The Feels Like Home Festival generated more than $4.74 million in total economic impact for Brownwood and the surrounding Central Texas community during its 2025 event, according to the festival’s first Economic Impact Report released Sept. 25.
The sold-out country music and barbecue festival brought thousands of people to Brownwood for live entertainment, Texas barbecue and what organizers described as small-town hospitality. The report attributes $1.99 million in direct spending to the event, while increased earnings reached approximately $1.68 million. State and local tax revenues totaled $170,682, according to the study.
The findings come as the festival prepares to return to the Brownwood Event Center for its third annual edition on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. A limited-capacity preview experience, Pitmaster Privilege, is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2.
2025 festival drew visitors from across Texas and beyond
The economic impact study was conducted by C.H. Johnson Consulting. It found that the 2025 festival welcomed 4,022 total visitors, including attendees, vendors, staff and talent. Of those visitors, 2,225 came from outside Brown County, and 55.9% of ticket holders traveled from beyond the county.
Out-of-town visitors accounted for an estimated 565 hotel room nights, providing a measurable boost to local lodging and tourism activity. The report also said visitors spent money at area hotels, restaurants and other local businesses, while festival operations generated additional economic activity throughout the market.
Festival organizers said the 2025 edition attracted attendees from more than a dozen states and more than 300 Texas communities. In-state visitors came from Abilene, San Angelo, Midland-Odessa, Stephenville, Dallas-Fort Worth, Waco, Killeen, Austin and San Antonio, among other communities.
Ticket buyers also traveled from outside Texas, including California, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina and Utah. The geographic reach helped position Feels Like Home as a regional tourism event rather than only a local concert.
What is planned for the Oct. 3 return
The 2026 festival is scheduled to offer its most expansive experience yet. The lineup includes Gary Allan, Scotty McCreery, Mark Chesnutt, Jack Ingram and Caroline Hale. The festival will also expand its Pioneer Live Stage, which will feature hometown and emerging Texas talent.
Food will remain a central part of the event. Festival-goers will be able to sample offerings from 10 Texas pitmasters. The Friday Pitmaster Privilege experience will feature Hurtado Barbecue and Hill City Chop House before the main festival begins Saturday on the Brownwood Event Center grounds.
New activities planned for this year include golf simulators, axe throwing, a cigar lounge, custom cowboy hats and lawn games. Organizers continue to promote the event as more than a country music concert, describing it as an annual fall road trip built around live music, barbecue and a Brownwood-centered visitor experience.
Organizers point to growing local impact
Steve Clayton, festival director, said the event was created to give Brownwood an experience the community could take pride in while encouraging visitors from across Texas to spend time in the city.
“When we launched Feels Like Home, our goal was to build an event that Brownwood could be proud of while giving people from across Texas a reason to come experience this community for themselves,” said Steve Clayton, Festival Director of Feels Like Home Festival.
Clayton said the number of out-of-town visitors and the economic results from the festival’s second year showed that the event’s goals were beginning to take hold. He added that the festival team hopes to continue making a meaningful contribution to its hometown community in future years.
Founded in 2024, Feels Like Home Festival is held each fall in Brownwood and combines country music, Texas barbecue and outdoor activities. Tickets for the Oct. 3 festival are on sale at FeelsLikeHomeFest.com. Organizers are also directing visitors to the festival’s social media accounts, @FeelsLikeHomeFest, for updates.