Come and Take It: A fun weekend that turns into a ‘ripple effect of good’

There’s something special about a festival where you don’t have to pay for parking, walk miles to find a stage, or shell out big bucks just to get inside. While massive events like ACL have their place — if that’s your thing — there’s a different kind of magic at the Come and Take It Celebration. A magic rooted in family, in community, and in the joy of simply being together.

At our festival, you won’t find today’s biggest chart-toppers. But you will find musicians who once topped the charts, who still have stories to tell, songs to sing, and the ability to bring a crowd to life. You’ll find the heartbeat of a town that has stood the test of time, where people come together to celebrate history, to create new memories, and to keep traditions alive.

It’s a place where a dad lifts his child onto his shoulders so they can see the band play. Where a mom dances with her child, waving a plunger in the air to the lively sounds of a polka band. It’s where kids get their first taste of festival freedom, running safely through downtown, gripping a funnel cake in one hand and a friend’s hand in the other. It’s clean, it’s safe, and it’s welcoming.

But more than that, it’s a gathering — a place where old friends reunite, where families pick up right where they left off, and where new friendships begin over shared laughter and the rhythm of a familiar song. It’s where out-of-towners step into a world of small-town charm and find themselves caught up in the magic of a festival that feels like home. It’s a place where you can still dance in front of the stage, letting the music take you back to a different time, or create a brand-new memory under the glow of the festival lights.

But Come and Take It is more than just a fun weekend—it’s a ripple effect of good. It brings people to our downtown businesses, supporting the local economy. It offers a reason to volunteer, to be part of something bigger than ourselves.

It raises money for nonprofit organizations that, in turn, provide scholarships to kids who have worked hard to earn them, as well as fund community projects that help create a better quality of life. It creates traditions that families come back to year after year.

And at the heart of it all is a dedicated team of volunteers—people who give their time, energy, and passion to make it all happen. Through every challenge faced, every hurdle overcome, this group continues to push forward for the greater good of the community. Year after year, we return, determined to put on the best little celebration in Texas, because this town, this tradition, and these people are worth it.

If you’ve never been, I invite you to experience it. If you’ve come before, you already know why you’ll be back. The Come and Take It Celebration is more than an event — it’s a feeling, a tradition, a reflection of what makes this town home. And for one weekend every year, it belongs to all of us.