Houstonfest - Schedule

News and Updates

Contest promo video #1 (students from one school tell why they love contest)

Contest promo video #2 (one student tells why she loves contest)

Contest promo video #3 (hilarious 2024 State-winning submission from our own Klein Oak High School!)

Contest promo video #4 (2025 State-winning submission from Cedar Ridge High School)

Contest promo video #5 (fun 2026 State-winning submission from our own Jordan High School!)

Important Dates

Mon., Jan. 11, 2027, 4:00 p.m.: Provided we receive funding from the Houston Saengerbund, the application for transportation grants opens; link will be sent to teachers.

Fri., Jan. 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: Transportation-grant application closes.

Wed., Jan. 20, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: Houstonfest registration spreadsheet due for regular price of $15/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 2/1).

Wed., Jan. 27, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: Houstonfest registration spreadsheet due for late price of $20/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 2/1).

Sat., Jan. 30, 2027, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual Houstonfest events due (get the link to the Google Form from your teacher).

Mon., Feb. 1, 2027: deadline to postmark payment for registration fees (or pay electronically).

Tue., Feb. 2, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: Remote judging of the 7 virtual Houstonfest events ends.

Wed., Feb. 3, 2027, 10:00 p.m.: Houstonfest changes (adds, drops, substitutions) due. After this point, no more changes will be allowed.

Sat., Feb. 6, 2027: Houstonfest, Heights High School, Houston.

Fri., Feb. 12, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: State online registration due for regular price of $15/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 2/xx).

Wed., Feb. 17, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: State online registration due for late price of $20/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 2/xx).

Sat., Feb. 20, 2027, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual State events due (get the link to a Google Form from your teacher). Also, Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship and Sandra Dieckman GTHS Memorial Scholarship applications due (to submit an application, get the link to a Google Form from your teacher).

Mon., Feb. 22, 2027, 8:00 p.m.: Entries in State promotional video contest due (link to submission form typically emailed to teachers 1-2 weeks in advance).

Tue., Feb. 23, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: Remote judging of the 7 virtual State events ends.

Sat., Feb. 27, 2027: Texas State German Contest, Texas State University, San Marcos.

Sat., Mar. 6, 2027, 11:59 p.m.: Houstonfest Scholarship applications due.

Sun., Mar. 14, 2027: Gail Cope State Scholarship applications due (link to application form is typically sent to teachers a few days after State contest).

between Fri., Jan. 1 and Fri., Apr. 30, 2027: submit Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications.

Schedule

Printer-friendly schedule - Word

Printer-friendly schedule - PDF

Arrival instructions

Campus map

(will be posted a few days before contest)

Judging assignments - PDF

Instructions for judges of virtual events

Instructions for judges of in-person events

(other than Pass auf! and proctors of written tests)

