Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., Rainey Street Trailhead lawn hosts a free outdoor concert, radiating good vibes and a variety of music. The music at the event, put on by The Trail Conservancy, aims to create a space for the Austin community to come together with snacks, friends and a good time.

Music on the Trail came to life in 2020, coming a long way from the original pop-up concerts along the Butler Hike and Bike Trail. Rather than concerts on the trail, the Rainey Street Trailhead lawn now provides a home for musicians to play music and bond with the community. Mandi Thomas, chief marketing officer for TTC, said the trailhead proves the perfect place to encourage citizens to sit carefree outside and enjoy the show.

“It’s not a festival, and it’s not intimidating,” Thomas said. “Throw a blanket out and come with your friends.”

The event originally started because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Musicians set up along the Butler Hike and Bike Trail under a tent and served as entertainment for anyone passing by.

“It was a way to have musicians employed during a time where live music was really inaccessible,” marketing supervisor Bailey Armosky said. “From that program’s growth, when we opened the Rainey Street Trailhead in July 2024, we had created that beautiful lawn space.”

Rikki Hardy, former chief development officer at TTC, previously worked at Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, allowing her network to include local musicians. Hardy said she used her connections to help musicians have a place to perform while giving TTC numerous musicians who wanted to play for Music on the Trail.

“We’ve been doing this now for six years,” Thomas said. “We have musicians calling us and asking us if they can play. We’ve got a roster of musicians at this point that we work with, … but we’re always looking for new musicians because … we use this to highlight the new singer-songwriters in Austin.”

Austin has a variety of music and outdoors that contribute to integrating communities, which TTC incorporates into their programs to continue building connections.

“Music is universal,” Hardy said. “It’s something that everyone can enjoy, no matter what the language is, … and that’s why it’s done so well in Austin. We have so many different cultures and people here that you can throw a rock and find music that you like somewhere.”

Hardy said that after the initial pop-up performances, TTC wanted to work more intentionally with where citizens gathered. She said the new mindset allowed Austin musicians and citizens to learn from each other.

“There was a desire to inform or educate people on new music in town,” Hardy said, “but also find bands that have enough of a following to encourage their fans to come learn more about what the trail does.”

Connections grow, and friendships form through community events like Music on the Trail, according to Thomas. She said she sees neighbors meet, people go on dates and friendships form, all while bonding over acoustic music and the outdoors.

“It’s just that magic of what makes Austin, Austin,” Thomas said. “You’ve got all of this amazing talent, and it’s just right at our fingertips.”