A Texas Tradition
Willie Nelson's legendary 4th of July picnic heads to hot Austin venue
Willie's picnic is back, y'all. After a pandemic hiatus, the Texas summer tradition returns to Austin — at an all-new location.
Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic and Fireworks will take over Austin's new Q2 Stadium on July 4, 2022. So far, the star-studded lineup of outlaw country and Americana artists includes Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Tyler Childers, Brothers Osborne, Midland, Charley Crockett, Allison Russell, Particle Kid, Steve Earle & the Dukes, and Asleep at the Wheel, plus a performance by Willie Nelson & Family.
“I’m so happy to be bringing back my annual 4th of July Picnic for the first time in two years,” Nelson says via release. “Come on down. We missed you.”
This marks 50 years since Nelson's first 4th of July Picnic, which took place in Dripping Springs in 1972. Over the years, the picnic has traversed Texas, with Nelson and friends playing at such iconic spots as Luckenbach, Texas and Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth.
"I got the idea from Woodstock about how music could bring people from different places together. I had just moved to Austin and had come to realize what a great music center it was and could be," Nelson said in 2015 when announcing the picnic's return to the Austin.
The event also marks the first concert at Q2 Stadium, home to Austin FC, the city's Major League Soccer team. "We can’t think of a better first concert for Q2 Stadium than Willie Nelson & Family," Austin FC President Andy Loughnane says. "Willie is an iconic local artist and we look forward to celebrating the Fourth of July holiday at Q2 Stadium."
Tickets for the 2022 picnic go on sale Friday, April 15, at 10 am via https://q2stadium.com. Doors for the show will open at 11 am, with music kicking off at noon. The event promises 10 hours of tunes, plus "delicious food, drinks, and fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July holiday."
