Connect with us

Austin, TX

Celebrate the Fourth of July in Austin at free spectacular with music, food and fireworks

Published

on

Celebrate the Fourth of July in Austin at free spectacular with music, food and fireworks


The stars won’t be the only part of the night sky that’s big and bright deep in the heart of Texas on the Fourth of July.

If you’re in Austin, Texas, for the holiday, there’s one party in particular worth checking out: Star Spangled Fest. The annual Fourth of July celebration takes place on Thursday, July 4, at Auditorium Shores, located at 900 W. Riverside Drive, and Vic Mathias Shores, 800 W. Riverside Drive, in Austin.

The patriotic bash is presented by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, which will perform before the Fourth of July fireworks blast off over Lady Bird Lake. While the event is entirely free and open to the public, you can drop some cash to elevate your experience at Star Spangled Fest. But we’ll get into that in a moment.

Whether you’ve never been to the Austin Symphony Orchestra’s Fourth of July bash or it’s been a minute since you last attended, allow us to fill you in on all the good fun the free event offers.

Advertisement

From road closures to event activities, here is everything you need to know about Star Spangled Fest, including VIP options.

When does Star Spangled Fest in Austin start?

The Fourth of July fun for Star Spangled Fest starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 4, when both GA (free) and VIP (ticketed) areas will open.

There will be a DJ performance at 5 p.m., followed by performances from Tameca Jones at the VIP stage on the Long Center lawn at 5:45 p.m., Bidi Bidi Banda on the main stage by Lady Bird Lake at 6:30 p.m. and Sundance Head on the main stage at 7:15 p.m. The Fourth of July ceremony will start at 8 p.m. followed by the Austin Symphony Orchestra’s free concert at 8:45 p.m.

The Fourth of July fireworks show over Lady Bird Lake will start around 9:30 p.m. Event organizers recommend attendees get familiar with the festival map before arriving. You can find the map here.

What is there to do at Austin Symphony Orchestra’s Fourth of July fest?

There will be many things to do at Star Spangled Fest before the Austin Symphony Orchestra takes the stage at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 4.

Advertisement

After claiming the perfect spot at Auditorium Shores or near Vic Mathias Shores, you can browse market vendor booths, enjoy some family-friendly activities like yard games, grab some grub from one of several local food trucks that will be on-site and enjoy the views of downtown Austin as various performers take the stage.

Guests also can take pictures with Santa, who will be donning summer attire. Event organizers told LoneStarLive.com that lines for photos will be shortest before 8 p.m. If this is something you want to do, be sure to get there early!

Food trucks that will be at Star Spangled Fest include Garbo’s, Dirty Dough, The Corndog Co., Southside Flying Pizza, Shawarma Point, Amy’s Ice Cream, Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs, Espadas de Brazil and Sweeter Than Sour.

There also will be multiple bars on-site for attendees ages 21 and older. If you’re looking to get a boozy drink from one of the bars at Star Spangled Fest, remember that you must consume the entirety of your alcoholic beverage in the bar areas or designated VIP areas before returning to the general event grounds.

What can I bring to the free concert and fireworks show in Austin?

Attendees can bring chairs, blankets, snacks and nonalcoholic drinks in coolers. Guests are not supposed to bring outside alcohol to the event, either. If you feel like being a risk-taker and breaking the rules, that’s entirely up to you.

Advertisement

Glass, grills and personal fireworks — including sparklers — are not allowed at the event. According to the official website, coolers and outside food and beverages are not permitted in VIP areas (including shoreline access) at Star Spangled Fest.

What are the different VIP options, plus the cost?

If you’d like to elevate your Fourth of July experience at the event, you have a few options. Though the event is free and open to the public, there are three types of upgrades attendees can purchase:

  • Shoreline access
  • VIP lawn access
  • VIP reserved tables

Here is what’s included with shoreline access tickets

Shoreline access allows ticket holders to get closer to the stage where the symphony will be playing its free concert and thus closer to Vic Mathias Shores, where the fireworks show will be. These tickets also include access to air-conditioned bathrooms, private access to a cashless bar and prime proximity to food trucks.

Shoreline access tickets start at $35, plus fees. Ticket holders can bring chairs and blankets.

Here is what’s included with VIP lawn access tickets

VIP lawn access grants ticket holders the ability to set up in the VIP lawn area near the Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive, but that’s not all. Those with VIP lawn access tickets also will be able to enter the lobby of the Long Center, premium viewing of the VIP stage that’s located on the Long Center’s hillside lawn, access to air-conditioned bathrooms, lawn games and access to a private bar.

VIP lawn access tickets start at $75, plus fees. Children 10 and younger get in free.

