2026 Tour Announced — 12 Cities · July–August
Outlaw Music Festival 2026: Dates, Lineup & Tickets
Willie Nelson & Family return for a special 12-city run — through . With The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Wilco, Billy Strings, Margo Price & more.
- On-sale: Mar 27
- TX · MO · MN · WI · MI · IN · IL · NY
- 11th Anniversary · Limited Run
The 2026 Outlaw Music Festival is a 12-date touring festival headlined by Willie Nelson and Family. July leg: Irving TX (Jul 3), Austin TX July 4th Picnic with Billy Strings (Jul 4), The Woodlands TX (Jul 5). August leg: Maryland Heights MO (Aug 18), Shakopee MN (Aug 19), East Troy WI (Aug 21), Clarkston MI (Aug 22), Noblesville IN (Aug 23), Tinley Park IL (Aug 25), Wantagh NY (Aug 28), Bethel NY (Aug 29), Saratoga Springs NY (Aug 30). Rotating lineup: The Avett Brothers (9 dates), Stephen Wilson Jr. (11 dates), Lukas Nelson (8 dates), Sheryl Crow (6 dates), Wilco (3 Texas dates), Margo Price, Sierra Hull, Rodney Crowell, Robert Randolph, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Lily Meola. Bob Dylan is not on the 2026 lineup. Tickets on sale March 27, 2026 via Ticketmaster. Citi presale March 25. VIP packages available.
Outlaw Music Festival at a Glance
A traveling summer amphitheater festival curated by Willie Nelson & Family — blending Americana, outlaw country, folk and roots rock across a shared multi-artist bill every night.
12 dates from July 3 – August 30, 2026. Three Texas shows in July (including the 4th of July Picnic in Austin), then nine stops across the Midwest & Northeast in August.
The Avett Brothers (9 dates) · Sheryl Crow (6) · Wilco (3 TX dates) · Stephen Wilson Jr. (11) · Lukas Nelson · Billy Strings (July 4 only) · Margo Price · Sierra Hull & more.
Public on-sale: March 27, 2026, 10 a.m. local via Ticketmaster and the official festival site. Citi Card presale active since March 25. VIP packages available.
Most dates run 4–6 hours, rain or shine. Check your venue’s gate times, bag policy & parking the morning of the show. Willie Nelson & Family typically close the night.
Scaled back from 35 stops in 2025 to a special limited 12-city run for the festival’s 11th anniversary. Bob Dylan is not on the 2026 bill — he’s touring independently.
Willie Nelson Tour 2026 Lineup
Willie Nelson has curated the Outlaw Music Festival since its launch in 2016, shaping each lineup personally alongside longtime collaborators.
Outlaw Festival 2026 Dates and Tickets
Below is the complete list of Outlaw Music Festival 2026 tour dates in one view.
Each listing shows the venue, city, scheduled start time, and artist lineup as announced for that date.
- The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, Irving, TX2:05 PM | Willie Nelson, Wilco, Sheryl Crow
- Germania Insurance Amphitheater, Austin, TX3:30 PM | Willie Nelson, Billy Strings, Wilco
- The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX2:00 PM | Willie Nelson, Wilco, Sheryl Crow
- Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre St Louis, Maryland Heights, MO3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson
- Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Shakopee, MN3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson
- Alpine Valley Music Theatre, Elkhorn, WI3:30 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson
- Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson
- Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson
- Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Lukas Nelson
- Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow
- Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow
- Albany Med Health System at SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY3:20 PM | Willie Nelson, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow
Outlaw Festival 2026 Latest Updates
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Willie Nelson & Billy Strings: The Headliners
Willie Nelson & Family close the night — as they always do at the Picnic. Now 92 years old and turning 93 in April 2026, Willie remains the living center of the outlaw country movement he helped build. He founded this event in 1973 in Dripping Springs, Texas. Fifty-three years later, he still headlines it.
His 2026 closing sets draw from a career spanning 79 solo studio albums — the newest, Dream Chaser, drops May 29, 2026, ahead of the July Texas dates. Expect “Whiskey River” to open, a deep-catalog middle hour, and a full-band singalong finale with the evening’s other performers joining him on stage.
For Willie’s full career timeline, health updates, and past Outlaw Festival setlists, see our complete Willie Nelson guide .
Billy Strings is the co-headliner of the 2026 4th of July Picnic — and the single most important booking detail on this year’s tour. He appears on no other 2026 Outlaw Music Festival date. If you want to see him alongside Willie Nelson, the Germania Insurance Amphitheater on July 4 is the only place it happens.
