Music lovers or just aficionados of unusual cultural events who can make it to Willie Nelson’s Ranch in late October and early November will be in luck. For a period running from October 28 through November 6, Luck Ranch outside of Austin will host its first festival, Lucktoberfest. The gathering will have a different theme for each of its nights and 10 days – from a masquerade ball with Orville Peck to a Day of the Dead celebration with Los Lobos to a Negrito-led Fantastic Opry Revue show.
Not all music shows will be rustic by any means, but genre buffs will be especially interested in the penultimate night, called Valentines and Rodeo, which will combine a female lineup with Tanya Tucker, Sierra Ferrell and Nikki Lane and combine it with the first competitions Actual cowboys that take place at Luck Ranch.
Non-musical highlights will range from a family-oriented Halloween trick-or-treating night to the “Southern Glamor queer fashion show.”
You’ll all get off at Luck Ranch, which is a 30-40 minute drive from Austin (with city shuttles available), for a budget-friendly cost of $100 for a full 10-day ticket or $35 for any single night. Lucktoberfest organizers see it as a more accessible and diverse complement to the Luck Family Reunion Music Festivals they produce on the farm adjacent to SXSW each spring, which are more affordable and more exclusive.
Lucktoberfest
Shows courtesy of luck
“It’s a separate thing,” says Matt Baiser, founder of Luck Presents. diverse, For anyone else curious to know how this differs from this signature spring event. “The Luck Reunions is really our homecoming to the Luck family, the artists, and this community that we’ve built over the years. But we really felt like we wanted to host an event that was more open to the[Texas]community. You know, Reunion is sold out before we announce the lineup every year.” And we wanted to open up Luck to a much larger group of people who might miss out on that opportunity. It’s a lot more informal; you don’t have to feel like, “Hey man, I have to get tickets today or I’m not going” or “It’s only VIP and doesn’t include me.” It’s still a small and intimate experience, but it does happen a lot, from the full carnival that takes place halfway to the classic Oktoberfest beer hall that takes place all week, to the main outdoor stage.”
Beiser highlights the diversity of programming over the course of a week and a half, noting “everything from western masquerade ball – with Orville Peck to a Bavarian night that will really have a traditional Oktoberfest feel. We’ve had some great groups and artists come together for Dia de los Muertos.” , where we will get everything from parade and experience to music [by Los Lobos and traditional Mexican artists] Being incredible. We are doing our first ever fashion show in Luck that is curated to celebrate a large group of gay artists from the Texas area creating their own experiences. We have our first real rodeo on the farm on the second Saturday, and on the last Sunday, we have a golf tournament,” he says.
“We felt like we needed to open doors for different community curators, different organizations, different groups to kind of show us what Texas is, versus saying what we know. And I think that’s what we’ve been trying to do for the past six or nine months, is to talk to groups and organizations different to make it take charge and organize the days and create popups and special experiences.We want it to be a place where everyone can feel at home.Luck is that kind of neutral ground, I think under the rule of the owner, Willie Nelson, the way he sees the world, we wanted Just embodying that and setting up an event that I felt could be for anyone and everyone I want to go out with, whether it’s bringing the family or coming solo to a show in the evening.”
lucky farm
Shows courtesy of luck
The Luck Ranch area occupies about a third of Nelson’s Texas holdings. “We like to call it ‘just outside of Austin’ is a simple reference to Lucas (Nelson, son of Willie) and his song about it.” Beiser explains the origins of town…or “township”…luck.
“It’s a somewhat mystical western town, built for Willie’s 1985 movie ‘The Redheaded Stranger.’ And Willie, in that original script, wrote to burn the town. I’ve always dreamed of having a western town since I was a little kid,” Willie said. And so he kept it. It became this kind of playground for adults, as he had his own space and had a wild western town in his backyard. But it stayed for a few years, until about 10 years ago, we started opening it up again to the public for Luck Reunion. Since then we have been maintaining it and trying to preserve the western facades and keep the city alive and give it a face to the new generation where people can experience and visit.
“And it really is the home of the Nelson family. One of the nice things about it is that they only open it a few times a year, and I think it has that kind of a mysterious feeling of a special place. You can tell when you come there that it makes you want to be yourself better, Meaning it’s really like a lucky place. When you pull into town, you pass all of Willie’s rescue horses on the dirt road and you come to a small western town at the end of the road where there’s a big Hollywood-style sign that says LUCK on the hillside. From there on out, you’re in luck,” he laughs . “It’s kind of life and has its own little experience for everyone who comes in.”
lucky farm
Inclusion can be viewed as a political statement, given that the entire state is not enamored with Texas politics in the current climate, while Austin tends to act almost as its own cultural state. But if anything, Reiser says part of the idea for Lucktoberfest is to help erase those lines.
