University of Houston students walk through vendor booths during Wolffest, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Houston. (Oscar Herrera/The Cougar)
The annual Wolffest, hosted by the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, returned to Butler Plaza from April 7-9. The student-run festival is part of the WCE capstone project, allowing students to apply years of experience while competing through business strategies.
The festival featured Houston-based vendors such as Burger Bodega, Gyro King, Chicano BBQ, Crawfish & Noodles, BB’s Tex-Orleans, The Waffle Bus and Pudgy’s Fine Cookies, along with other vendors including Main Bird Hot Chicken, Wingstop and Raising Cane’s.
The Bauer College of Entrepreneurship hosts Wolffest 2026 in Houston, Texas. | Luis Diego Gonzalez/The Cougar
The road to the plaza
Students were divided into seven teams, each led by a team leader and partnered with local vendors to operate food and beverage stands.
“We do a lot of big projects, but Wolffest is our biggest. We’ve been working on it since December and held two pop-ups in January,” said marketing and entrepreneurship junior Dylan Hern. “We set up all of these vendors and negotiated with them. All of this is student-run, by students, for students and the money goes toward student scholarships.”
For WCE students, the competition was more than just sales; it was about internal operations.
Backyard Wolves Vice President of Operations and entrepreneurship junior Zayn Kabir shared his favorite part of Wolffest.
“My favorite part is coming together as a team and getting to collaborate on different ideas, get different perspectives and bring it all to life,” said Kabir.
The success of each team’s business strategy was evident in the long lines at Butler Plaza. This year’s options spanned global cuisines, ranging from halal chicken to empanadas to Thai food.
University of Houston students share crawfish during Wolffest, Tuesday, April 7, 2026 in Houston. (Oscar Herrera/The Cougar)
A campus favorite
For the campus community, Wolffest is a highly anticipated event.
The event has built a loyal following among students, including kinesiology senior Yliana Martinez.
“I’ve been here for hours. I come to Wolffest every year. I never miss it and I invite everyone I know,” Martinez said.
Students said they look forward to the event each year because of the energy it brings to campus. With music playing, long lines at vendor booths and crowds filling the plaza, the festival brings students together outside the classroom and creates a lively atmosphere.
“The atmosphere alone is part of the experience,” said strategic communications senior Sofia Virguez. “The food, the vibes — everyone seems happy, probably because there’s so much food.”
news@thedailycougar.com
