News

School is back in session, temperatures are staying stubbornly high and pumpkin spice has started seasoning every store aisle.

Fall is around the corner, bringing a new lineup of concerts to Levitt Pavilion Arlington. The free downtown concerts resume Labor Day weekend starting Aug. 30, with a show headlined by country and Americana artist Ray Wylie Hubbard.

The Arlington venue hosts national and local artists, contracting over 100 artists a year. In 2023, it reported 71,550 concertgoers.

“You don’t need to go to the big cities,” Teykl said. “If you want live music, you can stay here and find it all.”

Within the fall schedule, Levitt Arlington officials highlight upcoming shows including singer-songwriter Josh Weathers on Sept. 27, the UTA Jazz Orchestra on Sept. 29, the Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Oct. 5 and the Asian Heritage Celebration on Oct. 19.

The season will carry on Levitt Arlington’s Share the Stage initiative, which platforms local artists as opening acts, and it will live-stream concerts on Facebook and YouTube. On Friday nights, concerts will showcase local student musicians before opening acts with the pavilion’s new Levitt Spotlight program.

Drew Shaw is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org or @shawlings601. At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

Other headliners set to take the Levitt stage that weekend are the legendary doo-wop act The Drifters (“Under the Boardwalk,” “This Magic Moment”) on Sat., Aug. 31 and the internationally-acclaimed world music act Jenny and the Mexicats (“Verde Más Allá”, “Me Voy a Ir”) on Sun., Sept. 1.

The fall series marks the conclusion of the Levitt’s 2024 concert season, sponsored by Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Arlington, which began in April. Following the series, the Levitt will serve as the venue for a number of post-season events, including the Momo Festival (Nov. 2) and entertainment for the Arlington Holiday Lights Parade (Dec. 14), before resuming its signature free concert series next spring.

In addition to the powerhouse Labor Day weekend shows, highlights of the fall series include:

• Arlington Amplified Concert (Sun., Sept. 8): Featuring Arlington-based Americana act The Vintage Yell and other local artists in support of Arlington’s designation as a Texas Music Friendly Community.
• Josh Weathers (Fri., Sept. 27): A popular North Texas singer-songwriter and Levitt favorite, known for his soulful performances, returns to the Levitt stage.
• Hispanic Heritage Celebration (Sat., Oct. 5): Headlined by Tejano star Jay Perez (“Paloma Sin Nidal,” “Yo Tengo Un Amor,” “Contigo”) and featuring a vendor market, mariachi music, and more.
• National Life Group Presents Do Good Fest Texas (Sat., Oct. 12): This $5 admission festival benefits Parkland Health’s Pediatric Behavioral Health Program and is headlined by country star Aaron Watson (“That’s Why God Loves Cowboys,” “Outta Style”) with opening acts Carson Jeffrey, Catie Offerman, and September Moon.
• Asian Heritage Celebration (Sat., Oct. 19): A colorful festival featuring music and dance performances, cultural cuisine, and more.

“Between the crisp fall evenings and the stellar music lineup, the Levitt fall series is sure to delight both returning and new fans,” said Letatia Teykl, executive director of the Levitt non-profit and venue. “We’re starting strong with Ray Wylie Hubbard—who has recently collaborated with the likes of Willie Nelson, Wynonna, and James McMurtry—and finishing on high note with Jay Perez at the Hispanic Heritage Celebration, Aaron Watson at Do Good Fest, and the Asian Heritage Celebration. With a car show alongside the Ruben Ramos concert, classic rock tribute bands, a jazz concert, and more, it’s eight weekends of diverse music genres, cool moments, and high-quality productions—all free in downtown Arlington.”

Teykl also said the Levitt’s fall season will carry on the Levitt’s Share the Stage initiative featuring Texas artists as opening acts, and the Levitt Living Room Series, which are live-streamed concerts on Facebook and YouTube for fans who are unable to attend live shows in person. In April, Levitt Arlington launched Levitt Spotlight, which showcases DFW-area student musicians (school-age and college) performing before opening acts on Friday nights.

Levitt concerts typically take place on Friday and Saturday evenings, with some Sunday night shows. Most shows start at 7 pm; concert-goers should check the Levitt’s website and social media for any schedule changes. Admission is free; guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Coolers are welcome, or guests may avail themselves of delicious concessions from the Levitt’s food truck fleet.

Fall 2024 Levitt Concert and Event Schedule

Generally, opening artists take the stage at 7 p.m. and headliners go on at 8 p.m.; however, this schedule is subject to change or variation.

