Austin, TX

Inaugural TX Honky Tonk Fest pays ode to two-stepping resurgence

Published

4 months ago

October 31, 2025

Inaugural TX Honky Tonk Fest pays ode to two-stepping resurgence

Honky tonks are dance halls common in Texas, where men and women come to dance, drink, and socialize. They dance the two step on a large wooden dance floor to country and Western music, sometimes played by a band.

Neville Elder/Corbis via Getty Images

As the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is home to a whole host of venues, musicians and music lovers who flood bars and dance halls each night of the week to seek community and reprieve. Among them are the mix of newer and legendary honky-tonk venues that have ushered in seasoned dancers and newcomers to the craft of a little thing Texans like to call the two-step.

It’s a legacy that has seen revitalization and resurgence in recent years, both within Austin and beyond the Lone Star State. As country music reaches new heights of popularity and is capitalized all the more by cross-genre music icons like Houston’s Beyoncé, with it comes a renewed appetite for all things honky-tonk — and that’s something Austinites are looking to commemorate at Austin Monthly’s Honky Tonk Fest.

Article continues below this ad

Austin Monthly announced the creation of the festival in early September, noting it as “a love letter to the culture that has taken over nightlife in Austin and beyond.” Seasoned two-steppers and newer fans of the honky-tonk scene will gather at Jester King Brewery on Saturday, November 8, where the festival will spotlight nine artists across two different stages as well as feature two-stepping lessons, art, fashion, food vendors and other amenities.

For Bryan C. Parker, executive editor at Austin Monthly and the festival’s creator, he said he was inspired by the influx of newer honky-tonk venues and dance halls in recent years — like White Horse and Sagebrush — as well as offering an ode to legacy institutions like Sam’s Town Point and The Little Longhorn Saloon. At the heart of those venues, and honky-tonk culture at large, he said, is a communal spirit. But, he added, it wasn’t until he did a cover story on honky-tonk culture for Austin Monthly earlier this year that he really found himself inundated within, and mentally fixated on, the enduring legacy of that culture.

The band Mrs. Glass from Austin, Texas perform at the White Horse during 2012 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival on March 16, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

“I’ve lived in Austin for 24 years, but after I did that deep dive to report that story, I just couldn’t stop thinking about [Austin’s honky-tonk community],” he told MySA. “I found myself going out more — dancing and hanging out — and the bands are so good, and that fascination and love has kind of lingered, and I wanted to do something to celebrate that. So that’s how Honky Tonk Fest was born.”

Article continues below this ad

Within that communal scene is a cross-generational and cross-cultural reach, where 20-somethings who might be newer to the dance form link hands and partner with seasoned dancers decades older than them. That sense of welcoming is something he said has helped broadened the reach of honky-tonk venues and two-stepping.

“I feel like Austin is a place that embraces all kinds of people, and that is true of these honky-tonks as well,” Parker said. “You’ll see people that look like hipsters at the club, but you’ll see people that look like cowboys at the club — you know, tried and true cowboys. It’s truly a place where everyone feels welcome.”

Debra Watson dances with Shaan Shirazi to the music of James Intveld at the Little Longhorn Saloon on Sunday February 19, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Sunday at the bar features bingo centering on chicken droppings.

The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im

Part of that welcoming effort is reflected in Honky Tonk Fest’s music line up, which features Austin’s Aaron McDonnell & the Neon Eagles and Chaparelle, join the likes of Nashville’s Emily Nenni and New York’s Honky Tonkin’ in Queens. That eclectic mix of artists across the country is indicative of the cultural currency Texas’ music and dance scene has had nationally, with Parker referring to the Lone Star State as a “cultural taste maker.”

Article continues below this ad

And, if you happen to be a honky-tonk newcomer coming out on November 8? Parker’s biggest encouragement is that while this festival is a one-day event, you can find quality live music, dance lessons and communities in venues across Austin year-round.

“When you come to Austin, I think you find something that feels like it’s grassroots: It’s ground up, and it’s really driven by the people who are here and working here, and especially live music,” he said. “We love DJ sets and having fun, and obviously we’re bringing DJs in for the festival. But in Austin, everything comes back to and is driven by live music. And the amount of talent we have in our live music every night of the week is pretty astonishing.”

Austin Monthly’s Honky Tonk Fest runs on Saturday, November 8, from 1 to 11 p.m. at Jester King Brewery,

Article continues below this ad

Find it: 13187 Fitzhugh Road, Austin, TX 78736

Source link

Click to comment

Austin, TX

Austin Police Department updates procedures after controversial deportation

Published

3 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Austin Police Department updates procedures after controversial deportation

AUSTIN, Texas — An update to the Austin Police Department’s (APD) procedures outlines that officers are not required to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when a person is found to have an ICE administrative warrant if they have no other arrestable charge.

The update follows a controversial deportation from January, when a woman’s disturbance call to APD led to her detainment, alongside her 5-year-old child, who is a U.S. citizen.

The incident led to questions from the community regarding the way APD is supposed to interact with ICE.

In a March 4 memo, APD Police Chief Lisa Davis said that the directives provided by ICE administrative warrants could be confusing in their wording.

According to Davis, officers have not historically regularly encountered administrative warrants while using the National Crime Information Center database, which is used to conduct identity checks. However, in 2025, federal agencies began entering a large volume of administrative warrants into the system.

According to the memo, administrative warrants are formatted in a way that looks similar to criminal warrants in the system.

The APD General Orders have been updated to clearly define the difference between criminal warrants and ICE administrative warrants, as well as specific instructions for how ICE administrative warrants should be handled moving forward.

“APD recognizes the sensitivity of this issue, not only within our city but across the nation. These policies were updated to provide clarity to our officers, ensure compliance with state law, and maintain officer discretion guided by supervisory oversight and operational consideration,” Davis said in the memo.

The updated procedures instruct officers to contact their supervisor when a person is found to have only an ICE administrative warrant, but no other arrestable criminal charge. From there, the officer or their supervisor may contact ICE, but is not required to.

“Austin Police and City of Austin leadership share a paramount goal for Austin to be a safe city for everyone who lives, works, or visits here,” Davis said in the memo. “We particularly want to ensure that anyone who witnesses or is the victim of a crime feels secure in contacting the police for help.”

According to the memo, the entire APD staff will be required to complete new training regarding these updates.

“In concert with the policy updates, APD is launching a public webpage to help people understand their rights and provide links to resources available from the City of Austin and community organizations, such as Know Your Rights training,” Davis said in the memo. “The webpage will also include information on the option of using APD Victim Services as an alternative to calling 9-1-1, when appropriate, and links to all general orders and policies related to immigration.”

Source link

Austin, TX

Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

Published

15 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

Cedric Ricks spoke in his own defense at his 2013 murder trial, something most defendants accused of a terrible crime do not do. Ricks confessed that he had killed his girlfriend, Roxann Sanchez, and her 8-year-old son. He admitted he was aggressive and had trouble controlling his anger, stating that he was “sorry about everything.” […]

Source link

Austin, TX

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.

“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:

Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
Take a shower before going to bed.
Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
Vacuum and sweep regularly.
Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Clean out the vents in your home.
Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.

Source link