Brownwood’s Feels Like Home Festival is adding five hometown acts, a limited Friday barbecue experience and more interactive attractions as organizers prepare for the event’s return on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
The third annual festival will be held at the Brownwood Event Center and will combine country music, Texas barbecue and activities designed to keep fans engaged throughout the day. Tickets are on sale at FeelsLikeHomeFest.com.
Five Brownwood acts join the festival lineup
The Pioneer Live Stage will feature Brandon Aguilar, The Cadillac Thieves, Goodnight Franklin, Intrusive Thoughts and Sun City. Organizers described the stage as an all-Texas showcase of emerging and hometown talent.
Aguilar is a Texas-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for acoustic Americana, folk storytelling and dynamic vocals. He previously performed as Tahoma, received recognition from NPR and later became a Brownwood resident.
The Cadillac Thieves will bring Southern rock to the festival, while Goodnight Franklin and Intrusive Thoughts earned their places after winning Pioneer Live’s Battle of the Bands competitions. Goodnight Franklin is a hometown band that has begun building an audience beyond Brownwood. Intrusive Thoughts is a five-piece heavy metal rock group. Sun City, a hometown rock trio, rounds out the local lineup.
The Pioneer Live Stage will be located among the expanded barbecue area on the Baker Street Lawn. Performances are scheduled from noon to 4 p.m., giving ticket-holders live music while they sample the festival’s Texas barbecue offerings.
The Main Stage is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Its previously announced country lineup includes Gary Allan, Scotty McCreery, Mark Chesnutt, Jack Ingram and Caroline Hale.
Friday pitmaster event limited to 120 guests
Festival weekend will begin Friday, October 2, with the return of the Pitmaster Privilege experience. The event will run from 5 to 7 p.m. and move indoors to the Brownwood Event Center in 2026.
Only 120 guests will be admitted. For $49, attendees will receive barbecue, complimentary beer and wine, festival merchandise and an opportunity to spend time with the founding pitmasters from Hurtado Barbecue and Hill City Chop House before their festival appearances Saturday. The experience is presented with support from Ziegenbock, and tickets are available at feelslikehomefest.com/tickets.
Hurtado Barbecue and Hill City Chop House have participated in the previous two festivals and were included in the 2026 barbecue lineup announced earlier this summer. Hurtado is known for a Tex-Mex approach to Central Texas smoked meats, while Hill City Chop House is the small-town barbecue operation established by chef Dustin Martin and recognized by Texas Monthly.
Golf, games and expanded festival amenities
Between performances and barbecue sampling, attendees can expect golf simulators, axe throwing, a cigar lounge for guests age 21 and older, a custom cowboy hat experience, a U.S. Marines pull-up challenge and lawn games.
Additional vendors, food and drinks, brand activations and festival experiences will be spread across the Brownwood Event Center grounds. Other 2026 upgrades include a new indoor Platinum VIP Lounge, a larger VIP area, longer barbecue sampling hours, additional Main Stage pit access, festival re-entry before 5 p.m. and the return of complimentary hotel shuttle service.
The Saturday barbecue program includes Hurtado Barbecue, Hill City Chop House, Pody’s BBQ, Brantley Creek Barbecue, Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue, Schoepf’s BBQ, The Original Roy Hutchins Barbecue, Victorian’s Barbecue, Olmos BBQ and Bosque River Taphouse.
Founded in 2024, Feels Like Home Festival was created around country music, barbecue and the small-town Texas experience. Organizers said the 2025 festival sold out and drew attendees from more than a dozen states and more than 300 Texas communities. The 2026 festival will offer general admission, VIP, barbecue add-ons and premium ticket packages.
More information and future updates are available at FeelsLikeHomeFest.com and through @FeelsLikeHomeFest on social media.