Friday, Aug. 30:
Ray Wylie Hubbard — Americana/Rock
Opening Artist: Dallas Burrow —Country/Folk

Saturday, Aug. 31
The Drifters — R&B/Soul
Opening Artist: Gabby & The Byrds —Soul/R&B/Jazz

Sunday, Sept. 1:
Jenny and the Mexicats — Latin Rock
Opening Artist: Carlos Ramos —Alt/Indie

Friday, Sept. 6:
Uncle Lucius— Rock/Country/Soul
Opening Artist: David Tribble —Indie/Americana

Friday, Sept. 7:
RC & The Gritz—Hip-Hop/R&B
Opening Artist: Branoofunck —Hip-Hop

Sunday, Sept. 8: **Arlington Amplified Concert**
The Vintage Yell— Soulful Americana
Opening Artists: Riley Gilbreath & Lonestar Blue—Bluegrass/Country; and Hankins —Americana

Friday, Sept. 13:
Summer Dean — Country
Opening Artist: Evan Ogden —Country

Saturday, Sept. 14:
Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution — Tejano
Opening Artist: Angelica Y Grupo Moneda—Tejano

Friday, Sept. 20:
Artist TBA on Aug. 18
Opening Artist: Los Juanos —Indie/Alt Tejano-Latin Fusion

Saturday, Sept. 21
Grand Illusion — Rock (Styx Tribute)
Opening Artist: Breaking Bad Co —Rock (Bad Company Tribute)

Friday, Sept. 27:
Josh Weathers — Rock/Soul/Country
Opening Artist: Mila Rae —Country

Saturday, Sept. 28:
Fleetwood X— Pop/Rock (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)
Opening Artist: Ella Red —Indie Pop

Sunday, Sept. 29:
UTA Jazz Orchestra featuring Tim Armacost— Jazz

Friday, Oct. 4:
Desperado — Rock (Eagles Tribute)
Opening Artist: LanceBattalion —Rock

Saturday, Oct. 5: **Hispanic Heritage Celebration** Event begins at 5:30 pm
Jay Perez (8:30 p.m.) — Tejano/R&B **Tejano Music Award winner**
Opening Artists: Salsa At The Gardens (5:30 p.m.) —Dance; Mariachi Fuzion (6 p.m.) —Mariachi; Havana NRG (7 p.m.) —Salsa

Friday, Oct. 11:
Buffalo Nichols — Blues/Rock
Opening Artist: Ravs —Funk/Rock

Saturday, Oct. 12: **National Life Group Presents: 3rd Annual Do Good Fest Texas** Doors open at 4 p.m.
Aaron Watson (9 p.m.) — Country
Opening Artists: Carson Jeffrey (7:30 p.m.), Catie Offerman (6:30 p.m.), September Moon (5:30 p.m.) —Country

Saturday, Oct.19: **Asian Heritage Celebration**
Details to be announced

How to Rock The Levitt

•  Levitt Arlington is located at 100 W. Abram St. in Founders Plaza, across from City Hall and bordering The University of Texas at Arlington campus. Seating is first-come/first-served. Early arrival is recommended for concerts featuring high-profile artists. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Seating is also available on the low walls around the lawn.
•  Parking is available on all sides of the Levitt, including free parking in any City of Arlington parking lot.
•  Picnic baskets and coolers are welcome. Glass prohibited. When the weather is hot, guests are encouraged to bring bottled water or purchase water on site; handheld fans and umbrellas are also recommended.
•  Well-behaved four-legged friends on leashes are welcome. Please consider concert volume and your pet’s sensitive ears before bringing them to a show.
•  Make plans to come early or stay late and visit one of Arlington’s nearby attractions, such as the UTA Planetarium, Cidercade, Urban Union, and bars and restaurants throughout Downtown Arlington, including J. Gilligan’s, Cafe Americana, and Grease Monkey.
•  Levitt event details can change due to the weather. Follow the Levitt on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for latest-greatest info, and to learn more about Levitt artists.

https://www.arlingtontx.gov/news/my_arlington_t_x/news_stories/levitt_fall_2024

Dallas (July 31, 2024) –National Life Group Do Good Fest® presents Texas country phenom Aaron Watson along with Carson Jeffery, Catie Offerman and September Moon for an outdoor concert festival experience at Levitt Pavilion Arlington to benefit Parkland Health’s Pediatric Behavioral Health Program in support of youth mental health on Saturday, Oct. 12.

Do Good Fest was founded upon National Life’s values of Do good, Be good and Make good. This is the third year National Life will hold Do Good Fest at Levitt Pavilion, having raised over $150,000 for Parkland. Tickets are required and can be reserved here for a minimum donation of $5. Donations beyond $5 are strongly encouraged to help kids in north Texas who are struggling with mental health issues.

