One of Texas’ only Americana music festivals, which takes place every spring, returns this year from April 24t to 27. Old Settlers Music Festival, located in Dale, Texas, has featured its fair share of banjo-picking and guitar-strumming throughout its 38 years of history. Americana music is a broad genre that most often focuses on storytelling. Old Settlers offers Americana roots, bluegrass, jam grass, gospel, folk and singer

songwriter music, along with other types of music.

“Our goal is to continue bringing this type of music to the community and giving people a space where they can gather in this friendly, comfortable vibe and just be together,” president of the Old Settlers Music Festival board of directors Betsy Boone said. 

Boone oversees the board and contributes to many of the decisions made to ensure a successful music festival. Boone is just one of the 300 volunteers who roll up their sleeves and get to work each year to organize the festival. 

“A unique aspect of our festival is it really is a volunteer run, it’s like a big family,” Boone said. “We have some volunteers who have been volunteering for over 20 years.” This strong volunteer base ensures the festival remains consistent and well-run throughout the years. 

This four-day festival is the whole package – parking, on-site camping access, educational workshops and music all day and night are included in the cost of a general admission ticket. 

If you are looking for unique clothing, jewelry or art, Old Settlers is the place to be. Alongside their array of artisanal vendors, their food and beverage vendors are top-notch. Although there is great food and shopping opportunities, music remains the heart and soul of the festival. 

“It’s really important to us to be good citizens of the music industry,” Boone said. “We make sure our artists are honored and paid for their craft. We have a diverse list of bands and musicians that we hope appeal to a broad audience. We want to turn people on to new music, maybe even music they’ve never heard before.”

To give you a taste of what you can catch at Old Settlers Music Festival, here are five artists you don’t want to miss!

Wild Child is a band that got its start right here in Austin. Their indie pop elements mixed with folk roots create an interesting, captivating sound unique to Wild Child. They will be making their second appearance on the Old Settlers stage on the opening day of the festival, April 24.

The Travelin McCourys, started by sons of renowned bluegrass musician Del McCoury, are high-energy and extremely talented. With bluegrass seemingly in their DNA, The Travelin McCourys come up with innovative ways to integrate this element into 21st-century music. On April 25, they will be tearing up the main stage of Old Settlers. 

Sierra Hull, a two-time Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter, is considered one of the most innovative artists in acoustic music. Her mandolin skills are unmatched, having been named IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year six times. Hull’s newest album, “Tip Toe High Wire,” which fully embraces creative freedom, has just been released – so her performance is not to be missed! Hull will be closing out the festival on April 27. 

Darrell Scott is a long-time multi-instrumentalist and a master of word play in songwriting. He brings a heartful and sometimes haunting sound to his music that is distinctive to him. Scott’s songs have been covered by many musicians, including Chris Stapelton, The Chicks, Tim McGraw and Travis Tritt, but none come close to hearing Scott himself perform. Scott will be playing Old Settlers on April 27. 

Yonder Mountain String Band is a bluegrass staple. Blending bluegrass with elements of rock, alternative and psychedelic music, they are dynamic and bound to get the crowd on their feet. Yonder Mountain String Band will be rocking the stage on April 26. 

“You will never meet a stranger at Old Settlers, everyone is welcoming,” Boone said. “It is a relaxed festival without many rules; it’s just a chill place to hang out with nature and listen to music.” 

Tickets for the Old Settlers Music Festival are on sale now with a limited discount for college students. Don’t miss your chance to visit their website and snag some.