General Schedule 2026 (not yet updated for 2027)
7:30-8:00 a.m.	Judges who are not teachers check in and pick up judging packets just inside the entrance and then proceed to Room 2310 to wait for the judge orientation meeting to begin while enjoying a complimentary breakfast of donuts, kolaches, fruit, coffee, juice, soda, water, and more.
7:45-8:15 a.m.	Teachers check in and pick up judging packets just inside the entrance and then proceed to Room 2310 for breakfast and the judge meeting.
8:15-8:45 a.m.	Important judges' meeting in Room 2310.
8:00-9:00 a.m.	Students should set up their art entries in the designated rooms and sign up for times to compete in these events: classical ensemble, contemporary music, directed dialogue, duet acting, extemporaneous speaking, pair discussion, poetry memory, polka band, prose memory, scavenger hunt, sight reading, and vocal solo. The sign-up lists will be posted next to the doors of the rooms.
9:00 a.m.	Competition begins. The first of two sessions for Timed Writing begins. Judging of art events begins. Once you have set up your art entries in the proper rooms, please leave the art area. The art rooms are off-limits to everyone but the judges as long as judging is taking place.
9:30 a.m.	Training for written-test proctors begins in Room 4206. The second of two sessions for Timed Writing begins.
10:00-11:30 a.m.	Advantaged Speaker Test: All contestants MUST arrive by 10:00; this is the only opportunity of the day to take the test, and there is no late admission.
10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.	Written testing: 9 sessions beginning at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00. You do NOT have to sign up for a time.
12:00 noon (?) - 2:00 p.m.	The three art rooms (2208, 2209, 2210) are open to all for browsing (look but don't touch!!!) from the time that the last judges finish judging through 2:00.
12:30-1:00 p.m.	Most contests end. Folk Dance ends at 1:45, Novice Pass auf! at 12:30, and Varsity Pass auf! and the written tests at 2:30.
	Lunch at our on-campus vendors.
1:00-1:30 p.m.	Meet-and-greet with German professors from the University of Houston in Room 2106. Drop by and find out what the UH German program has to offer!
1:30-2:00 p.m.	First opportunity to retrieve art entries (not earlier, not later). The doors to the art rooms will be locked from 2:00 until the end of the awards ceremony. Gather in the auditorium.
2:00 p.m.	Entertainment by the band Das ist lustig and folk dancers in the auditorium.
~4:00 p.m.	Announcement of awards in the auditorium.
~5:00 p.m.	Second opportunity to retrieve art entries: Immediately after the awards ceremony, the doors to the art rooms will be unlocked to allow students to retrieve their art entries as they depart.

Judging Assignments
Event	Room	Judges
virtual: Digital Logo Design	online
virtual: Oral Presentation 4	online
virtual: Oral Presentation Advant.	online
virtual: Photo Essay	online
virtual: Poetry Reading 1	online
virtual: Poetry Reading 2	online
virtual: Poetry Reading 3	online
virtual: Poetry Reading 4	online
virtual: Prose Reading 1	online
virtual: Prose Reading 2	online
virtual: Prose Reading 3	online
virtual: Prose Reading 4	online
virtual: Research Paper	online
virtual: Short Film	online
virtual: alternate judge	online
Advantaged Speaker Test
Classical Ensemble, Polka Band
Club Album
Contemporary Music
Crafts
Culture
Directed Dialogue 1
Directed Dialogue 2
Doll Costume
Duet Acting Lower
Duet Acting Upper
Extemp. Speaking facilitator
Extemp. Speaking 3
Extemp. Speaking 4
Extemp. Speaking Advantaged
Folk Dance - Einzeltanz and Team
Folk Dance - Team only
Folk Dance monitor
Gingerbread House (Non-Trad.)
Gingerbread House (Traditional)
Grammar
Listening Comprehension
Needlework
Original Models
Pair Discussion
Pass auf! (Novice)
Pass auf! (Varsity)
Photography
Poetry Memory 1, 2
Poetry Memory 3, 4
Poetry Memory Advantaged, Prose Memory Advantaged
Poster Design
Prose Memory 1, 2
Prose Memory 3, 4
Puppet Show Lower, Upper
Reading Comprehension
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger Hunt monitor
Shirt Design
Sight Reading 1
Sight Reading 2
Sight Reading 3
Sight Reading 4
Skit 1, 2
Skit 3, 4
Spelling
Spelling grader
Timed Writing
Vocabulary
Vocal Solo
Reserve judges/volunteers	Reserve judges and volunteers WILL BE ASSIGNED! For judges, you will either replace someone who drops out before the day of competition or someone who doesn't show up on that day, or if everyone shows up, you will have your pick of events to be added to as a third judge.

