Fredericksburg Easter Fires

In Fredericksburg where we are located, the early German settlers celebrated Easter in a unique way. The pioneer mothers told their children about the Easter bunny who would leave brightly colored eggs in the Easter “nests” that children made the night before Easter. They collected grasses to make the nests and added colorful wildflowers for decoration. On Easter morning they eagerly ran to check out the nests to see what the bunny had left. A delegation from Fredericksburg’s early settlers met with chiefs of the native American tribes in the area and proposed a peace treaty between the two groups of people so they could co-exist. At the conclusion of the meeting the Native Americans built fires on hilltops to signal to their tribe members that an agreement had been reached declaring peace. The families waiting in Fredericksburg could see the see fires and frightened mothers told their children that the Easter bunny was building fires to dye the eggs. Fredericksburg still celebrates this treaty with the Easter Fires Pageant held every 4 years. Come and see it on April 4 at the Gillespie County Fairgrounds. Things will be hoppin’…as community members re-enact the events, with settlers, Native Americans, and lots and lots of colorful bunnies of all sizes. It is a sight to see!