Rockwall celebrates with Founders Day Festival

ROCKWALL, Texas — The City of Rockwall is preparing to host its annual Founders Day Festival this Saturday, marking the community's 172nd birthday with a day-long celebration of music, food, and local heritage. The event, a staple tradition for the city, is expected to draw several thousand residents and visitors to the downtown area and Harry Myers Park.

The festivities kick off at 8:00 AM with the local Farmers Market, followed by a wine walk through Rockwall’s historic downtown district. By 1:00 PM, the focus shifts to Harry Myers Park, which will host a variety of family-friendly activities, including bounce houses, food trucks, and plenty of space for picnics.

“We are really proud of our heritage here, and to celebrate that, we have a massive festival every single year,” said Rockwall Mayor Tim McCallum.

ROCKWALL FOUNDERS DAY EVENT DETAILS

What: Rockwall Founders Day Festival presented by Hiley Chevrolet of Rockwall

When: 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16

• 8 a.m. to noon: Rockwall Farmers Market, downtown Rockwall
• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Rockwall County’s Master Gardeners present “The Founders Garden,” an interactive garden experience for all ages, San Jacinto Square
• Noon to 4 p.m.: Downtown Rockwall Wine Walk; purchase glasses in San Jacinto Square
• 1 to 5 p.m.: Founders Day Festival family activities in Harry Myers Park
• 5:30 p.m. Texas Country artist Billie Jo Jones performs in Harry Myers Park
• 6:45 p.m. Country chart topper Randy Houser performs in Harry Myers Park
• 8:30 p.m. Legendary Texas group Randy Rogers Band performs in Harry Myers Park
• 9:30 p.m.: Festival ends

Where:

• Downtown Rockwall, 101 E. Rusk St., Rockwall

• Harry Myers Park

Information: rockwall.com/event_FoundersDay.asp

As the "Free Live Music Capital of North Texas," Rockwall has curated a high-profile country music lineup for the evening stage. The free concert series begins at 5:30 PM featuring:

• Billy Joe Jones
• Randy Houser
• The Randy Rogers Band, headlining at 8:30 PM

To accommodate the large crowds, city officials are providing free, air-conditioned shuttles to transport attendees to and from the park throughout the day. While the festival and concerts are free to the public, the morning wine walk requires a separate ticket.

Mayor McCallum noted that the event serves as the unofficial kickoff to the summer season, which will continue with free live music every Friday and Saturday night at San Jacinto Plaza and a "Concert by the Lake" series every Thursday night at the Harbor.