

St. Martin was a Roman soldier who cut his cloak in half for a beggar at the gate of Amiens, and children watch that scene played out before the walk. The building holding the evening carries its own history. A rammed-earth schoolhouse went up in 1857, a two-story limestone wing followed in 1872, and a 1919 fire burned most of the original earth building. The 1872 limestone wing survived and still stands today.

Admission is free. The society asks families to reserve on Eventbrite to plan food and drinks, which are then served for a donation to the German Free School. Eventbrite lists 5:30 to 8 p.m., the homepage lists 6 to 8 p.m. Arrive by 5:30 and recheck the Eventbrite listing before you set out. The society publishes no parking lot or rain plan for 507 E 10th St. The Capitol is 10 minutes on foot and closes at 8 p.m. on Saturdays, worth a stop on the way in. Halcyon Coffeehouse is 18 minutes away and Violet Crown 24, both open past the end.