The video above captures a full day at the Kerrville Folk Festival 2023, from afternoon sets under the Texas sun to late-night campground jams that kept going well past midnight. Located on Quiet Valley Ranch just outside the town of Kerrville in the Texas Hill Country — roughly two hours southwest of Austin and about an hour northwest of San Antonio — this festival has been running since 1972, making it one of the longest-standing music events in the state. What started as a three-day gathering has grown into an 18-day festival built around songwriters and the people who love them.
What Is the Kerrville Folk Festival Like?
The Kerrville Folk Festival is less of a typical music festival and more of a temporary village. Campers, tents, and RVs fill Quiet Valley Ranch, and many of the attendees have been coming back year after year, setting up in the same spots with the same neighbors. People carry around water jugs to cut down on trash from cans and bottles. The vibe is laid-back — folks hanging out in the shade, putting on sunscreen, and quietly listening to music that's happening everywhere, not just on the official stages. Songwriting is the backbone of the whole thing, and you can feel that in how seriously people pay attention to the performances.
Stages and Performance Spots at the Kerrville Folk Festival
Music happens across multiple stages and spills out into the campgrounds throughout each day and night. Here are the main spots featured in the video:
- Kennedy Outdoor Theater — The main stage at the festival, with seating for a thousand or more people. This is where the bigger evening acts perform.
- Moon Tower Stage — A late-night stage created by Radio Coffee and Beer out of Austin. They call themselves a "shush camp concert," and the setting feels straight out of a fairy tale.
- The Honky Luau — A campground gathering spot that looked festive and fun, with its own energy separate from the official stages.
- Mama Tried — Another campground spot that was setting up live music during the day.
- Camp Disinclined — A laid-back campground hangout with its own music happening.
A lot of regulars will tell you the real magic of Kerrville happens at the campgrounds rather than the official stages, and the video backs that up.
Artists Featured in the Video
The daytime sets included performances by Byron James and Flamey Grant, while the evening lineup at Kennedy Outdoor Theater featured Pixie and the Party Grass Boys and Madame Radar. There's also wood-fired pizza available near the stages, so you can eat while you listen — not a bad setup at all.
David Bridwell was actually in Kerrville to play a gig at Pint and Plow Brewing Company, a local brewery that supports the folk festival. They sent him into the festival grounds with a big can of beer, which is about as solid a send-off as you can ask for. If you're heading to the Kerrville Folk Festival and want a good spot for a drink and live music in town, Pint and Plow is worth a stop.