Which Austin-area spring music festival is right for you? We break down 7 April fests
This story has been updated to add more information.
Spring has sprung and so has the roster of music festivals coming to Central Texas this April.
If South by Southwest 2025 left you desperately wanting more, don't despair. From classic country to modern Mexican dance music, we have seven music festivals cropping up in the next few weeks. If you are interested in taking a little trip out of town, Two Step Inn, Cattle Country or Old Settlers may be right for you. If you're looking for something Austin-based, take your pick of Mexican, Psych, Blues or Reggae.
Isn't it nice to live in the Live Music Capital of the World?
Apr. 5: Bésame Mucho at COTA
The Bésame Mucho Festival is back at the Circuit of the Americas. Call your tia, grab your sombrero and get ready to dance. This year’s one-day festival is a Latin music lover’s dream come true. Fans of regional Mexican music can look forward to artists like Peso Pluma, Carin León, Los Tigres del Norte, and Banda MS. Those with a flare for rock en español will be happy to hear classic bands like Hombres G, Camila, and Enanitos Verdes. And if you’re looking for a salsa partner (or just a partner in general), go to Elvis Crespo’s set.
The festival, which launched in L.A. in 2022, is returning for its second ever Austin edition. In March 2024, over 80 Latin American acts graced the Circuit of the Americas for the inaugural edition. Highlights included acts like Grupo Frontera, Reik, Juanes, Café Tacvba, and Belanova. Fans were overwhelmed with nostalgia listening to bands they knew since childhood. Bésame Mucho’s return to Austin proves that Central Texas is ready for more Latino love.
Info: GA Pass $275; GA+ Pass $575; VIP Pass $625; Platinum Pass $950; besamemuchoaustin.com.
Apr. 5-6: Two Step Inn Fest
Alan Jackson and Sturgill Simpson are headlining the third annual Two Step Inn Festival taking place at Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park. Saturday plays host to Miranda Lambert, while Sunday showcases Lynyrd Skynyrd and Nelly. 2025 will be your final chance to see country icon Jackson, polishing off a storied career with his "Last Call: One More for the Road" tour, perform live in the Austin area. Sturgill Simpson, who we reviewed at Austin City Limits Music Festival, will be performing his album “Passage du Desir,” which was released in July 2024 under his alter-ego Johnny Blue Skies.
San Gabriel Park will be fitted with dance floors, a Central Texas fair and vendors selling homestyle goods. According to organizers, Two Step Inn has donated over $2.3 million to Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation since 2023, and has generated almost $200 million to the local economy since its 2021 inception.
Info: Single Day GA Pass $189, Single Day GA+ Pass $319; Single Day VIP Pass $489; Single Day Platinum Pass $949; Two-day GA Pass $329; Two-day GA+ Pass $469; Two-day VIP Pass $899; Two-day Platinum Pass $1799; Two-day Y'all Access Pass contact for price; twostepinn.com.
Apr. 10-12: Cattle Country Festival
The second-annual Cattle Country Festival is back for a special installment honoring the bicentennial of its host city, Gonzales. The fest features Tanya Tucker, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Nickelback, Parker McCollum and Wade Bowen. If country ain’t your cup of tea, the fest is also hosting Black Pistol Fire and a late-night set by Ghostland Observatory.
Set on a sprawling 400-acre ranch a bit over an hour southeast of Austin, Cattle Country Festival offers camping under shaded pecan tree groves along the bank of the Guadalupe River. The festival has GA camping areas, as well as RV parking and a VIP glamping village, which comes with a private lounge and on-site amenities. Food and drinks will be available for purchase on site, and vendors will be set up so you can go shopping between live sets. Fishing and floating are encouraged.
Info: Thursday Single Day GA Pass $109; Friday Single Day GA Pass $125; Saturday Single Day GA Pass $125; Single Day VIP Pass $249; Single Day Premium Pass $425; Three-day GA Pass $225; Three-day VIP Pass $449; Three-day Premium VIP Pass $895; Discounts available for military and students; cattlecountryfesttx.com.
