TEXAS ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, “HOT NIGHTS, COOL TUNES” FILL DOWNTOWN BRENHAM
Creative art and lively music packed downtown Brenham throughout the weekend for the Texas Arts and Music Festival and the City of Brenham’s “Hot Nights, Cool Tunes” concert series.
The two-day festival on Friday and Saturday featured two live murals, an art village, live music, food trucks, and other activities. Meanwhile, hundreds came to downtown both nights to hear performances from the fan favorite Texas Unlimited Band and Journey tribute band Escape.
Festival Founder and Board Chairman Brad Stufflebeam says COVID-19 certainly caused a lot of uncertainty leading up to the festival, but he is thrilled with how the weekend turned out.
Austin-based mural artists Tara Johnston and Luis Angulo added two new murals to downtown’s growing display of art, one on the back of the Today and Yesterday building near Toubin Park, the other in the alleyway next to Funky Art Café near the intersection of Commerce Street and Church Street.
Stufflebeam says keeping attendees spread out and safe was a top priority of festival organizers, and believes they did a good job of accomplishing that.
Both the festival activities and the concerts were held in the Commerce Street parking lot to allow for increased space for attendees to socially distance.
Texas Unlimited Band’s performance was sponsored by Budweiser – Mike Hopkins Distributing, Brenham National Bank, Seidel Schroeder, and Dahmann and Associates, LLC. Escape was sponsored by Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, Brannon Industrial Group, and Tippit Dental Group.
Saturday will round out the concert series with T.Cole and the Austin Party Band, playing a blend of songs from Motown to Modern. The performance will be sponsored by Woodson Lumber Company, Citizens State Bank, Baylor Scott and White Health, and South Texas Tack.
Loved the location much better, but prefer it to be in July.
October is nice, but I agree it is better for the merchants in July.
Enjoyed the vendors/food/snow cones/kettle corn/music
Awesome event!!!
I love the new location for HNCT! A lot more room for dancing & seating. This way you can see the band @ all of the people better. The weather was perfect!!
Hot nights and cool tunes is a lot better in October than July. Thoroughly enjoyed the music without all the sweating!
I’m glad you enjoyed the concerts and the wonderful, cooler weather. Yes, October is a much more pleasant time for evening concerts. If things return somewhat to normal, it is very possible that at least one is scheduled for October next fall. The main reason HNCT is held in the summer is because it is a slower time for our downtown merchants. Our aim is to get folks to the downtown area where they can see the various businesses…and hopefully come back to shop, eat and drink downtown.