Fort Worth Songwriter Fest moves to Tulips FTW for its third year, Nov. 12-15

Keegan McInroe wants Fort Worth's songwriting community to feel less like an exclusive backstage pass and more like a table with a seat for everyone. In its third year, the festival he started is getting a bigger table.

The Fort Worth Songwriter Fest will run Nov. 12-15 at Tulips FTW. It spent its first two years at Southside Preservation Hall. The four days will include performances, songwriter showcases, after-parties and community programming. The new venue offers more staging and more chances for performers to play. Nearly 300 songwriters applied this year, and McInroe expects about 85 to make the lineup.

"We're very excited about Tulips. I think the festival's visibility will increase," McInroe told the Fort Worth Report. He noted that more people already recognize Tulips as a music venue, and he said the venue is building a second stage.

McInroe is a longtime Fort Worth singer-songwriter. He launched the festival in 2024 because he thought a city with such a strong songwriting tradition should have a festival of its own. KXT reported that the Fort Worth Songwriter Foundation, a nonprofit, was created to host the festival as its flagship event. The goal is to strengthen the city's creative infrastructure so new artists can find a clear path forward. The first festival featured more than 50 artists. Last year's drew more than 60 to the Ballroom, Rose Chapel and Courtyard at Southside Preservation Hall, along with workshops on the business side of songwriting.

This story is based on original reporting by Stephen Montoya for the Fort Worth Report's Soundcheck column, with background from KXT.