“I think it goes back to the idea of community in the first place,” says the founder of Luck Presents. “Everywhere we look now, everyone is focusing on the differences, and I think for us, it’s like, let’s unite around the things that we all care about and the things that we believe in. Let’s try to find a way to reconnect and bond, and really be a community. It’s kind of important. It’s times like these to have a space where people can kind of come together and find ways to reconnect, find ways to realize that we’re all human. I think when you have a lot of people in the same room, you start to see those walls crumble a little bit. Hopefully we can continue. In doing what we’ve always done, which is providing a space for people to come together. And I think Willie has always been famous for that, and we want to represent that in our mantra of how we put these experiences, creating a space for people to be themselves. And so, yeah, I think in a way it’s an answer to the times we live in. Today, which is, rather than letting anyone else paint a picture of Texas, let’s paint our own picture of ourselves through an experience.”
Here are Luck Presents mini descriptions of daily topics and events:
Friday October 28th: Huge Texas Kickoff Featuring: Paul Cawthen at Big Velvet Revue
“The first-ever Lucktoberfest grand introduction will kick off our 10-day celebration of Texas culture in a big way with Big Velvet Revue Paul Cawthen, which features special guests like The Lonestar State. Did we mention it’s big?”
Saturday October 29: Outlaw Masquerade Ball Featured in: Orville Beck
“Themed Orville Peak, tonight is a cowboy-themed Far West masquerade ball and features an eclectic cast of characters from burlesque dancers, saloon acts, and more private experiences; a tribute to our unapologetic predecessors who paved the way for modern-day outliers and outsiders. who perpetuate outlaw traditions.”
Sunday 30 October: Proust, yes! “Luck-Oktoberfest” featuring: Alex Meixner and Friends
“A night of German-influenced entertainment celebrating cherished Bavarian traditions from everything to polka dancing and Maskrugstemmen (holding a stein beer) featuring world-renowned superstars and musician Alex Meixner and special guests.”
Monday October 31: LUCK-O-LANTERN Halloween Family Night Featuring: Special Matthew Logan Vasquez & Friends Spooktacular
Beyond neighborhood traditions, there’s a unique and exciting one-stop shop for Halloween trick-or-treating, boos and booze, and something for every family member. Matthew Logan Vasquez themed features an amazing ensemble of stars. Kids under 18 get free with a parent or guardian.”
Tuesday November 1st: Experience Día De Los Muertos featuring: Los Lobos and More
Themed Los Lobos four-time Grammy Award winners, this Day of the Dead celebration features curated food, music, a community ofrenda, an official parade, and more.
Wednesday, November 2: The Black Opry Revue features: Fantastic Negrito
Three-time Grammy Award winner Fantastic Negrito makes headlines tonight celebrating the spirit at the core of all music, highlighting the work of black artists who have always been an integral part of country; folk. blues. and Americana music. The evening will feature a Fantastic movie viewing party Negritos, “White Jesus Black Problems” and more.
Thursday 3 November: Luck Night Market With participation: Sasami
Headed by Sasami, tonight celebrates the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Texas with a festive night market that includes street food from some of the best AAPI chefs from across the state, as well as a wide selection of vendors and artisans.
Friday November 4th: Fashion and Variety Show Queer Desert Roses: Fashion and Variety Show
“LGBTQIA+ Celebration took the celebration from the runway to the stage, featuring Central Texas designers FLAMER; a dash alive by Benjamin. This is Sloan. NICÓ; and curators. In luck, we welcome in all ways.”
Saturday, November 5: Valentines and Rodeo with Tanya Tucker, Sierra Ferrell and Nikki Lane
Led by two-time Grammy Award winner Tanya Tucker, tonight will see an all-star female musical lineup live from honky tonk, USA, celebrating the women of country music. Pop your hat and shine your shoes for a lively night featuring a raucous rodeo, a two-step dancehall experience, and more. “
Sunday, November 6: Bloody Mary Morning: A Luck-style Send-off and Brunch Festival with Bob Schneider and Shiny Ribs
“The grand finale of the first-ever Lucktoberfest will bring Bob Schneider and Shane Reps to the stage for an all-day celebration and feast featuring your favorite brunch dishes from local and local chefs.”
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