Director (Tabulation: _)		Rustin Buck
Host
Assistant to director
Check-in assistant
Written testing coordinator (_)
Written testing assistant (_)
Breakfast, refreshment cart, proctor/tab lunch
Art room monitor (~12:00-2:00)
Tabulation (data entry)
Tabulation (intake and bagging)
Awards set-up and distribution
Special assignment

Room Finder (This list is a bit more user-friendly than the list above if you are looking for a room number.)
Advantaged Speaker Test			Poetry Memory 4
Classical Ensemble			Poetry Memory Advant.
Club Album			Polka Band
Contemporary Music			Poster Design
Crafts			Prose Memory 1
Culture			Prose Memory 2
Directed Dialogue 1			Prose Memory 3
Directed Dialogue 2			Prose Memory 4
Doll Costume			Prose Memory Advant.
Duet Acting Lower			Puppet Show Lower
Duet Acting Upper			Puppet Show Upper
Ext. Speaking - get topic			Reading Comprehension
Ext. Speaking 3 - judging			Scantron Room
Ext. Speaking 4 - judging			Scavenger Hunt
Ext. Speaking Adv. - judging			Shirt Design
Folk Dance (Einzeltanz) Folk Dance (Team)			Sight Reading 1
Gingerbread House (Non-Trad.)			Sight Reading 2
Gingerbread House (Trad.)			Sight Reading 3
Grammar			Sight Reading 4
Listening Comprehension			Skit 1
Needlework			Skit 2
Original Models			Skit 3
Pair Discussion			Skit 4
Pass auf! (Novice)			Spelling
Pass auf! (Varsity)			Tabulation Room
Photography			Timed Writing
Poetry Memory 1			UH professors 1:00-1:30
Poetry Memory 2			Vocabulary
Poetry Memory 3			Vocal Solo

Advantaged Speaker Test Schedule	only at 10:00 (lasting until 11:30)
Listening Comprehension Schedule	Lower Level (1 & 2): 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 Upper Level (3 & 4): 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00
Spelling Schedule	Lower Level (1 & 2): 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 Upper Level (3 & 4): 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30
Timed Writing Schedule	Levels 1 & 2: only at 9:00 and 9:30
Culture, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary	all levels of each test given at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00

Group Schedule 2027 (times listed are from 2026 and may change in 2027)
Lower Puppets, Rm. x	Skit 2, Rm. x	Einzeltanz, Rm. x
9:00	11:10	9:00
9:20	11:25	9:10
9:40	11:40	9:20
10:00	12:05	9:35
	12:20	9:45
Upper Puppets, Rm. x	12:35	9:55
10:40	Skit 3, Rm. x	10:05
11:00	9:00	10:20
11:20	9:20	10:30
11:40	9:40	10:40
12:00	10:05	10:50
12:20	10:25	Folk Dance, Rm. x
	Skit 4, Rm. x	11:15
Skit 1, Rm. x	10:55	11:40
9:00	11:15	12:05
9:15	11:35	12:30
9:30	12:00	12:55
9:50	12:20	1:20
10:05	12:40	Novice Pass auf! schedule Varsity Pass auf! schedule
10:20		Novice Pass auf! schedule Varsity Pass auf! schedule
Note: Students will choose their own times for the other group events: classical ensemble, contemporary music, duet acting, pair discussion, polka band, and scavenger hunt.

Note:

Students in all drama events and folk dance MUST do everything possible to adhere to the scheduled performance times. They should, in fact, arrive 10 minutes BEFORE their scheduled time to get all props, etc. ready, so that when the previous group finishes, they can march right in and get on with the show. The students should structure the entire rest of their day around their scheduled drama times.

If a cast member is involved in a Pass auf! game when the drama event is scheduled to start, they should leave the Pass auf! game and go to the drama event. Pass auf! teams can continue to compete with fewer than five members if necessary.

When is the next Houstonfest?

Saturday,

February 6, 2027

Where is Houstonfest?

Heights High School

413 E. 13th St.

Houston, TX 77008

Link to Texas State German Contest

Texas State German Contest on Facebook

Texas State German Contest 40th Anniversary Facebook Group

This website houstonfest.org has been in operation since 2007 (contest itself founded in 1980).

Houstonfest is a constituent member contest within Texas State German Contests, Inc.