Fayetteville Courthouse Music Series Returns For Its Fourth Year With an October Lineup

The Fayetteville Courthouse Music Series returns to the historic town square in October, kicking off its fourth year with four Tuesday evenings of free live music and a new nonprofit organization behind the popular community tradition.

Beginning Oct. 6, the series will present Walt Wilkins, followed by Jay Boy Adams on Oct. 13, Anna LaMare on Oct. 20 and Steven McClintock on Oct. 27. All performances begin at 6 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

Since its launch, the Fayetteville Courthouse Music Series has presented 27 free concerts on the square, bringing Texas singer-songwriters and musicians to the heart of downtown Fayetteville. Perhaps just as remarkable, organizers have never had to cancel a performance because of weather.

“We’ve had cold nights, hot nights and a few evenings when we watched the radar pretty closely, but somehow we’ve managed to get all 27 shows in,” said Sandra Borne, founder and organizer of the series. “More importantly, over the last three years, we’ve watched this become something people really look forward to. There’s a wonderful sense of community when you look around the square and see neighbors, families, visitors and musicians all gathered together.”

This October also marks a new chapter for the series. The Fayetteville Courthouse Music Series is now presented by Songs on the Square, a newly formed Fayetteville nonprofit created to continue the music series while supporting the community in broader ways.

Songs on the Square is dedicated to enriching life in Fayetteville by bringing people together, supporting local traditions and investing in the people, places and programs that make the community special.

“The music series has always been about more than putting musicians on a stage,” Borne said. “It’s about bringing people together in the heart of Fayetteville and celebrating what makes this community special. Songs on the Square gives us a home for the series while also allowing us to look for other ways to support and strengthen Fayetteville.”

Singer-songwriter Walt Wilkins will open the fourth year of the series Oct. 6, returning to the Fayetteville stage for the second time. A longtime fixture in Texas music, Wilkins has built a career around songwriting, storytelling and the kind of intimate live performances that have made him a favorite of audiences throughout Texas.

Wilkins said returning to Fayetteville was an easy decision.

“I love Fayetteville, and I love what Sandra and the community have created with this series,” Wilkins said. “There’s something special about playing music on that beautiful square with people gathered together under the trees. It feels like the way music is supposed to be shared, and I’m really happy to be coming back.”

On Oct. 13, Jay Boy Adams takes the stage. The Texas singer, songwriter and guitarist brings decades of experience and a musical style rooted in rock, blues, country and Americana.

Anna LaMare performs Oct. 20, bringing her own voice and songwriting style to the series during one of the busiest times of the year in Fayette County.

Closing the October season on Oct. 27 is Steven Mc-Clintock, a singer, songwriter and producer whose career has spanned more than five decades in the music industry.

The latter half of the October series coincides with the fall Round Top Antiques Show, when thousands of visitors make their way to Fayette County and the surrounding area for shopping, dining and events. For Fayetteville businesses, the Courthouse Music Series offers an opportunity to introduce those visitors to the community and give them another reason to spend an evening in town.

Beth Chapline, owner of the Grand Fayette Hotel, which overlooks the historic square, said the concerts offer visitors something increasingly difficult to manufacture — an authentic small-town Texas experience.

“The music series provides the guests of the Grand Fayette Hotel the opportunity to enjoy timeless live music on Fayetteville’s historic town square – another reason to visit our special little town.”

The Fayetteville Courthouse Music Series will be held each Tuesday in October on the Fayetteville town square.

Performances begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free.