Austinites who feel the winter blues setting in have something else to look forward to when spring arrives: The Austin Blues Festival returns April 25 and 26, with Parliament-Funkadelic ft. George Clinton, BadBadNotGood, and Eric Johnson at the top of the lineup.
The festival is a revival of an old effort by Antone's Nightclub that's now in its fourth year back. It follows a big year for Antone's, which just celebrated its 50-year anniversary and signed a lease for the next 50 in its current location. However, the festival isn't at Antone's; it'll be held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park. A portion of proceeds from the festival will benefit the park via the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy.
In addition to the big headliners, attendees will see a mix of notable blues, psych, folk and other musicians from home and afar. That includes: Larkin Poe, Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodélicos, The War and Treaty, Chaparelle, Los Amigos Invisibles, D.K. Harrell, Annie & The Caldwells, Huston-Tillotson Jazz Orchestra. There will also be second line parades (New Orleans street processions) by Pinettes Brass Band & New Breed Brass Band.
The full lineup is as follows:
Austin Blues Festival 2026 lineup.Graphic courtesy of Austin Blues Festival
"Each year, Austin Blues Festival brings together generations of music lovers and introduces new audiences to our amazing and unique lineup of artists," said Antone's and Blues Fest co-owner Will Bridges in a press release. "Our 2026 programming represents the incredible depth and diversity of music today—from its traditional roots to its modern innovations—and we're thrilled to share this experience with the Austin community and music fans from around the world."
Tickets for two-day entry will go on sale Friday, December 5, at 10 am via austinbluesfestival.com. There will also be add-ons for a private lounge and rooftop terrace, plus garage parking. More details about single day tickets are "coming soon."
“The energy these musicians bring, combined with the emotion and history of the Blues, will make Waterloo Park come alive in ways you simply have to feel to believe," said Waterloo Greenway Conservancy CEO Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette. We are thrilled to welcome the community for a weekend that’s powerful, joyful, and deeply Austin."
These flags are a popular photo op each year.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It wouldn't be a Friday night at ACL 2026 without a banger Charli XCX reference.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
The Simpsons are unsurprisingly still relevant after 27 years, and Bart and this popular meme have found a home on college campuses across the nation.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Last year, these folks put my name underneath their "Aqui Pendejo" flag, but we never saw them. I got an email after the gallery ran with a photo showing the shoutout. This year, I made it a point to find our friends and include them once again. Sorry about last year, pendejos!Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Can't tell if these flag-flyers are both Texas Longhorns and Houston Texans fans, or if this is just a happy accident. Either way, we're on board.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Spiders during spooky season make perfect sense. Spiders at ACL Fest during spooky season? Works for us.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
One of our favorite flags this year was this global-love flyer. A simple yet poignant graphic.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Internet memes were a common theme this year. Did anyone even sell hot dogs at ACL Fest this year?Photo by Daniel Cavazos
This lit-up banana was a beacon for a handful of people during Charli XCX's set on Friday.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Patrick says Saturday's for the Girls!Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Would you know what to look for if someone said, "Meet me at the Gibby?"Photo by Daniel Cavazos
We saw this flag so much around the park that we started to wonder if they were taking their flag too literally.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
This Waffle House spin-off had us scratching our heads. Deep meaning or just a cheeky design?Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Friday's buzz was split between headliners Charli XCX and Skrillex. As expected, Skrillex fans loaded into the Miller Lite field early in the day to secure their spot for the DJ's 8:30 pm set.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
We loved seeing the group of festival-goers who had their pets up on the flags. Why leave them at home when you can have them at the fest in spirit?Photo by Daniel Cavazos