Old Settlers Association ready to party
Group’s 115th celebration, filled with music, runs Thursday through Saturday.
Calling all country music lovers: The 115th Old Settlers Association Celebration that runs Thursday through Saturday will showcase several local musicians, including award-winning fiddler and vocalist Paul Schlesinger.
The annual three-day event hosted by the Williamson County Old Settlers Association celebrates the county’s original settlers and their descendants with a weekend filled with musical entertainment.
The celebration will be at Old Settlers Park, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd.
Schlesinger and his band, the Knights of Texas Swing, will kick off musical performances on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Taylor native — and a regular performer at the Old Settler’s reunion — will play his brand of traditional country, western swing and dance hall favorites.
An accomplished musician, Schlesinger was named as one of the top five western swing male vocalists of the year at the 22nd annual Will Rogers Academy of Western Artists awards banquet in March. Last year, Schlesinger won the Academy of Western Artists’ Western Swing Song of the Year award.
Festivities kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday with Crickets Night, where Settlers Association President Irene K. Walton Michna will preside over opening ceremonies and Buddy Michna will serve as master of ceremonies. County Attorney Dee Hobs will lead an opening prayer, followed by an official county welcome from Justice of the Peace Judy Hobbs.
“Fiddle Night” Friday evening kicks off with a musical performance by the Lone Star Swing Syndicate at 6 p.m. Guests of all ages are invited to sign up at 6:15 p.m. to compete in an old-time fiddler contest scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
A.C. Bible’s Night, dedicated to the memory of A.C. Bible, a former Leander school district trustee and namesake for one of the district’s football stadiums, begins at 7:30 p.m.
Festivities resume 4 p.m. Saturday with a traditional bluegrass and gospel performance by the Jeff Robertson Band. The Lake Travis Fiddlers, a group of high school students, will follow at 5 p.m. Settlers Association Vice President Bob Johnson will follow the performance with a scholarship presentation.
Bluegrass bands the Lonesome Canyon and Algerita Hall will perform at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. Then Randy Collier & Grassland will perform a combination of bluegrass and acoustic music at 8 p.m.
Admission is free, and food and drink concessions will be available. Get more information by calling 512-388-1733 or visiting wcosa.org.