Three days of country music, folk art, food, and one very, very big bounce house are all part of the Big as Texas Festival at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds May 10-12.
Billing itself as the largest country and Americana musical line-up outside of the Country Music Association Festival itself, Big as Texas boasts nearly 40 bands across three days, including some pretty impressive names. Legendary singer-songwriter Dwight Yoakum is one of the headliners. Yoakum hasn’t released an album since 2016, but his string of hits like “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere” and “It Only Hurts When I Cry” speaks for itself. He’s maintained a solid presence on the road, continuing to draw crowds all over the country.
He'll be joined by Thomas Rhett, one of country's most consistent hitmakers of the past 10 years. He has an astounding 17 number one country hits since his first album, It Goes Like This, in 2013, including “Beer Can’t Fix” and “Country Again.” The son of acclaimed songwriter Rhett Atkins, he’s followed his father's footsteps in the family business.
One of the more underground acts that is a must see is Buffalo Nichols. A Milwaukee native, Nichols has the grizzled voice of a forgotten god, which he uses to sing a collection of lonesome love songs over an impeccably plucked guitar. His shows are a wandering touring of American root music styles that strike right at the heart.
Other acts on the bill are Dierks Bentley, Billy Strings, Morgan Wade, Clay Walker, Los Lobos, Maddie & Tae, Breland, and Amanda Shires. Performances will be hosted on two separate stages. Concerts begin at 1 pm and end at 11 pm.
The music is the big draw, but the festival is also debuting a massive inflatable play area. At 15,000-square-feet, Fred’s Bounce House dwarfs the average neighborhood party rental — and even some public parks. The attraction includes a custom entrance modeled after the Big as Texas logo, ball pits, slides, ball game courts, and obstacle courses. Fast passes are available for bouncing enthusiasts who want to skip the line.
Vendors and artisans will be on site to offer a variety of experiences. Food lovers can look forward to live grilling by Honor Cafe alongside food vendors such as Nacho's Birria, Conroe Lake House, Dosey Doe, and Houston food trucks El Guajillo and The Burger Joint.
What would country music be without some very impressive hats? Iconic hat maker Travis Austin will be crafting chapeaus live, letting visitors see what exactly goes into making top of the line country headgear.
Other activities include live mural paintings, tattoos, chainsaw art, pig races, horse sports, and more.
Big As Texas Festival will donate 10 percent of all ticket sales to organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County that aim to reduce the number of suicides in the Houston area.
Photo by Piero F. Giunti
Los Lobos.
Tickets and more information can be found at the Big as Texas official website.
