Fort Worth readers begin voting for local music awards in November
The Fort Worth Weekly launches a two-phase nomination and voting process for its 2026 Music Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for early 2027.
By Kenji Garnier ·
Local musicians in North Texas will compete for the 2026 Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards starting this week. The publication has moved these categories out of its standard Best Of issue to create a dedicated awards season. Residents can begin participating in the Nomination Phase on Wednesday, November 5.
The nomination window runs through Tuesday, November 30. During this period, readers submit a write-in ballot to identify their favorite local bands and musicians. The format mirrors the standard Best Of ballot, allowing voters to list choices in specific categories. A Wildcard field also accepts suggestions for artists the publication may have missed. Each person may submit one ballot during this phase.
Following the nomination period, the Weekly’s music writers will review the results. They will select the artists with the highest vote counts and add their own picks to form a final list. This final list will be available for public voting throughout December. The voting phase also limits participation to one ballot per person. The publication states that it monitors submissions to prevent multiple entries.
The ceremony honoring the 2026 winners will take place in the first quarter of 2027. The event will announce the award recipients, honor musicians who have passed away, and induct new members into the Hall of Fame. The specific date for the gala has not been announced yet.
Other holiday content is scheduled for release over the next two months. A special section for Thanksgiving resources appears in the issue dated November 18. This section includes advertising for dog boarding, turkey purchases, and side dish preparation. The deadline for advertisers to reserve space in this section is Tuesday, November 17.
The issue dated November 25 features the annual Turkey Awards, which celebrate local quirks and failures. It also includes a Shop Local section with options for Black Friday, Small Saturday, Museum Gift Shop Sunday, and Cyber Monday. Advertisers must submit their materials by Monday, November 23, to allow time for printing.
A regular issue dated December 2 will launch the Gift Box advertising section. This weekly feature runs until December 23 and provides gift ideas from local, regional, and national sources. The major Holidays 2026 special issue arrives on December 9. Printed on heavy stock paper, it covers holiday shopping, dining, drinking, and entertainment. It will be available in stores, on local countertops, and digitally on FWWeekly.com.
The final holiday issue before New Year’s Eve is scheduled for December 16 and 23. This edition focuses on New Year’s Eve party ideas. Business owners seeking advertising space in special issues should contact their representative by the Friday prior to the deadline. Standard weekly advertising deadlines remain Tuesday, but special issues require earlier submission to marketing@fwweekly.com or via the website.
Source: Fort Worth Weekly