Strings is the biggest name in modern bluegrass by a wide margin. His 2022 album Me/And/Dad — a Willie Nelson tribute record — makes this pairing more than a festival booking. It’s a direct musical relationship. The two have performed together before, and a collaborative moment during Willie’s closing set is a realistic expectation, not just speculation.
His live sets run 75–90 minutes and lean heavily into improvisation. Core originals like “Dust in a Baggie,” “Taking Water,” and “Away From the Mire” anchor the set. “Meet Me at the Creek” and “Highway Hypnosis” are the tracks most likely to stretch into extended jams. He plays hard, he plays long, and he plays to the converted.
See Billy’s full 2026 schedule, Outlaw Festival history, and what to expect from his live show in our complete Billy Strings guide .
Festival VIP Packages
Outlaw Music Festival VIP packages are intended for fans who want a more comfortable, close-up experience during a long, multi-artist show. These packages focus on seating location and entry convenience rather than exclusive artist access.
While inclusions vary by venue, most Outlaw Festival VIP options typically include:
- Reserved seating in premium sections, often within the first several rows
- Early venue entry before general gates open
- Limited-edition tour or venue-specific merchandise items
VIP packages do not usually include meet-and-greet access or backstage passes. The experience is designed to improve sightlines, reduce entry stress, and add comfort during extended festival sets.
Ticket advice: Always begin with official primary sellers linked through each venue. If a show is sold out, verified resale marketplaces may offer protected alternatives, though pricing and package details can differ by city.
2025 recap and what’s coming next
A quick look at how Willie Nelson’s traveling caravan wrapped its 10th anniversary year, how weather briefly disrupted the run, and how fans can track the first whispers of the 2026 dates.
Willie Nelson & Bob Dylan lead a coast-to-coast summer
The 2025 edition stretched from Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to Jones Beach on Long Island, Hersheypark Stadium in Pennsylvania and Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin.
Every night paired Willie Nelson & Family with Bob Dylan, surrounded by rotating guests such as Sheryl Crow, Billy Strings, Turnpike Troubadours, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Waxahatchee and The Avett Brothers.
Storm-hit Oklahoma show, triumphant Indiana return
Late June storms at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri soaked instruments and key production gear, forcing the July 1, 2025 stop at Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno to be cancelled.
By September 18, 2025, the caravan returned at full strength to Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana with Willie, Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Waxahatchee and Madeline Edwards.
How to follow the next wave of dates
New legs are usually announced toward the end of winter, with Willie Nelson & Family and Bob Dylan anchoring the bill and a fresh mix of Americana and roots artists rounding out the lineup.
For confirmed schedule changes and weather advisories, always check this homepage and your venue’s official listing on the morning of the show.
Need the full city-by-city breakdown? Scroll back up to the 2025 schedule for every date, venue, lineup and ticket link.
Outlaw Festival – FAQs
Clear, up-to-date answers about the Outlaw Music Festival, its lineup, and tour status.
Is Willie Nelson still performing?
Yes. Willie Nelson continues to perform with Willie Nelson & Family on a selective schedule. His appearances are announced on a tour-by-tour basis through official channels.
Is Willie Nelson healthy enough to tour?
Willie Nelson’s health is a private matter. As of the most recent festival seasons, there have been no official announcements indicating an inability to perform. Any updates regarding appearances are communicated directly through tour organizers.
Avoid relying on rumors or unsourced claims circulating on social media.
Who usually headlines the Outlaw Festival?
The festival is traditionally anchored by Willie Nelson & Family. In many recent editions, Bob Dylan has co-headlined select dates, with rotating Americana and roots artists supporting each stop.
Who is performing at Outlaw Music Festival 2026?
The 2026 lineup has not been announced. Based on prior rollout timing, updates often appear later in the winter once routing and venue contracts are finalized. This is not yet confirmed.
Is the Festival cancelled?
No. The festival operates as a multi-city tour. While individual dates may occasionally be cancelled due to weather or logistics, the festival itself has not been discontinued.
Why were some Outlaw Music Festival dates cancelled in 2025?
In 2025, a small number of shows were cancelled due to severe weather and storm-related production damage at specific venues. These decisions were made locally for safety and operational reasons.
Will there be an Outlaw Music Tour in 2026?
2026 tour dates are not announced. Historically, new legs are revealed later in the winter after venues and artist availability are confirmed.
Fans should rely on official announcements rather than leaked posters or unverified listings.
How long does a typical Outlaw Music Festival show last?
Most Outlaw Tour stops run between four and six hours, depending on the number of artists on the bill. Willie Nelson & Family typically close the evening.
Where can I buy tickets safely?
Fans should always begin with official primary ticket sellers for each venue. If a date is sold out, verified resale marketplaces may offer protected alternatives, with pricing and availability varying by city.