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10 Stories From Locals That Prove ACL Is the Best Music Festival Ever

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ACL Music Fest Sign

Get ready for two weekends of music, food, and fun! (Credit: Flipintex Fotos)

Two weekends, 130 bands, eight stages. Austin City Limits Festival is the official end-of-summer party. Accordingly, festival-goers can expect lots of day drinking, dancing, and picturesque sunset moments with 70,000 strangers close friends.

Nothing brings people together (or sets the stage) for a good story quite like live music and local booze. To celebrate the return of the festival for another year, here are 10 quotes from Austin locals that perfectly explain why ACL is the best music festival ever.

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16 Local Events Celebrating July Fourth in Austin

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H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Fireworks and Concert in Austin

July Fourth fireworks over Vic Mathias Shores, formerly known as Auditorium Shores
(Credit: Jared Tennant Photography)

Fireworks, parades, and cut-off jeans contests. When it comes to celebrating our nation’s independence, Austin does it right. Whether you’re heading to the big spectacles, craving live music, or staying local, there’s something for everybody this July Fourth holiday. [Read more…]

Film Series at Bullock Museum Challenges Assumptions, Sparks Conversations

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Bullock Museum Film Series

Texas Focus panel with Film Programs Manager Rachel Manning on right (Credit: Bullock Museum)

Guest article by Janet Lee

Film is a window into other lives, whether they’re set in reality or an alternate universe. Movies provide various perspectives that are ultimately a reflection of our society. The Film Series Program at Bullock Museum delves into these perspectives, leading open and thematic discussions within the Austin community.

The museum’s mission is to create diverse conversations and narratives using the medium of film. And more importantly, to continue those conversations beyond the theater. Rather than simply hosting screenings, Bullock wants to collectively tackle myths, preconceived notions, and themes that are relevant and engaging. [Read more…]

Annual Austin Ice Cream Festival Provides Sweet Relief for Summertime

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Austin Ice Cream Festival

Sample from local businesses like Tèo Gelato at Austin Ice Cream Festival

“Here comes the heat. How will I cope?” In Austin, these are daily thoughts during the onset of summertime. In my case, the question is often followed by: “I need a sweet scoop of chocolate chip ice cream.” And/or: “Okay, Google, where’s the nearest snow cone?” And/or: “Just put me in an ice bath already.”

Well, thank ye sweet festival heaven for a most elegant solution: Austin Ice Cream Festival. This coming June 23, 2018, food trucks, ice cream trucks, musicians, dogs, and humans big and small will converge for the twelfth year of one of The Today Show’s “Top Festivals in the Country.” [Read more…]

Complete Guide to Free Summer Concerts in Austin

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Blues on the Green Free Summer Concerts in Austin

Aerial shot of Blues on the Green (Credit: Ryan Conine)

Austin takes its reputation as Live Music Capital of the World very seriously over the summer. Each year, as temperatures begin to rise, our beloved city plays host to free summer concerts at various outdoor spots around town.

As always, local radio station KGSR leads the way with no less than three concert series at some of the most popular music venues in Austin. Keep things classy with the Austin Symphony on Sunday nights through August, or the Music Under the Star series at the Bullock Museum on Friday nights in July. Austin does hump day right, and fortunately you don’t have to choose between the venerable Blues on the Green and the always unique Sound & Cinema series because of their alternating event dates.

So pack up the sunscreen and get your lawn chairs ready. This is your complete guide to enjoying free outdoor music in Austin for the rest of the summer. [Read more…]

Unplugged at the Grove Series Celebrates 25 Years of Free Music

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Swimming With Bears Unplugged at the Grove

Swimming With Bears performs during Unplugged at the Grove (Credit: KGSR/John Gutierrez)

In the midst of Austin’s ever-evolving landscape, there are places and events that should never go away. Spots like The White Horse and shows like Austin City Limits are crucial to the fabric of our fabulous city. If The Broken Spoke turns into a Jamba Juice, then I’m high-tailing it to Asheville, North Carolina…

Unplugged at the Grove is one of our local institutions. Five months out of the year for 25 years, Thursday evenings at Shady Grove have been synonymous with exceptional music at the lowest price humanly possible. And thanks to long-time partner KGSR, this year’s lineup is filled to the brim with local talent.

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Dam That Cancer With 21-mile Paddle Across Lake Austin

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Dam That Cancer Austin TexasGuest article by Mathis Kennington

Stand up paddleboarding is a celebrated Austin pastime. You can’t drive around Lady Bird Lake on a sunny afternoon without watching a dozen or so Austinites slowly making their way across the water. Mark Garza, Executive Director and Founder of The Flatwater Foundation, knows this better than most.

Every year, Garza organizes a massive paddleboarding fundraiser called Tyler’s Dam That Cancer, which brings folks from all over the country together to paddle Lake Austin. Garza’s local nonprofit, The Flatwater Foundation, hosts this annual fundraiser to provide mental health coverage for people who have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis. [Read more…]

5 Free Outdoor Movie Events in Austin This Spring and Summer

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Free Outdoor Movie Events in Austin

Credit: Liz Kreutz

Spring sends Austinites scattering across the city hiking the Greenbelt, walking our dogs, swimming in spring-fed pools, and drinking on patios. Another joy of the season is going to outdoor movie events in Austin. Our city’s movies in the park scene is like an infinity mirror–it keeps going and going. Here are five of the best, free outdoor movie events in Austin.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on, picnic or tacos to munch on, and something to drink. Wherever Austinites go, food trucks follow, so food trucks will usually be an option at these movies. Remember, though, that alcohol is never allowed at these screenings, nor are glass bottles or Styrofoam containers. And while friendly dogs on leashes are allowed at some of these events, due to the booming speakers and crowds, it is unwise to bring them. [Read more…]

Domain Northside Bursts Into Flowers for One Week During Abloom

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Abloom at Domain Northside Austin

Expect plenty of photo opportunities during Abloom (Credit: Domain Northside)

The most definitive sign of spring in Texas is the first bluebonnet sighting. The wildflowers are certainly beautiful to see, and now you can also see spring blooming during a week-long celebration called Abloom at Domain Northside.

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14 Crazy Stories From Locals That Prove SXSW Is the Best Festival Ever

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Bill Murray on Jimmy Kimmel Show at SXSW

Bill Murray on Jimmy Kimmel Live during SXSW 2015 (Credit: Getty)

Brace yourselves. SXSW is coming! The popular meme floating around the interwebs was inspired by the festival’s legendary reputation. And with good reason, considering everyone has an epic SXSW story. With approximately 400,000 participants, attendees, and celebrities descending on Austin from all over the world, it’s hard to not have a crazy tale about what I refer to as “adult Spring Break.”

To celebrate the return of the festival for another year, here are 14 quotes from Austin locals that perfectly explain the phenomenon that is SXSW.

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