The Barn Dance started out as informal Saturday night neighborhood two-steppin' parties. Every couple of weeks all summer long during the 1990s, an authentic mountain country barn dance took off under the stars at Casa de Caballos Ranch near Taos, New Mexico. Michael's band, South X Southwest, showed up with various musician friends to pick, play and dance 'til the wee hours. Folks just kept coming, and the Barn Dances became a tradition people looked forward to year after year.

Today, Michael Hearne’s Big Barndance Music Festival has transcended to being a premier musical event of the Southwest. Not to be missed, the Big Barndance plays out under the sun and stars in beautiful Taos, New Mexico, where Michael hosts a three-day Americana music extravaganza. Come catch your breath in the magical Sangre de Cristo Mountains the weekend after Labor Day, on the beautiful lawn of the Old Blinking Light Restaurant. The Big Barndance Music Festival is a listening room experience in a festival setting that concludes with the Big Barndance.
Michael has maintained a friendship over the years with some of the finest songwriters and bands in the world. True to form, The Big Barndance provides a showcase for musical brilliance, allowing audiences an up-close and personal experience with songwriters as they spin tales revealing the creative process and the story behind the song.
Performances kick off as usual at The Old Blinking Light Restaurant.