Collin County commissioners unanimously approved a mass-gathering permit for the 2021 Plano-McKinney Music & Arts Festival.

The festival is planned for April 17 and 18 at Myers Park and Event Center, 7117 CR 166, in McKinney. Event organizers estimate 3,000 people will attend but said as many as 5,000 people could pass through each day.

County commissioners approved the permit at their April 5 meeting after no one spoke during a public hearing on the permit.

The spring event will be the first music and arts festival staged in North Texas by Outlaw Nation Festivals, which began in 2013 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A Plano festival originally scheduled for October was canceled because of the pandemic. Organizers had hoped to hold events in both Plano and McKinney in April but did not receive approval in time to organize the Plano event.

Twin festivals are planned for McKinney and Plano this October. Outlaw Nation Executive Director Josh Brown said festivals will continue in both cities every spring and fall thereafter.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends people avoid large gatherings and advises those who do attend gatherings to wear masks and practice social distancing. Recommendations also include avoiding trips to concession stands or restroom facilities when people are clustered there, such as during concert intermissions. Brown said the open space at Myers Park will allow attendees to safely spread out.

The festival will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day. In addition to concerts and artist booths, the event will feature a classic car show, a farm-fresh market, a vintage and antiques market, and pet adoptions. Admission is $15 at the gate or $8 with a discount pass. Contactless tickets may also be purchased in advance for $10 through Eventbrite. Parking is free, and tickets provide admission on both days.