Apr. 18-20: Austin Reggae Fest
Since 1994, Austin Reggae Fest has been bringing reggae to Auditorium Shores in celebration of Bob Marley’s legacy. Austin Reggae Fest has donated more food to the Central Texas Food Bank than any other event in the past 30 years. The event, self-described as “the happiest, chillest, dopest weekend of your life,” has no plans to slow down. 2025's lineup includes Kabaka Pyramid and Perfect Giddimani on Friday, Evening Echoes and Earthstrong on Saturday and Watusi and Mau Mau Chaplains on Sunday.
Info: Friday Single Day Pass $20; Saturday Single Day pass $30; Sunday Single Day Pass $30; Weekend GA Pass $60; Weekend VIP Pass $420; austinreggaefest.com.
Apr. 24-27: Old Settlers Music Festival
Held on a ranch in the city of Dale, the nonprofit Old Settlers Music Festival is back with its live music camping experience. The fest is known for hosting top notch Americana and roots acts. This year's lineup features Watchhouse, the Devil Makes Three, Heartless Bastards, Wild Child, Sierra Hull and Darrell Scott. Get your tickets for late-night fireside jams, crafts for kids, and even some music workshops.
Info: Single Day GA Pass $99; Three-day GA Pass $199; Four-day GA Pass $229; oldsettlersmusicfest.org.
Apr. 25-27: Austin Psych Fest
Austin Psych Fest was the original name of what we now know as Levitation, but lucky for us, both are back as their own independent hangs. Coming back to the Far Out Lounge, Austin Psych Fest is gearing up to once again pay homage to Austin’s '60s rock heritage.
Friday will be a sonic assault on the senses, with post-rock titans Explosions in the Sky and the legendary Godspeed! You Black Emperor. Black Mountain and Kadavar will bring the heavy psych vibes, while Octopus Project will add a touch of experimental magic to the mix.
Saturday promises to be a dazzling display of eclectic sounds. Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth will bring her blend of art-punk and avant-garde to the stage. STRFKR's cosmic grooves will have the crowd dancing under the stars. SASAMI’s blend of indie rock and experimental sounds will mesmerize audiences.
Sunday will be a grand finale, with Dinosaur Jr. performing their seminal album "Without a Sound" — a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any '90s indie rock aficionado. Yo La Tengo will bring their infectious energy and timeless melodies, while Peruvian cumbia legends Los Mirlos will add a Latin flair to the proceedings. Sunday will also feature the infectious energy of UK’s alt-rock darlings, bôa.
Info: Single Day GA Pass $75; Single Day Deluxe Day Pass $175; GA Weekend Pass $195; Deluxe Weekend Pass $475. levitation.fm.
Apr. 25-27: Austin Blues Fest
The heart of Austin sits within a blues ribcage, and Austin Blues Fest epitomizes that internal connection. In 1999, Clifford Antone hosted the first Antone’s Blues Festival at Waterloo Park, which, over its three years, hosted the likes of Buddy Guy and Ray Charles. Now, Antone’s and Waterloo Greenway have brought national blues talent back to Moody Amphitheater for a third year since the fest’s reincarnation.
On Saturday, look forward to performances from Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Lee Fields, Taj Farrant, Sue Foley and Elizabeth King. On Sunday, catch Mavis Staples, Jackie Venson, Jalen Ngonda, Sir Woman, Keith Frank and Grandmaster.
Both days will also feature a special Antone's 50th Anniversary Allstar Jam. Imagine a stage overflowing with acclaimed blues artists and friends of Antone's, all belting out soulful tunes and paying tribute to the club's rich history. The lineup for this jam session includes Gary Clark Jr., Jimmie Vaughan, Ian Moore and Kam Franklin.
Info: Upper Lawn Single Day GA Pass $80; Upper Lawn Two-day GA Pass $130; Lower Lawn Single Day GA Pass $110; Lower Lawn Two-day GA Pass $180; Reserved Seating Single Day Pass $160; Reserved Seating Two-day Pass $260. austinbluesfestival.com.