Conroe, Texas, is the place to be for live music April 4-7. Learn more about the Conroe Crossroads music festival at conroecrossroads.com.
202 Main
202 N. MAIN ST.
202 Main is a restaurant/venue in Historic Downtown Conroe. It serves gourmet eats and handcrafted signature cocktails, and hosts a variety of public and private events, in its main space as well as its outdoor courtyard. Most weekends mean live music at 202 Main. It’ll host Conroe Crossroads performances on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9.
Conroe Art League
127 SIMONTON ST.
Conroe Art League is nonprofit organization with a mission to support Art in the Conroe area. From its location in the Madeley Building, it hosts classes, workshops, group activities, and exhibits. During Conroe Crossroads, it will serve as the box office location Thursday and Friday wristband pick-up and sales, plus VIP attendees will gather there Friday for the exclusive VIP event.
Conroe Founders Plaza
205 METCALF ST.
One of Conroe’s many city parks, the Founders Plaza opened in 2009 and has landscaping, picnic areas and a covered stage for performances.
Corner Pub
302 N. MAIN ST.
Family owned and operated, the Corner Pub has been a Conroe establishment known for its intimate jam sessions since 2005. The building that houses the downtown staple originally served as a general store in the early 1900s, then became Scott’s Pharmacy from the 1930s to the ’80s. With the building changing hands many times over the past few decades, the Corner Pub has found a home in the space and has endured for 17 years.
The pub was the first live music venue to open downtown in 2005, and later expanded in 2011 by adding a deli. “I like to believe we started the movement to bring nightlife to this area of town,” says manager LeAnne Pool. “Even though we’re a 21-and-up establishment, we see every age from 21 to 81. Our atmosphere is welcoming, and we have weekly open mic nights where folks can show off their musical talents.”
Without a doubt, the Corner Pub’s atmosphere is cozy and comfortable, with plenty of seating, tables and rocking chairs for people to enjoy the live performances that are mostly free of charge. “We like to highlight all types of musical genres,” says Pool, from country to rock, blues to bluegrass and more. Past acts have included Cody Johnson, Ruthie Foster, Uncle Lucius, Caleb and the Homegrown Tomatoes, Field of Bronze and Josh Ward. For this summer, the pub has booked Willow James, Tremoloco, Johnny Boy. Milton Hopkins and Zach Aaron. During Conroe Crossroads, artists will perform at the Corner Pub all four days.
Margaritaville Lake Resort
600 MARGARITAVILLE PKWY.
The first Texas-based Margaritaville resort, this waterfront property opened in June 2020, with 303 luxury suites, 32 waterfront cottages, five restaurants and bar and a tempting array of amenities.
Pacific Yard House
101 METCALF ST.
Located downtown in a historic structure dating back to 1907, Pacific Yard House opened its doors on Sept. 1, 2017. The lively, multifaceted venue features a large indoor dining room, bar, outdoor patio area and a space to host live entertainment.
The structure possesses a unique history that can still be seen in the building’s architecture. In 1942, Albert L. Johnson purchased the building and transformed it into a 7,000-square-foot structure that was comprised of two businesses — a wash house/dry-cleaning service on one side, and Jewell Ice, later known as Sparkle Ice, on the other. Fairmount Foods purchased the building in the coming years and continued to sell ice along with other snacks and novelty items. In the ’70s, the building fell into financial hardship and was forced to close its doors, facing demolition. Pat Moritz and Ron Boyd purchased Sparkle Ice, saving it from demolition, transforming it into an events center before it eventually became Pacific Yard House. As one of Conroe Crossroads’ main venues, festival performances will take place there Thursday through Sunday nights.
The Red Brick Tavern
119 SIMONTON ST.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Conroe, the Red Brick Tavern has been the place to go for foodies, performers and craft beer enthusiasts since September 2012. The community meeting place, housed in what was formerly Talley’s Domino Hall, is named after the exposed red brick that’s original to the 1930s structure.
Debbie Glenn and J. Ross Martin III had the idea to open a listening room–style music venue that served good food, craft beers on tap and music to the downtown district. Every Thursday is Songwriter Spotlight Night at the tavern. Hosted by award-winning songwriter Buck Yeager, Songwriter Spotlight features a different performer weekly and invites artists from all genres up on the stage to showcase their talents.
“The Red Brick Tavern pioneered the movement of gourmet food in Conroe,” Glenn says, “and we’ve been named Best Small Live Music Venue and Best Restaurant in North Montgomery County. We focus on made-from-scratch comfort food and host a Sunday gospel brunch.”
The idea of a songwriter-focused venue came easily to Glenn. She’s the lead singer and songwriter of Southern Disposition, a group that won CMA Texas New Song of the Year in 2018. Past acts at the tavern have included Lee Roy Parnell, Bri Bagwell, Tony Arata, Don Rollins, Tony Ramey and numerous local acts. And Joe Ely, Lucinda Williams, Whiskey Myers and the late Ray Price have all stopped in for a meal. Red Brick Tavern will have performances nightly during Conroe Crossroads, and Glenn’s Southern Disposition is a featured festival band!
The Table at Madeley
316 MADELEY ST.
The realization of a dream by Frank and Bel Jackson, this new family- and pet-friendly venue combines outdoor entertainment with fine food from its food truck vendors. The Table at Madeley will open just in time to welcome the public for shows during Conroe Crossroads.
Conroe Crossroads, April 4-7, conroecrossroads.com
