Tickets are live — Jeffrey Foucault · Sat Sept 26 · The Matthews
Sep 25–26 2026 · downtown

Experience music the way it was meant to be heard

Forget arenas and algorithms. This is original music, up close, in the places where songs were meant to live — coffee shops, bars, wine bars, and a 110-year-old opera house.

Get ticketsSeptember 25–26, 2026
Audience enjoying a songwriter performance at a downtown Spearfish venue
Close enough to hear the story between the songs

The format

What are songwriter rounds?

A songwriter round is an intimate performance format where three artists sit together and take turns playing original songs. After each song, the writer shares the story behind it — where it came from, what it means, the line that almost didn't make the cut.

It's the Nashville tradition brought to the Black Hills. No drum kits, no light shows — just a guitar, a voice, and a story. You hear music the way it was written: raw, honest, and right in front of you.

“I had no idea music could feel like this.”

What most people say after their first round

Your Invitational day

10:30 AMGrab a coffee downtownSettle in before the first round.
11:00 AMFirst songwriter round beginsThree songwriters, one intimate venue, one hour. Pull up a chair.Doors open
11 AM – 5 PMWalk between venuesA new round starts on the hour, every hour, at venues a few blocks apart. Follow the whole circuit or settle in wherever you land.Six rounds
5:00 PMBreak for dinnerDowntown Spearfish has you covered. Grab a bite before the evening show.
7:30 PMEvening showcase at The MatthewsFriday it's the Songwriters Showcase; Saturday, the headliner takes the historic stage.Main stage

The town

Why Spearfish?

Spearfish sits at the northern edge of the Black Hills — a small town with big creative energy. Every venue in the Invitational is within walking distance downtown. You can spend a September afternoon wandering from coffee shop to wine bar to brewpub, catching original music at every stop.

It's the kind of town where the bartender knows the songwriter and the songwriter knows your name by the second verse. That's not marketing — that's just Spearfish.

Downtown Spearfish community during the Invitational

Practical

Good to know

TicketsTicketsFriday night’s Songwriters Showcase and all the daytime rounds are free — just walk in. Saturday night’s headliner show — Jeffrey Foucault at The Matthews — is ticketed on Eventbrite now.
On footWalkableEvery venue is within a few blocks in downtown Spearfish. No car needed once you're here.
AgesAll ages welcomeDaytime rounds at coffee shops and most venues are all-ages. Evening shows at bar venues may be 21+. The Matthews is all-ages.
EtiquetteListening room etiquetteSongwriter rounds are intimate. Keep conversation low, phones on silent, and give the artists your attention. They're sharing something personal.
Stay overLodgingSpearfish has hotels, motels, and vacation rentals. September is beautiful in the Black Hills — book early.
CompanyBring friendsThe best way to experience the Invitational is with people you love. It's a weekend you'll talk about.

September 25–26, 2026

The lineup is out and Saturday night is on sale — Jeffrey Foucault at The Matthews.

Get ticketsThe Invitational