rush Hour A guide to exploring the nooks and cranies of Austin, Texas
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meet the kate
editors
Kate is a freshman at LASA highschool. She was born in Austin Texas. She loves to listen to lizzo, hang out with her friends, and help out and the Austin Animal Center. She is a competitive gymnast and does gymnastics twice a week. She has also been a vegetarian for 7 years. Kate and her family love to travel and enjoy trying foods from around the globe.
keerthanyaa
Keerthanyaa is a freshman a LASA high school. She was born in Portland, Oregon, but moved to Austin when she was 3 months old. In her free time, she likes to swim, play tennis, and spend time with her friends and family. Keerthanyaa is also part of the school marching band.
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hana
Hana Hussaini is a Freshman at LASA high school. She enjoys volunteering at the Austin Humane Society and hanging out at the Central Library. Hana has also lived in Massachusetts, and moved to Austin in 2008. Hana loves to travel and her favorite fast food restaurant is P.Terrys.
jette
Jette Morris is a Freshman at LASA high school. She enjoys visiting the Austin farmers markets and studying at the central library. Jette plays lots of volleyball, and hopes to go to California this year for the national championships for beach volleyball. Jette has lived in Austin her whole life and loves living in the city.
helen
Helen Bigge is also a Freshman at LASA High School. After spending the first two years of her life in Alaska, she moved to the Music Capital of the World in 2007. She enjoys pretty much anything creative, from drawing and writing to making board games. Her favorite animals are cats, and she hopes to get one over the next few months.
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Table of contents 4. 8.
Meet the editors
Retreiven’ Shelter Dogs Lives
12.
Save the Pooches
14. 18. Rush Hour | 6
Hooked on Books
Just Keep Swimmin’
20.
Yearly Cycle of Our Bats
24.
Keeping Austin Batty
26.
What Music Festival Should You Go To?
30.
32.
Live Music Capital of the World
Fresh, Organic, Local, Oh My!
36.
Lake Activities Y’all!
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,
Retreiven
By: Kate Starkloff
Shelter Dogs
How the animal shelters in Austin changed the idea of enthanizing pets
Freya, a boxer mix from the Austin Humane Society, attends a halloween party at a park in Cenral Austin. The Austin Humane Society has been hosting an annual halloween party for 6 years and counting.
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L I V E S
for Austin animal shelters before 2010. Dogs were euthanized for space and convenience for the shelter. Animal Shelters didn’t have the money nor the time to add onto their space, therefore they had to put many dogs on the euthanasia list. In 1997, the euthanasia rate at the Austin Animal Shelter was 85%.
A clinic team finished with surgery on 7 cats. Austin Humane Socity performs surgeries on animals in need. Photo taken by Angela Osborn
You wake up next to your brother in a dark cage. It is pitch black, you can’t see anything. You get get pulled out by a woman wearing bright blue gloves. A color you have never seen before since you’ve been in this grey-toned building your whole life. She starts to strap you down to a table. Why is she doing this? You did not feel very good yesterday, maybe she is helping you!
Austin needed a change, and just in time, the perfect 2 people came into play. James Collins and his wife, Judy Ford wanted to make a change in Austin and take actions against euthanizing pets. They founded Austin Pets Alive in 1997, in Austin. Their plan was to take in pets that were going to get euthanized at the Austin Animal Shelter. From 1997 to 2001, Austin Pets Alive gathered every other animal welfare group in Austin.
They created a “No Kill Millennium Plan”. They wanted to eventually get the city to a no kill status. The plan created She pinches your leg. Ow! What a volunteer program at the is she doing? You start to feel Austin Animal Shelter, increased sleepy, what is going on? You adoption hours, and double realize something; some of your the shelter’s budget. With these siblings have been taken like new improvements in the system, this before. But they were never the euthanasia rate decreased returned! What did she do to from 85% to 55%. That was a big them? Is this woman going to kill jump, thanks to James and Judy! me? This was not an uncommon thing
Austin Pets Alive is now saving thousands of lives as of 2018.
