Luck Reunion has always been about more than a lineup.

Between the stages, down Main Street, tucked into barns and gardens and porches, there are moments waiting to be discovered… from science to storytelling.

On Thursday, April 19, alongside an unforgettable slate of artists, these are a few of the experiences shaping the day.

Big Bang Collective + CERN

This year, Luck welcomes the CERN Festival Programme in collaboration with The Big Bang Collective and the University of Texas at Austin for a full day of talks, workshops, and a special performance woven directly into the fabric of the Reunion .

Science at Luck is built on a simple idea: curiosity belongs everywhere - on a ranch and in the lab.

Expect climate physics explained with a guitar in hand, A “Turing Test for Ears” where you’ll try to decipher AI from human-made sound, a chance to solder LEDs onto a recycled electronics board from the ATLAS detector at CERN, and bring Nobel Prize-winning science to life with your own two hands.

And in one of the most distinct moments of the day, Micah Nelson joins physicist Professor Lawrence Lee Jr. for “The Shape of Music,” a performance that lives at the intersection of art and particle physics.

Austin City Limits

In 1974, Willie Nelson taped the pilot episode of Austin City Limits. It became the cornerstone of what would grow into the longest-running music series in television history.

More than fifty years later, ACL comes to Luck for a first-ever collaboration, teaming up on a limited-edition merchandise capsule, available exclusively at the Luck flagship store in Spicewood before expanding online. A portion of proceeds will benefit Austin PBS.

Jack Daniel’s

Step inside the Luck Building and you’ll find the Jack Daniel’s Stage. A dedicated, intimate space spotlighting Texas artists.

In addition to the stage, Jack Daniel’s will anchor the building with a branded Airstream bar and a special treat for artists. .

Visit Fort Worth Stage

Past the Revival Stage, Visit Fort Worth brings a full-scale immersion to life, complete with its own stage, bar, and a curated hangout space designed to feel like a little piece of Fort Worth within the world of Luck.

With a curated stage throughout the day, the energy shifts from set to set, offering Luckers a place to discover the unexpected sounds of Fort Worth.

Luck Family Jam with the Best of Luck Band

The Barn Stage has always carried a certain electricity. This year, it hosts Luck Family Jam: a collective spotlighting Carrie Rodriguez, anchored by an all-star band.

It’s a celebration of people who have shaped the sound of this place and those carrying it somewhere new… all under barn rafters.

Farm Aid

For forty years, Farm Aid has stood alongside America’s family farmers. On Thursday, they’ll bring that legacy to life in the Luck Family Foundation Garden with a dedicated build-out honoring four decades of advocacy and music.

Expect a hallway of history featuring vintage televisions playing archival footage from Austin’s own Farm Aid II back in 1986, linking the performances of the day to the work that came before it. Farm Aid will also host panels on the Conversation Stage throughout the day.

Robert’s Western World

The Barn Stage will take on a little bit of Lower Broadway this year.

Robert’s Western World, the legendary Honky Tonk known as Nashville’s Home of Traditional Country Music, is stepping in as Barn Stage sponsor, transforming the space with the spirit of its neon-lit home.

For one day in Luck, Texas, Nashville comes to the ranch.

We’ve got a full ranch ready for y’all this year. There are stock tank pools and sparkling water Airstreams. Boots getting branded and soldering irons. Honky-tonk bars, quiet songwriter rounds, and conversations about the Higgs boson (it’s a science thing, not a brand-new band).

Thursday at Luck is built for wandering. For stumbling into something you didn’t expect. And to remind you it thrives in community, in curiosity, and in craft.

See y’all in Luck!

Thursday at Luck: Between the Sets