Texas Counter Fitters got it right on its morning-after Instagram: “🎸 What a night!” This year’s Rocktoberfest was exactly that and more, packing the Richardson showroom with the kind of energy that has quickly become the event’s signature.

As a record-breaking 1,600+ guests arrived for the October 23 event, TCF’s 4.5-acre campus had fully shifted into Rocktoberfest mode — projection art lighting the façade, music filling the air, and the entire environment taking on the feel of a festival built around celebration and connection.

Now in its fourth year, the annual extravaganza has grown far beyond its informal, post-pandemic roots — a small, music-filled appreciation night for clients and friends — and evolved into a full-scale event that brings people together with purpose. This year’s lineup kept the momentum high, as local bands alternated with standout performances by Broadway Dallas’ student ensemble honoring the organization’s 100th anniversary.

Inside, the philanthropic heartbeat of Rocktoberfest was impossible to miss.

Artwork created by TCF’s nonprofit partners — Dallas Art Therapy, The Stewpot, and After8toEducate — was available for purchase, with all proceeds directly benefiting the charities. And in one of the night’s defining moments, TCF co-founder Chris Blackburn presented a $25,000 donation to each of the four beneficiaries, reinforcing the company’s belief that giving back is a year-round commitment.

Outside, The Hamburger Man served up cook-to-order burgers, cocktails made the rounds, and guests moved between music sets, stopping to talk, snap photos, and take in the atmosphere.

By the time the last chord hit, Rocktoberfest had done what it does best — turned a Thursday night into something unforgettable: live sets, standout performances, major giving, and a crowd ready to make it all matter. It was the kind of night that only happens once a year — and the reason people keep coming back.