City of Lockhart named 'Music Friendly Texas Certified Community'

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The city of Lockhart was announced as a "Music Friendly Texas Certified Community," and Gov. Greg Abbott said the city will celebrate the certification with a ceremony in January 2025.

That ceremony will happen at 5 p.m. on Jan. 3 at Downtown Lockhart- January First Friday, located at 107 North Main St., in Lockhart, according to a news release from Abbott's office.

The "multi-step certification process" was completed by the city, which the Texas Music Office (TMO) then designated it as the music-friendly community, the release said.

“From hosting live music events on the historic Lockhart Square to the variety of venues here in town with live artists, it’s clear that Lockhart is a place where music is valued,” Lockhart Mayor Lew White said in the release.

The Music Friendly Texas program was introduced by the TMO in 2016 and is the first program in the nation to "foster music business-related economic development and job creation in Texas cities and communities," the release said.

“Music is key to the Texas brand and is deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of our great state," Abbott said in the release.