Rockwall Founders Day celebrates the town’s 171 birthday on Saturday, May 17. The free festival takes place both in downtown Rockwall and at Harry Myers Park, with a robust lineup of family programming that begins at 8 a.m. downtown and culminates that evening with high-energy performances by Will Jones, William Beckmann and headliner Josh Turner in the park.
A trolley will shuttle festival goers between downtown and Harry Myers Park from 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Festivities begin with the Rockwall Farmers Market, which takes place on the downtown square from 8 a.m. to noon. The farmers market has become a popular destination for locals to purchase fresh produce and specialty foods such as grass-fed meats, fresh-baked artisan pastries, seafood, honey, jams, pasta and tamales – plus, there’s live music.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., join Rockwall Art League for a Founders Day pop-up exhibit and sale downtown in San Jacinto Plaza. The pop-up features fresh new works from 15 local artists in a variety of media, plus plein air demonstrations and hands-on art activities for all ages.
From noon to 4 p.m., a wine walk takes place in downtown Rockwall, sponsored by Downtown Rockwall Association. Guests purchase wine glasses at San Jacinto Plaza, then go from shop to shop across downtown sipping samples from each merchant. Proceeds benefit the Downtown Rockwall Association.
Founders Day continues at Harry Myers Park starting at 1 p.m. with fun for the whole family. Expect bounce houses, a rock-climbing wall, a ninja course and a food truck court. A vendor market keeps shoppers entertained until 5 p.m. Throughout the event, live animal shows introduce exciting creatures to festival goers. A DJ spins tunes all day, keeping the festival energy going.
Starting at 5:30 p.m., guests will see why Rockwall is widely recognized as one of the greatest live music cities in Texas. The city has been named the “Free Live Music Capital of North Texas” by the Texas House of Representatives.
Two up-and-coming country acts open the stage at Harry Myers Park to warm up the crowd. Kicking off things at 5:30 p.m. is Will Jones, whose sound is rooted in the country and bluegrass music that he grew up listening to in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jones draws inspiration from greats including Keith Whitley and Tony Rice.
At 6:30 p.m., William Beckmann takes over. Hailing from Del Rio, Texas, a small border town, the singer-songwriter is influenced by classic country and the mariachi and Norteño sounds of northern Mexico.
Headliner Josh Turner takes the stage at 8 p.m. Known for songs like “Long Black Train” and “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” Turner’s global reach includes nearly six billion streams. Turner’s five No. 1 singles also include “Your Man,” for which the official music video has 226 million views. Turner released his first “Greatest Hits” album in 2023, which features 11 of his biggest songs from seven studio albums.
For more information on Rockwall Founders Day, including tips on where to park, visit rockwall.com/event_FoundersDay.asp.
