The video above takes you on a walking tour of the Georgetown Square, the historic downtown district that wraps around the Williamson County Courthouse. It covers the local restaurants, music venues, and events that make this area worth a stop — and finishes up at Wahlberg German Restaurant for their Songwriter Wednesdays showcase, a central Texas tradition that's been running for over seven years. If you're driving through the area or looking for a reason to spend an evening in Georgetown, this is a solid overview of what you'll actually find on and around the square.
Georgetown has been getting a lot of attention lately. It was recently named the fastest-growing city in the entire United States, and the population hit around 75,000 as of 2020. Despite that growth, the downtown square still has a calm, walkable feel to it. One nice detail: you can buy alcohol and carry it around the square, which makes strolling between spots even more relaxed. The area also hosts the annual Red Poppy Festival and sits near Blue Hole Park and Inner Space Cavern for anyone wanting to mix in some nature between sets.
What Live Music Venues and Spots Are on Georgetown Square?
There's more live music on the square than you might expect. Here are the spots featured in the video:
- Ken's Guitars — A guitar shop that doubles as a live music spot, hosting open mic nights, songwriters, and music events right on the square
- Roots — One of the most popular and well-known music venues in downtown Georgetown, regularly booking full live performances
- Barrels and Amps — A venue on the square known for events like their Dueling Pianos nights
- Wahlberg German Restaurant — Home to Songwriter Wednesdays, a biweekly showcase hosted by Mike Mathis that draws songwriters from across central Texas and beyond
- Gumbo's on the Square — A restaurant right on the square with live music and solid food; the shrimp and grits are a standout
Wahlberg Songwriter Wednesdays
The heart of the video is the Songwriter Wednesdays showcase at Wahlberg. Host Mike Mathis has been running this event every two weeks for about seven and a half years, bringing in songwriters from around central Texas and sometimes from across the country. The night featured in the video included David Bridwell performing for the first time at the showcase, along with regulars like Ryan Bell, Steve Valentine, and Robert Lawhon. It's an intimate, low-key event — the kind of thing where performers sit in together and take turns, and the crowd is close enough to hear every word. If you're into original Texas songwriting and want to skip the big production venues, this is exactly the kind of night worth seeking out.
Nearby, Tejas Meat Supply (spelled T-E-J-A-S) and the Williamson Museum round out the square with local flavor and history. Georgetown is easy to overlook if you're just passing through on your way somewhere else, but spending an evening walking the square and catching live music here is time well spent.