They saved and releases 98% of all pets that came in. They have saved 10,405 pets! This has made a huge impact on the city of Austin. They have had to open more dog parks and pet friendly areas. More pet related businesses have opened, due to more pets living in Austin. One of which being Tomlinsons, a family-owned business since 1946. Tomlinsons strives to provide healthy and affordable pet food and services to pet owners. They have the expertise needed to help pet owners make the right decisions. Because Tomlinson’s mission is to help pet owners around Texas, they have a fundraiser each year. Last year (2018) Tomlinson’s raised 150,000 pounds of pet food and donated all of it to various shelters around Austin. Kate Knecht, Brand Director and family of Tomlinson’s founders, when asked about Tomlinson’s opinion on the no-kill plan responded with: “The no-kill policy is a great policy, it saves a lot of lives and at the same time it creates a lot of need and resources. So if we [are] going to implement a policy like this one, which is a great one, we have to make sure we are backing it up with resources that rescues and shelters need Rush Hour | 9
Man plays with two dogs at the Austin Humane Society. Photo taken by Angela Osborn.
right? So if they’re gonna be a much larger number of animals in their shelters, we’re gonna need to make sure they have the food they need and the funding they need to get those pets fed and healthy until they can find homes.” Another local business, the Austin Humane Society, strives to provide “comprehensive, humane, life-saving animal services, transforming the lives of animals and those who love them.” Rush Hour | 10
They were founded in 1952 and is the longest standing no-kill shelter in Austin. They provide spay and neuter services and try to teach the community how to be responsible pet parents. The no-kill plan has different effects on different shelters and businesses around Austin. Many shelters see overcrowding and are having to send their animals to various other animal welfare facilities. Businesses such as Tomlinson’s, only really see an increase in pets coming in store around the holidays. That is when they run their annual
fundraiser for donated pet food. “I would say year round, no, [we do not see an increase in rescue animals in store], but around the holiday season from Black Friday through Christmas Eve, we have a big food drive... the reason it is so successful and part of the reason it is so needed quite frankly, is in large part due the no-kill ordinance and so while that drive is going on, our employees work hard to raise donations for rescue pets.” Brand Director, Knecht said. “Because all of a sudden, we have an additional hundred to 200 animals in our care. And again, I think it goes back to, we have very strict policies and procedures. And so to add 100 to 200 more animals at that time. a lot, but what I like is, and I think anyone in animal welfare, and as you continue to have conversations, the passion to take care of those animals.” Osborn, Chief Development and Communications Director
of the Austin Humane Society said. Osborn started working at the Austin Humane Society 5 years ago because she wanted to make a difference in animal welfare and take part in the humane care for pets. The no-kill plan also has many positive effects on Auston and surrounding cities. It helps increase local businesses revenue, helps citizens gain a better understanding of what is happening in the world around them and of course, it is saving thousands of animals lives! Over the 10 years of the no-kill plan being in place, over 100,000 animals have been saved. And one of the biggest things, is not
only saving those pets lives, but giving them a life worth living, with a forever family and responsible pet parents. This is why the no-kill plan has made Austin a much better city and the no-kill capital of the world.
Woman hugs Bailey, her foster dog, while hanging out outside in the warm Austin Weather. Bailey has been in foster care for a month now and she is looking for a forever home. She is 5 years old and is calm, easy-going, social and will snuggle with you all day!
Logan plays with 2 dogs at the Austin Animal Shelter on a Friday afternoon. Logan is a photographer and animal advocate and loves to take breaks to hang out with shelter dogs. Photo taken by Logan Jung’s associate. Rush Hour | 11
Although many people who adopt dogs do end up keeping them, however some people need to return the dogs for financial or other reasons. The amount of returns
Austin is the no-kill capital of the world. Around Austin there are 3 main shelters, The Austin Animal Center, Austin Pets Alive and The Austin Humane Society. They all do their best to get the shortest euthanisia list.
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Adopted And Returned Adopted and Kept
By: Kate Starkloff
When families or couples go to adopt a dogs, they generally go for a puppy. Especially when there are only a few older dogs to chose because the oldest dogs get euthanzed. After the no-kill plan got put into place, the amount of old dogs that got adopted went up.
40 35
Puppies vs adult dogs adopted
30 25 20 15 10 5 0
80 70 60
Before
After
Dogs Euthanized Per Shelter In hundreds
50
Dogs euthanized in 2017
40 30
Dogs euthanized in 2018
20 10 0
APA
AHS
AAC
In 2017, the Austin Human Society euthanized 22 dogs and in 2018, they euthanized 14.
Statistics Courtesy of Belinda Hare (Department Executive Assistant of Austin Animal Services) and Angela Osborn (Cheif Development and Communications Officer)
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HOOKED
on
BOOKS
By Hana Hussaini
The new Austin Central Library the day before opening. The central library has had over a million visitors in the first nine months. Photo by Austin Public Library.
How the library keeps the Austin together
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The roof garden on the opening night. Photo by Austin Central Library.
A 3D printer is showcased. The printer is in displayed in the Technology Petting Zoo, a place to learn and interact with new tech. Photo by Austin Public Library.
