Dallas, Texas -- As Dallas’s world-famous Longhorn Ballroom continues to evolve and expand, the Longhorn property fits more and more in line with how its stewards at Kessler Presents have always envisioned it to be: a campus for creatives. Collectively, The Longhorn, nestled along the banks of the original Trinity River and just a mile from Downtown Dallas, isn’t just the venue anymore; it’s a whole hub for the next generation of Texas’s creative minds, uniting food, drink, entertainment, retail, and community under one legendary name. And beginning in Spring 2026, The Longhorn is taking the party outdoors.
Kessler Presents has just announced The Longhorn Backyard Amphitheater’s Grand Opening Spring season, bringing together up to 6500 fans at a time to enjoy today’s best touring acts under a blanket of Texas stars and the Dallas skyline as a backdrop. Five-time Grammy Award-winners La Mafia will kick off the season on March 28th, bringing their #1 hits back to the Longhorn, where they began in the 1990s. Wildly popular indie rockers Mt. Joy will make their debut at The Backyard on April 24th, and after selling out the Ballroom in 2025, the new generation of Texas honky-tonk artist Braxton Keith will hit the outdoor stage on May 30th. Additional shows during the Spring season will bring yet-to-be-announced veteran rockers and jam band pioneers to the Backyard, further reflecting the Longhorn’s long history of a broad range of bookings.
For those more interested in diving into the historic Longhorn Ballroom, don’t worry. The Longhorn Ballroom’s 2026 lineup is as lively as ever and is already going strong. Jesse Welles and Mac DeMarco have already sold out their Longhorn Ballroom tour stops, but months’ worth of world-class acts are set to take the Longhorn stage this Spring: Aimee Mann, Trampled By Turtles, Josh Ritter, Benjamin Tod, and Rhiannon Giddens, just to name a few. A full schedule for both The Backyard and Longhorn Ballroom can be found below.
To learn more about The Longhorn or to purchase tickets for any Longhorn shows, please visit www.longhornballroom.com.
The Longhorn Backyard 2026 Schedule:
March 28 - La Mafia
April 24 - Mt. Joy
May 30 - Braxton Keith
Longhorn Ballroom 2026 Schedule:
January 30 - Hard Night's Day and Petty Theft
February 7 - Justin Furstenfeld
February 15 - Los Lonely Boys
February 18 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
February 27 - Aimee Mann
March 7 - Bidi Bidi Banda
March 14 - Beth Hart
March 19 - .38 Special
March 20 - Trampled by Turtles
March 21 - EZ Band
Mar 27 - Jesse Welles (sold out)
April 3 - Watchhouse
April 17 - Big Head Todd and The Monsters
April 18 - Panchiko
April 19 - Benjamin Tod and the Inline Six
April 25 - Spyro Gyra
April 29 - Josh Ritter
May 3 - Rhiannon Giddens
May 18 - Mac DeMarco (sold out)
About Longhorn Ballroom: The history of Texas music is long and varied, but the canon of American music more generally can be tidily summarized by the acts that have rolled through the Longhorn Ballroom over the years. The venue, which celebrated its 75th birthday in 2025, was widely considered one of the preeminent purveyors of 20th-century country music in the nation, but a number of great soul and blues acts graced the Ballroom stage on Monday Service Industry Nights at the venue. This was a type of joint that unapologetically promoted Merle Haggard and the Sex Pistols on the same marquee; a place where different factions of concertgoers could unite to experience the glorious journey of live music. When the venue closed, it left a massive hole in the Texas music scene. Edwin Cabaniss and the Kessler Presents team reopened the Longhorn Ballroom with a goal of bringing it back to its heyday so a new generation of artists and patrons alike can once again enjoy this Texas legend. Key music moments since reopening include sold out perfomances from Charley Crockett (who connected history by playing Waylon Jennings’ guitar), the Indigo Girls, Colter Wall, slowdive, Samara Joy, Future Islands, Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staples, and many, many more.
About Kessler Presents: Edwin Cabaniss and his seasoned team at Kessler Presents are among Texas’ most successful purveyors of live music who seek to find the balance between commerce and creativity, artistry and business acumen, while always prioritizing the artist-fan experience. This is most reflected in how the team makes sure both the artist’s and fans' every need is preemptively met at venues like The Kessler Theater, The Heights Theater, and most recently, the Longhorn Ballroom, and looking towards the future, the to-be-opened amphitheater in the Longhorn Backyard. “We are a tight team of highly experienced and highly hospitable music fans,” says Cabaniss. “Artists and their teams know this, and fans who see and hear shows in our rooms feel the impact of our passion.” After a decade and a half in the game, Cabaniss and Kessler Presents maintain the fiercely independent energy they started with. “I am still as excited about discovering and helping an emerging artist grow as I was when we first started,” Cabaniss explains. “Now, with the Longhorn Ballroom and Backyard, we can continue to work with those artists as they move to the next level in their musical journey.”