Advertisement

Here is what’s included with VIP reserved tables

VIP reserved tables offer attendees a top-tier Fourth of July experience. These tickets include 10 seats at a designated VIP table, family style dinner at each table, a private bar that’s cashless, access to the Long Center’s lobby and air-conditioned bathrooms, access to the Shoreline viewing area at Vic Mathias Shores, where the fireworks show will take place, access to the VIP after party and a VIP parking pass.

You can get tickets for an entire VIP reserved table for $2,500, plus fees. Or you can reserve half of a VIP table (five seats) for $1,250, plus fees. Payments for VIP reserved tables will serve as donations to the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

You can purchase VIP tickets, including shoreline access tickets, here.

Where can I park for the Fourth of July fireworks in downtown Austin?

Road closures for Star Spangled Fest might impact how you access the event. West Riverside Drive between Lee Barton Drive and South First Street will be closed from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4.

South First Street will be closed from Cesar Chavez Street to Barton Springs Road from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4. South Congress Avenue will be closed from Cesar Chavez Street to Barton Springs Road from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., too.

Advertisement

The stress-free way to go, according to event organizers, is taking a rideshare or a cab to the event. Rideshare pickup and drop off will be located at the intersection of Lee Barton Road and West Riverside Drive.

Given the numerous closures, your best bet for parking will be in one of the several parking garages in downtown Austin, along Barton Springs Road and at the Long Center. Street parking will be available, too, but make sure to check signs as some street parking will be blocked off.

As a reminder, you cannot park on most streets in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood. There will be no parking signs and signs indicating residential permit parking only. If you find a spot in a nearby neighborhood, ensure you’re good to go by looking for no parking signs before leaving your car and heading to the event.

You can find road closure maps and specific parking garage information here.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Austin, TX

Taking a Look Back at Ole Miss’ Matchups vs. Newest Members of the SEC

Published

on

Taking a Look Back at Ole Miss’ Matchups vs. Newest Members of the SEC


July 1 marks the first day the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners will officially be members of the Southeastern Conference, a day that will be exciting for not just their fans, but college football fans as a whole.

The SEC landscape is changing, and with that will comes the budding of new rivalries that you wouldn’t have thought possible just five years ago. Alas, the SEC will be more toxic than ever, and as college football fans, can you ask for anything more?

While the Ole Miss Rebels have rarely faced Oklahoma and Texas, it has happened in the not-so-distant past. Let’s take a look at the last time Ole Miss has matched up against these two teams.

Oklahoma — 1999

Advertisement

On a chilly New Year’s Eve in Shreveport, the Oklahoma Sooners and Ole Miss Rebels met for the first and only time in the 1999 Independence Bowl.

A battle of first-year head coaches David Cutcliffe and Bob Stoops also featured first-year offensive coordinator Mike Leach on the Oklahoma sideline. This game featured some familiar names as Josh Heupel (now Tennessee’s head coach) ran the show at quarterback for the Sooners.

The 1999 season was anything but fun for the Rebels as all of their losses that season were one-possession games, but they did have Deuce McCallister, and on that cold night in Shreveport, he definitely was loose.

Deuce had a monster game with 121 yards on the ground plus 55 yards receiving on three receptions. Quarterback Romaro Miller had a great first half where the Rebels held a 21-3 lead entering halftime.

Heupel led a fiery comeback in the second half, but the Rebel lead held at 27-25, giving them their third bowl win in a row and finishing 22nd in the polls.

Advertisement

The Sooners and Rebels will meet again in October at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the second act of what could turn out to be a nice little rivalry sooner rather than later.

Texas — 2013

The Longhorns and Rebels have met five times in their history, but in 2012, they saw their first meeting since 1925.

The home-and-home series between Texas was a very exciting endeavor for the Rebels as fans weren’t used to the team playing blue-blood competition that didn’t reside in the SEC.

In 2012, the Rebels got embarrassed in the Vaught, so in 2013, they decided to return the favor in Austin.

Advertisement

Jeff Scott had a monster game for the Rebels on the ground as the Longhorn defense had no answers for the potent Ole Miss rushing attack. Scott and quarterback Bo Wallace had the read option humming as they continued to gash the Horns up front all night.

Scott ended the night with 164 yards and a score. Wide receiver Donte Moncrief got in on the action as well with a touchdown catch, and the Rebels made a statement to the rest of the country that they could play with the big boys.

The Longhorns in the 2010s were not the Longhorns of the Vince Young era, as they were not built to stop the run. The Rebels exploited that weakness and had a field day on the ground.

While this win looked good on paper, the Rebels went into Tuscaloosa the next week and got beat 25-0 to slow some of that momentum.

The 2013 Rebels were similar to the 1999 Rebels in the fact that they lost a lot of close ballgames to some talented teams. The Rebels would go on to beat Georgia Tech in the Music City Bowl to finish the year 8-5.

