H-E-B expands free True Texas Tunes concerts at Lake Austin and South Congress through October 2026

Free in-store concerts return with a nine-month schedule in Austin

H-E-B is bringing back its True Texas Tunes concert series in Austin in 2026, turning two stores into recurring live-music venues at no cost to attendees. The program runs from February through October 2026 and is structured around performances at the South Congress store and the Lake Austin Boulevard store, both anchored by H-E-B’s True Texas BBQ spaces.

The 2026 edition follows the series’ debut in 2025 and expands to a broader calendar across two locations. H-E-B is again partnering with Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers (HOME), an Austin nonprofit whose mission centers on providing financial housing assistance for aging musicians in need.

Where and when the shows take place

The schedule is split between the two stores:

• Lake Austin (2652 Lake Austin Blvd.): concerts are scheduled for 5–7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, with a weekly summer run from June through August.

• South Congress (2400 S. Congress Ave.): concerts are scheduled for 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month.

The South Congress H-E-B is the rebuilt, multi-level store that reopened on December 4, 2024 and includes True Texas BBQ with indoor and outdoor dining. The Lake Austin H-E-B, a multi-level store that opened in February 2023, also includes a True Texas BBQ restaurant.

Artists and programming: a mix of solo acts, trios, and “& Friends” lineups

Programming for 2026 includes individual performers and rotating groups billed as “& Friends,” a format commonly used for collaborative sets. The announced calendar begins at Lake Austin on February 4, 2026 with Red Young & Friends, and continues with monthly dates such as Barbara Nesbitt & Friends (March 4), Kathy & the Kilowatts (April 1), and Warren Hood & Friends (May 6).

At South Congress, the first listed 2026 performance is scheduled for February 21 with the George Carver Trio, followed by dates including March 21 (Carolyn Wonderland & Shelley King), May 16 (Como Las Movies), June 20 (Emily Gimble), and September 19 (Willie Pipkin).

How the partnership fits into Austin’s broader music-support ecosystem

True Texas Tunes is designed as both a public event series and a fundraising vehicle tied to HOME’s housing-assistance mission. The concerts are free to attend, and the partnership is structured around direct support for the nonprofit’s work assisting aging musicians in Central Texas.

True Texas Tunes runs February through October 2026, with recurring performances at H-E-B’s Lake Austin and South Congress stores.