Is there shade at Spellman Amphitheater?

Spellman Amphitheater: a north-facing lawn and the Forney summer sun

Orientation quietly decides a lot at an open amphitheater, and Spellman Amphitheater in Forney faces close to due north. Across a typical 7:00 PM show our model puts about 73 percent of the seating in shade, and the way that shade is distributed follows straight from which way the venue points.

The shaded sections

The pavilion does the work here, in a tidy front-to-back pattern. Section 201 leads at roughly 93 percent shaded across the show, with 101 near 92 percent, 202 about 91 percent, and 102, 203 and 103 following down through the high 80s. If you want reliable shade at Spellman, that pavilion core is the answer.

The lawn and the far pavilion corners catch more sun. Lawn 9 is the sunniest at about 63 percent shaded over the event, with Lawn 6 near 59 percent and sections 209 and 108 around 57 percent. From 6:00 PM only about half the venue is shaded, so the earlier you arrive, the more sun you trade for your spot.

Timing and the Texas heat

By a 7:00 PM start the sun over Forney sits about 18 degrees above the horizon in the west-northwest, setting around 8:34 PM. That low western light is what reaches the exposed corners during the opening act; as the sun drops, the shade fills in and the venue evens out.

North Texas in high summer is hot, and an open lawn stays warm well past sunset, so if you are on the grass, come with water, sunscreen and a hat and expect real relief only after dark. A September show is noticeably gentler. For your exact date and seat at Spellman Amphitheater, the interactive shade map runs the sun geometry for your show time.