Get ready to party to the sounds of Zydeco in Hermann Park this summer. On June 7 the 36^th Annual Accordion Kings and Queens Concert will feature the best of polka, conjunto, zydeco, and other folk styles, creating an atmosphere of joy, music, dance, and community spirit. And this year’s headliner is the multi-Grammy Award nominated Sean Ardoin.

Photo credit Sean Ardoin

“I’m excited to be headlining the Accordion Kings and Queens festival!” Ardoin says. “It is an honor for me to represent my Creole culture on the Texas Folklife stage at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. This is an iconic event at a Houston iconic venue, and I am super ready to give my all on the stage! So come ready to dance and L’aizzes Les Bon Ton Rouler —Let the good times roll!”

Ardoin, a five-time Grammy nominee, recently earned a 2025 Grammy nomination for his latest album, “25: Back to My Roots,” in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category. He is a Louisiana native and acclaimed musician from folk music royalty. He’s a descendant of Amédé Ardoin, referred to as the Father of Zydeco by music scholars for laying the groundwork for Creole music in the early 20th century, and Creole musicians Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin and Lawrence “Black” Ardoin. His brother is hip-hop zydeco accordionist Chris Ardoin.

Besides the headliner, you’ll also hear Brave Combo — the Grammy-winning quintet from Denton, Texas, that blends polka, rock, salsa, cumbia, and more into their signature high-energy style; The Texas Sweethearts Tex-Mex group from the Rio Grande Valley; and the Texas Folklife’s Big Squeeze program featuring the next generation of accordionists.

The annual festival is sponsored by Texas Folklife, a statewide nonprofit organization that promotes, preserves, and celebrates the cultural heritage of Texas. Accordions have been around for a century but according to the 2021 documentary Accordions Rising, they are more popular than ever although they have long been mainstays in ethnic European sounds, Mexican, Creole, and even in certain African genres.

The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. June 7, and tickets go on reserve at 10:00 a.m. the day before. Covered seating requires a ticket, but hillside seating is first come, first served. Both are free as Miller Outdoor Theatre has offered professional, free artistic performances and festivals since 1923. For hillside seating, you can bring a blanket or folding chair and pack a picnic basket (although there is a concession stand for snacks like corn dogs and cheeseburgers, but be advised it is cashless), and you can even bring some booze, just no glass containers. Hermann Park, like all City of Houston parks, is nonsmoking. You are also not permitted to take photos or videos of the performance, and Fido needs to stay home as pets aren’t allowed on the hill.

by Marene Gustin