Advertisement

Ole Miss won’t play Texas for the next couple of years, but the reinstatement of this game should be fun for both fan bases to travel and enjoy two of the top towns for college football.



Source link

Continue Reading

Austin, TX

How to protect your vehicle from the Texas heat this summer

Published

on

How to protect your vehicle from the Texas heat this summer


AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s summertime in Texas, and with it comes more extreme heat and the possibility of severe weather. Paired with more intense weather patterns is summer vacation, a time when many Texans will likely hit the roads seeking a little rest and reprieve.

Before a storm front rolls in or you venture off for a road trip, here are some key areas you should check on your vehicle to ensure you’re traveling safely.

Your summertime car care checklist

“Starting off, severe weather or not, [you should be] making sure that your tires are in good condition, your tire thread has good life on it,” said AJ Garza, a regional manager for Jiffy Lube with oversight on the San Antonio and Austin markets.

During the summer months, the extreme heat radiating off roadways can threaten your tires if they’re more worn down and in need of replacement, Garza said. Ensuring they’re in good condition can help drivers avoid a blowout while driving, he added.

Advertisement

Three other key checkpoints on your vehicle include wiper blades, lights and the battery. Wiper blades eventually wear down after exposure to extreme temperatures, especially when paired with grime and debris and extended use. AAA recommends replacing them at least once a year if not more frequently, given Texas’ more intense climate.

For lights, Garza said this is especially critical if drivers are anticipating severe weather, such as rainstorms. Checking to make sure the lights work will ensure you can safely navigate roads, should you get caught in a downpour or other intense storms.

As for the battery, it’s no surprise that monitoring its condition and lifespan is especially crucial in Texas. Extremely high temperatures can overwork a battery and cause them to die.

“The extreme heat just completely puts a huge damper on your battery, so it can drain your battery out,” Garza said. “The extreme heat also breaks down your coolant and antifreeze a lot faster, which can lead to a vehicle overheating.”

Garza recommended checking to make sure your backup and spare reservoirs are at the proper level and the fluid is within its lifespan and hasn’t broken down.

Advertisement

Finally, with air conditioners, he said drivers should check to make sure their Freon — the non-combustible gas used in ACs — has been replenished. Garza added most manufacturers recommend drivers add new Freon in every two to four years.

A standard re-up item on a car Garza warned drivers not to forget about is their brakes. Those should be inspected routinely by a service center any time you’re getting an oil change.

There are also plenty of shops that’ll do a free visual brake check. He cautioned drivers to stay on top of routine maintenance so they’re not waiting until they’re in the “red zone” to do something about it.

“[Jiffy Lube operates] in green, yellow and red, which green is in good condition, yellow is for your consideration and red is for immediate attention,” he said. “So when it comes to brakes, nobody ever wants to wait for your brakes to meet in the red.”

What should you always have on hand in your car, in case of an emergency?

One guarantee is that you never know when you might run into an issue with your vehicle, but Garza said drivers can prepare themselves with a few simple items.

Advertisement

The first is a first aid kit, in case a situation arises and someone needs lower-level medical care. From there, he stressed the value of having jumper cables tucked away into your car.

A spare gas container is also recommended in case you run out of gas and you need to go fill up the extra container to replenish fuel levels.

Handheld air compressors are a small but mighty tool that can refill a tires in a pinch. Keeping extra phone chargers on hand in the event of an emergency is also one way to keep people safe and seek out help, as needed.

Garza suggested carrying a couple of spare blinkers or headlights, in case one goes out.

“If you know what your headlight is, it’s always good to just have one extra on your blinkers or your license plate lights,” he said. “Because you always want to be able to not only see but be seen.”

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Austin, TX

Missing man's friends find phone on ground hours after he was last seen: APD

Published

on

Missing man's friends find phone on ground hours after he was last seen: APD


(Austin Police Department)

The Austin Police Department is looking for a missing man who was last seen Saturday afternoon in the Rainey Street area.

Advertisement

40-year-old Daniel Choi was last seen just after 1 p.m. on June 29 in the 600 block of Davis Street.

APD says Choi’s friends found his phone on the ground at Cesar Chavez and South 1st Street, less than a mile away, at about 5:45 p.m.

The department says that there is a concern as Choi needs medication and has no wallet or phone and this is considered out of the ordinary behavior for him.

Advertisement

Choi is described as a white male, 5’8″ and 130 lbs, with straight black hair and limited use of his right arm. He was last seen wearing blue swim shorts with a bird print and a blue T-shirt.

Anyone who sees Choi should call 9-1-1 immediately or the APD Missing Person’s Unit at 512-974-5250.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending