The Cedar Springs Merchant Association is proud to announce something we have been working toward for a long time: Oak Lawn Live: Music & Arts Festival, debuting Saturday, September 19, 2026, in the heart of Dallas’ historic Oak Lawn gayborhood.
Four Blocks. Three Stages. One Day.
Four blocks of the Gayborhood will become a full-day queer + allies celebration of live of music, visual art, food, creativity, and community.
Across three stages, guests will find entertainment spanning genres and generations. The festival footprint will also include local artists, street vendors, food trucks, neighborhood restaurants and bars, cooling stations, shaded gathering areas, and interactive experiences.
For one day, CSMA and Pride in Dallas bring to life the first music festival of this size on the Oak Lawn Strip. 18+ $20 suggeted donation helps support the cost of producing the festival and building an experience that can grow in the years ahead. It also supports mulitple projects through out the gayborhood.
Why Oak Lawn Live?
Oak Lawn has long been a place where people come to connect, express themselves, and find community. Oak Lawn Live builds on that history by creating a new music and arts experience centered on the people, businesses, and creative energy that make this neighborhood distinctive.
The goal is simple: give people another reason to spend the day on Cedar Springs. Listen to the music. Explore the art. Visit the businesses that anchor the Strip. Try something new to eat. Meet the artists, merchants, volunteers, and community organizations shaping what comes next for Oak Lawn.
The festival also advances CSMA’s continuing work to strengthen Cedar Springs through public art, enhanced sanitation, beautification, neighborhood infrastructure, and community partnerships.
Part of a Major September Weekend in Oak Lawn
Oak Lawn Live takes place during a busy September calendar for Dallas’ LGBTQIA+ community. The festival follows the Texas Latino Pride Festival on September 12 and takes place one day before the Pride in Dallas Parade returns to Cedar Springs Road on Sunday, September 20.
Oak Lawn Live is produced by the Cedar Springs Merchant Association as its own music and arts festival. Its place on the calendar gives residents and visitors another opportunity to experience the Oak Lawn Strip while supporting the businesses and organizations that serve the neighborhood throughout the year.
Experience Cedar Springs
CSMA member businesses will remain open throughout the festival, giving guests plenty of opportunities to eat, shop, cool off, and continue exploring between performances.
We encourage festivalgoers to support the restaurants, bars, shops, and service businesses along the route. Spending locally supports the merchants, employees, and venues that keep Cedar Springs active year-round.
Guests can expect:
- Three stages of live music and entertainment
- Visual art installations and creative experiences
- Local artists, vendors, and community organizations
- Food from neighborhood restaurants and festival vendors
- Cooling stations and shaded gathering spaces
- Opportunities to volunteer, vend, sponsor, and participate
The complete entertainment lineup and stage schedule will be announced soon.
Upgrade Your Festival Experience
Planned VIP benefits include festival admission, two drink passes, access to designated viewing areas, lounge spaces, and upgraded restrooms. Drink-pass use will be subject to age verification and festival policies.
VIP packages and final amenities are still being developed. Confirmed details will be published through the official Oak Lawn Live website as they become available.
Help Bring Oak Lawn Live to Life
Launching a new festival takes artists, volunteers, vendors, sponsors, merchants, and community members working together. There are several ways to get involved:
- Volunteer: Help welcome guests and support festival operations.
- Vend: Apply to showcase your art, products, services, or organization.
- Sponsor: Help build a new cultural experience in the Oak Lawn gayborhood.
- Attend: Bring your friends and spend the day experiencing Cedar Springs.
Festival information, passes, volunteer opportunities, vendor applications, sponsorship details, and future lineup announcements are available at OakLawnLive.org.
Event Details
What: Oak Lawn Live: Music & Arts Festival
When: Saturday, September 19, 2026, from noon to 10 p.m.
Where: Cedar Springs Road in Dallas’ Oak Lawn gayborhood
Admission: Ages 18+ with a suggested $20 donation
Information: OakLawnLive.org
Oak Lawn Live is a new opportunity to celebrate the people, creativity, and neighborhood businesses that make Cedar Springs unlike anywhere else in Dallas. We hope you will join us for its first year and help shape what it becomes.
See you on Cedar Springs.