The reason this is one of the parties you have to put on your bucket list is right there in its name: Willie Nelson. Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of country music, the 81-year-old songwriter, author, actor and activist is an absolute legend. He first held Willie’s Picnic way back in 1973 in a field in Dripping Springs, Texas, which is outside Austin if your knowledge of Texan geography isn’t that good. Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Tom T Hall co-headlined, 40,000 people turned up (according to legend that’s about 35,000 more than anyone expected) and it all turned into a bit of a debacle. Thankfully, not at all phased by the chaos that ensued, Nelson continued what would become a tradition, even if it’s had the occasional year off now and then.
For the past few years, the event has been held in a large field adjacent to Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s biggest honky tonk – and reason enough to visit to Fort Worth – with 6000 folks grabbing themselves a ticket to country-music heaven.
Make sure you… grab a handful of napkins. Billy Bob’s Bar-B-Que operates on site and, this being a picnic, you’d be mad not to stuff yourself silly on the Texan specialty.
Don’t… go too hard too early in the Texan sun. There’s a cool zone inside Billy Bob’s if you need it.
Tickets bought in advance cost about US$30, but you can live large and pay for a VIP one (US$215) that’ll get you access to the skybox in the middle of the ground, with 360-degree views, private bar, free food and giveaways.