“At National Life we believe in lifting up our communities, supporting youth mental health and in the power of music to heal,” said Beth Rusnock, the National Life Group Foundation president. “We’re thrilled to partner with Levitt for a third year in a row to bring great music in support of a powerful cause for an evening that all can enjoy!”

In addition to presenting an all-star music lineup, Do Good Fest will also have food trucks and a vendor market for attendees to enjoy.

Do Good Fest Texas also offers a VIP experience in the Levitt Center, which includes an exclusive air-conditioned space with an open bar, elevated pub food, a terrace that overlooks the green and stage, comfortable seating, restrooms and a swag bag filled with branded gifts. All proceeds go to the Pediatric Behavioral Health Program at Parkland Hospital. Learn more here.

“At the heart of the Levitt mission is a commitment to community, so we’re delighted that National Life Group continues to partner with us as together we support behavioral health access for our community’s children,” said Letatia Teykl, the venue’s executive director. “We’re expecting yet another big turnout at this year’s Do Good Fest Texas, so if you’re interested in an outdoor country music festival experience, we encourage you to get your tickets now and join us.”

About the Levitt

Levitt Pavilion Arlington is a non-profit, outdoor performing arts venue that offers an annual lineup of free, high production-value concerts representing an array of music genres, spanning everything from Texas country to indie rock, R&B to Tejano and more. A member of a national network of performing arts spaces funded in part by Levitt Foundation, Levitt Arlington also serves as an important community gathering space, hosting and producing community events as well as seasonal and cultural celebrations that pay tribute to the North Texas region’s diverse populations. Noted for both its heart-of-the city vibe and robust roster of musical artists that include Grammy winners, globally-known performers, and up-and-coming regional talent, the Levitt is one of Arlington’s most iconic destinations, as well as a catalyst and contributor for downtown revitalization, local economic development, and the North Texas arts ecosystem, particularly via the Levitt’s “Share The Stage” initiative booking local artists as Levitt opening acts. Levitt Arlington also plays significant roles in Downtown Arlington’s designation as a State of Texas Cultural District and Arlington’s designation as a Music Friendly Community (locally branded as Arlington Amplified) by the Texas Music Office. To learn more, visit levittpavilionarlington.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Parkland Health Foundation

Parkland Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to securing substantial financial resources that advance the goals of Parkland Health (Parkland). Parkland’s mission is to advance wellness, relieve suffering, develop and educate. Our vision is to advance health equity through excellence as a public health system. Parkland Health Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that our community has a medical home for a continuum of care from birth to end of life.

About National Life Group

National Life is here to bring you peace of mind. We’ve been keeping our promises since 1848. Believe in tomorrow. Do good today. Learn more at NationalLife.com

Contact: Daphne Larkin, corporate communications, National Life Group, 802-229-3607.

National Life Group® is a trade name of National Life Insurance Company, founded in Montpelier, Vermont, in 1848, Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Addison, Texas, chartered in 1955, and their affiliates.  Each company of National Life Group is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations.  Life Insurance Company of the Southwest is not an authorized insurer in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York.

Community members from across the Metroplex gathered at Levitt Pavilion on Saturday for an early Juneteenth celebration, highlighting diversity and Black culture within North Texas.

Juneteenth was recognized by the federal government as a national holiday June 17, 2021, commemorating the day slaves in Texas were officially freed.

Saturday’s celebration was hosted through a partnership between Levitt Pavilion, Service First Initiatives Incorporated and the Arlington chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

The event featured live music and various vendors, offering everything from lemonade and tacos to toys, trinkets and memorabilia.

The live music kicked off with a prayer and an acapella performance of the national anthem by the Truth Acapella group. Afterward, the critically acclaimed music group Celestial Clockwork took the stage.

As the group began their performance, their hypnotic sound of funk and R&B flooded the lawn. Many attendees stood up to dance and sing along, while others watched in contentment.

Omar Roberson, member of Phi Beta Sigma, said events like these help educate the community on the history of these celebrations.

“I didn’t know anything about Juneteenth until I was grown, and so I’m 43, but I did not know about this,

it’s celebrating that, celebrating us, celebrating our culture and making sure that we empower each other,” he said. ”We have our freedom, but we know that there’s a cost of being free.”

Roberson said working with Levitt for the past three years has been a wonderful experience because it relates to their mission of mentoring youth and making the world better.

“Whether that’s health and wellness, you know, financial literacy, just community service in general and just furthering education, whether it’s formal or non-formal, just celebrating us,” he said.

Roberson said now that we have Juneteenth as a national holiday, it shows that we are being honest about our history, and gives people the opportunity to celebrate and elaborate together.

