AWA Awards Weekend - Nov. 20-21, 2026
Saturday, Nov. 21 - Awards Day - Fort Worth, TX
Free documentary film showings:
8:00 AM - Playing Cowboy - get tickets
9:30 AM - Power of the Mounds - get tickets
10:00 AM - The Birth and History of Western Swing - get tickets
Awards for Poets, Authors, Artists, Artisans, and Industry
2 PM - $20 - reserved seating - get tickets
$10 with member discount
Red carpet photos begin at 1 PM.
Awards for Musicians & Lifetime Achievement
7:30 PM - $35 - reserved seating - get tickets
$17.50 with member discount
Red carpet photos begin at 6:30 PM.
Performers:
We expect to ask all finalist poets, vocalists, and duos/groups to perform in one of the two awards shows (single song or poem; no fee).
Venue:
Auction Barn Studio, Fort Worth Stockyards
Seats 365 in stadium-style seating with great sightlines.
Friday, Nov. 20 - Member Day - Fort Worth, TX
AM/PM events - more info to follow
5:30 PM - Dinner on your own - we'll help you coordinate with others
7:30 PM - Meet & Greet
Sundance Room, Courtyard by Marriott Downtown
601 Main Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Headquarters hotel/group rate:
Courtyard by Marriott Fort Worth Downtown/Blackstone
601 Main Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Group rate: $189 per night
Each room has a microwave and refrigerator.
Easy walk to restaurants, ice cream, CVS.
Free street parking after 6 PM Friday and all weekend; fee for garage parking.
Available nights using group rate:
Thurs., Nov. 19 through Sun., Nov. 22
reservation link
Last day to book: Friday, October 30
How to book
Use this link (reservation link) or call the Courtyard by Marriott hotel at 817-885-8700, ask for Afra Zarka in sales (extension 4006), and she can book your reservation over the phone. Ask for the "Academy of Western Artists – Awards" group rate.
Important note if you want to stay 3 or more nights:
If you book 3 or more nights right now online without the code, you may get a better rate, due to Marriott's "Stay 3 and Save" promotion. If you use that promotion, your last day to cancel is 5 PM on Wed, November 18.
Cancellations:
You may cancel your reservation for no charge up to 11:59P local hotel time two days (48 hours) prior to arrival. A late cancellation fee will be assessed if cancellation is made after this deadline.
Parking
Parking at the hotel is valet only at $49-$59 per day.
However, there is a parking garage across the street (777 Main Parking Garage, North Garage, 601 Commerce Street, entrances and exits on both 5th and 6th Streets) with parking at $25 per day.
Downtown Fort Worth street parking (parallel parking) is free after 6 PM and on weekends. If you arrive in downtown after 6 PM Friday, and park on the street, your parking is free.
Street parking at the Stockyards is sparse. Paid parking lots in the Stockyards are $25 and up on weekends.
Getting to the Stockyards without moving your car
There is a Trinity Metro Orange Line bus stop across the street from the hotel. This bus runs every 15 minutes, from 5 AM to 1 AM, from downtown to the Stockyards. The cost is $2 for 1 ride or $4 for a Trinity Metro all-day pass.
Airport transportation - mass transit
TEXRail by Trinity Metro runs between downtown Fort Worth and Terminal B at DFW. During peak hours, it runs every 30 minutes. If you are coming to the Courtyard downtown, you'll leave the train at Fort Worth Central Station; the ride is about 50 minutes. It's about 6 blocks to the Courtyard by Marriott hotel. You can walk or taxi between the station and the hotel.
TEXRail is $2 for 1 ride or $4 for a Trinity Metro all-day pass.
To get to Terminal B from a different terminal, you can take the free Terminal Link shuttle van, or use Uber/Lyft to move between terminals.
Airport transportation - rideshare
Rideshare from DFW to downtown Fort Worth typically costs around $50 plus tip (one way). Taxis or shuttles cost between $80-$110 plus tip (one way).
If 65+, disabled, or veteran
Trinity Metro local day passes are $2 per day if you qualify.
If you want a hotel with free parking lot parking (non-walkable locations)
Consider the TownPlace Suites by Marriott Fort Worth Downtown, or the Country Inn & Suites on Mercado Drive.
Why is the headquarters hotel not in the Stockyards?
There are only four hotels in the Stockyards, and the lowest group rate we could find was $309 per night. We opted for a downtown host hotel in a walkable neighborhood with restaurants and services, with a direct bus line to the Stockyards.