5 Reasons Every Music Lover Should Hightail it to Dripping Springs
If the life you love is making music with your friends, then we can’t wait for you to be on the road again…to Dripping Springs! Fast becoming a musical mecca, Dripping Springs is rocking to the rolling of the Texas Hill Country.
Not only does the city have one of the most unique music festivals in the entire state, but it’s home to a can’t-miss lineup of awesome venues. In the list below, we talk about some of our very favorites and why they make Dripping Springs one of Texas’ best cities for live music.
Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
No matter how many music festivals you’ve been to, we feel confident in saying you’ve never been to one like the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival. As the name suggests, songwriters take center stage here. The emphasis isn’t on flashy performances—no backup dancers or lightshows—but the songs and the songs only.
For three days, the festival delivers 70 shows featuring over 35 songwriters at seven of the most intimate venues in historic downtown Dripping Springs. The intimacy of these locations allows performers to share the stories and craft behind the songs. In fact, shows will be in the “in the round” style made famous in Nashville, meaning performers will swap each other’s songs. Not only does this add a spirit of fun and camaraderie to the shows, but it allows further insight into how different performers can interpret a song.
And maybe the best news yet? The festival is completely free to attend. If you’re fascinated by the craft of music and want an alternative to the manic crowds at other festivals, the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival is the place to be this fall.
Hudson’s on Mercer
You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can judge live music by its venue. The lower the ceiling, the more lived-in, the more authentic the atmosphere—all of these contribute to not just the experience, but the quality of the sound. Hudson’s on Mercer checks all these boxes, making it not just a must-see for visitors but a favorite of locals.
In addition to its active rotation of performers, Hudson’s also hosts trivia nights, live comedy, and open mics for those looking to take that all-important first step toward their dreams. Speaking of, Hudson’s even hosts its own music lessons centered around vocals, guitar, piano, and more!
Mercer Street Dancehall
Just a few miles from downtown Dripping Springs, surrounded by open Hill Country, sits the unassuming
Mercer Street Dancehall. This honky-tonk heaven is a mom-and-pop dancehall complete with a wooden floor—so the dancing can become part of the music—and a full schedule of weekend events.
If you’d like to get in on the Texas Two-Step, but you’re worried about Texas Two-Stepping all over your partner’s toes, the hall hosts free dancing lessons every Friday that’ll prep you for the weekend ahead. Not much of a dancer? No problem. You can just enjoy the music and drink a cold one on the 2000-square-foot wrap-around porch.
Jester King Brewery
Jester King Brewery is many things—award-winning brewery, goat farm, pizzeria—but what you may not know is how prolific it is as a growing music venue, attracting local talent from Dripping Springs, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country at large. From Wednesday through Friday, you can check out local bands in the beer garden or the brewery’s spacious outdoor area.
We recommend getting to the brewery early, however, so you have plenty of time for one of the goat farm tours. You can hang out with its 75 adorable Nigerian Dwarf goats, all while learning about their life on the farm. They even offer a seasonal guided goat walk and seasonal goat yoga sessions.
Barber Shop Bar
The only buzz at this barber shop comes from its beers and wines, which range from local to national to international—as well as a couple they make in-house. The Barber Shop Bar got its name from the building’s previous usage going back to the ‘80s, but before that, the building originally opened in 1938 as a garage and gas station.
Complement your cold craft beer with live music every Saturday afternoon at the bar’s covered outdoor patio. But the weekend isn’t over yet. On Sundays, the bar hosts its weekly Picker’s Circle, which is more casual and playful than the Saturday performances. Think of it like a local jam session— and with $4 beers from Acopon Brewing Co., famous in Dripping Springs for its English ales.
Some of the Very Best Live Music in the Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill County is alive with the sound of music. And if you follow the jangling guitars, the kickdrum heartbeat, and the bootheels tapping against wood floors, they’ll all lead you to Dripping Springs.
The venues we mentioned above are only the tip of the iceberg. We could keep going all day about Vista, 12 Fox, Ghostnote, and Hays City Store, among many others—but we have to run! There’s a show starting at Hudson’s soon!
If you can’t wait to take your tour of true Texas tunes, start planning your visit today by checking out the coziest places to stay in Dripping Springs.