“Diversity means having empathy for everyone’s experience and I think that we’ve seen more of that,” he said. “Obviously, there’s probably more work to be done and, you know, the work is never finished, right? It’s never finished but it’s all about the journey and progressing forward.”

Tina Myles, a local vendor at the event, has been celebrating Juneteenth since her childhood.

When the federal government officially recognized Juneteenth as a national holiday in 2021, it brought along changes that Myles wasn’t looking for.

“Honestly, I was a little upset about it, because the federal government made Juneteenth the holiday when we were protesting police brutality, and we asked for change and looking into how police are policing our neighborhoods, and they did nothing,” she said. ”But then they said, ‘Oh, let’s give you a holiday to make you forget about all the stuff that’s been happening.’ We’ve already been celebrating, it’s not new for our communities.”

Myles hopes that the community will continue to recognize what the holiday actually is and what it stands for.

Celestial Clockwork’s performance was followed by jazz fusion group Reggie T. and the Boneheads & Freakwency.

While music filled the air, children could be seen playing with bubble machines and chasing one another.

Attendee Gary Smith sat on the lawn with his wife, experiencing their first Texan Juneteenth celebration.

“I’m originally from Arkansas, and Juneteenth was very big,” Smith said. “I mean, it was a wonderful small town and the population like, tripled. People came in from all over just to celebrate. It had music, ball games, baseball tournaments, parades and all.”

He said this holiday gives Black people more opportunities to be around different races and cultures, and is a chance to bring all kinds of people together.

“A lot of people didn’t actually know the real history and now, you know, they’re learning more about it.”

The final act of the night was the gospel soul group The Sensational Barnes Brothers, who offered the audience a blend of both old and new music styles, wrapping up the event with a final act of togetherness.

Free concerts at Levitt Pavilion Arlington at 100 W. Abram St. will run June 1-30, 2024, with most concerts starting at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and a sprinkling of Sundays.

The Levitt’s free concerts are also livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.

 Levitt Arlington’s summer lineup features a robust diversity of music genres, including country, rock, Tejano, jazz, R&B, and Americana, in a variety of genre flavors.

Highlights of the summer series include:

•  Arlington Juneteenth Celebration (June 15), co-produced with the Arlington chapter of Phi Beta Sigma and featuring a headline performance by national gospel/soul act The Sensational Barnes Brothers.
•  The War and Treaty (June 21), an ACM/CMA/Grammy nominated husband-and-wife duo appearing courtesy of the 2024 Levitt National Tour. (The War and Treaty are the first Black duo to be nominated for CMA and ACM “Duo of the Year” awards.)
•  Light Up Arlington (June 29), the City of Arlington’s Independence Day celebration (including free fireworks display) happening at and around the Levitt and other Downtown venues; the Levitt will feature a concert headlined by Donovan Keith, an Austin-based, SXSW alum known for high-energy R&B/soul performances.

 Other noteworthy acts on the Levitt summer calendar include Grammy-nominated Texas singer-songwriter Hayes Carll (June 7); popular Southern rock tribute band Lone Star Skynyrd (June 22); and legendary country artist pioneer Gary P. Nunn (June 30), whose signature “London Homesick Blues” was the theme song for “Austin City Limits” for nearly three decades.

 The final leg of the Levitt’s 2024 season kicks off Labor Day weekend, runs through mid-October, and includes the Hispanic Heritage Celebration (October 5), National Life Group Do Good Fest Texas (Oct. 12), and the Asian Heritage Celebration (Oct. 19).

 In addition to the free concert series, other popular Levitt staples continue this season, such as the Levitt food truck fleet (including Mr. B’s Gumbo and Mo, Holy Frijole, and Lovin’ U BBQ, as well as beer, wine, and spirits from J. Gilligan’s), and North Texas-area artists appearing as opening acts, courtesy of Levitt Arlington’s Share The Stage initiative. The venue has also added a new feature for 2024: Levitt Spotlight, which features DFW-area student musicians (school-age and college) performing two songs before opening artists on Friday nights.

 “The Levitt summer lineup is so amazing that I feel confident in saying that we’re worth a spot on your calendar every single weekend,” said Letatia Teykl, the Levitt non-profit and venue’s executive director. “We guarantee you’ll experience a high-production quality concert featuring a popular or up-and-coming national, regional or local act each night, performing songs you know and love and songs you’ll fall in love with.”

 Generally, opening artists take the stage at 7:30 pm and headliners go on at 8:30 pm; however, this schedule is subject to change or variation. Visit the Levitt website or socials for up-to-date details.