"It serves and benefits the community in so many ways... the library provides access to everyone"
Hooked on Books How the library unifies the Austin community By: Hana Hussaini Facing the 50-foot large window, the morning sun hits your face momentarily distracting you from your frantic typing as you rush to finish your term paper. The steady clacking noise your fingers make on the keyboard keeps your focus as plants rustle from the people scampering past you. A second grader reads a comic book, and the door to the cafe opens with the sweet aroma of caffeine instantly penetrates and energizes your exhausted brain. Opened on October 28, 2017, the Central Library was designed to reflect Austin’s unique personality, along with the purpose of being a sustainable and energy-efficient community focal point. Located in the center of downtown Austin, at 710 W Cesar Chavez St., the library is open seven days a week. It is a vibrant community space, and is also meant to enhance Austinite’s thirst for knowledge, and helps bring the Austin community together.
Cecily Sailer, the Programs & Events Director at the Library Foundation, works to promote the library and organize events and fundraisers that engage new audiences. She said that her favorite part of her job is seeing the people that the library attracts and how they use the library. “I just love walking in there and seeing all the people who are there, and all the different things they’re doing, and the reasons that might have brought them to the library that day.” Sailer said. “You know, there’s like kids whose mom just needed to get them out of the house and get them interested in something else. There are people watching weird stuff on the internet, there’s, like someone, just reading quietly in the corner. It’s not like everything that everyone is doing is high art all the time. But, there are all these people who would never be in the same space together if it weren’t for this library. And they’re all here having their day enhanced by being in this space.” Sailer has been working with the library
foundation for six years now since they absorbed her old nonprofit organization. She said that the library is open to all, and the purpose of it has become so much more than just a place to find books. “The library serves and benefits the community in so many ways, and it’s not just a place
"We're making a huge push to get even more diversity and more inclusion. "
where you can go to get books to borrow.” Sailer said. “The library is the most accessible public institution in the entire city. Aside from parks, so where parks provide nature and fitness kinds of experiences, the library provides (intellectual) access to everyone no matter their age, their education, their color, where they came or whether they’re a citizen” However, libraries weren’t always like this. Kathleen A. Kanarski is Rush Hour | 15
Library staff and City members begin the ribbon cutting ceremony. The ceremony marks the opening of the central library in October of 2017, and many people stop to watch them. Photo by Austin Public Library.
really served a lot,” Kanarski says. “We get lots of baby storytimes, we get preschool store times, and we have things for adults. But the seniors are being left out a lot of the time, so now we have technology programs for them.” Rachel Nguyen, the central library’s Communications Manager, works with partners to figure out how the library can bring communities to them. She also does a lot of outreach, which involves bringing the library to the community. When she talked about the increasing amount of technology in the library, she mentioned the idea of technology replacing books.
"people still love
books, people still love coming together"
“There was clearly a paradigm shift, you know, in the past 10 years and what libraries do, and even though Rush Hour | 16
there’s this thought out there that books might disappear, we haven’t seen huge drops in circulation, we have seen massive increases in digital circulation. And that’s fine, we are trying to meet those demands, but people still love books, people still love coming together,” Nguyen says. “I mean, I think just the fact that how busy this place shows you that we can still sit and play on our devices all day but at the end of the day, we really want to be around people and experience each other.” Nguyen has loved libraries ever since she was a child and often spends her free time there with her kids and husband. She says that libraries have become a place to socialize. “Libraries are becoming more cultural hubs. So it’s not just books, it’s all the other things like here, you could grab a coffee, you can go to the art gallery, you can hang out on the roof. You know, at night when it gets dark out. It’s a beautiful view and you can still go hang out there you go with your friends. And so they’re becoming, you know,
community spaces, which, so I have no, you know, I’m not fearful that they’ll ever go away. I think we still need each other, as a community,” she says. When the library was being built, Austin supported the library wholeheartedly. Nguyen said their goal was to make it a place where the community could gather. She said
"Libraries are
becoming more of cultural hubs. "
she was very happy how it turned out, and how the public uses it. “To me, it feels like a community center, and I love that. In the first nine months, we were open, we had over a million visitors. So it’s used tremendously. There are tons of students here, there are older folks, there are tons of kids. And it’s just a place where the community
can gather and be together,” Nguyen says. “We’ve tried to
"it's just a place
where the community can gather and be together "
program it to make it fun and exciting and people will want to be here, and we are still working on it. It’s been like a shiny gem actually.” The library is involved in a lot of outreach programs, including the bookmobile, readings at the grocery stores, history centers, thrift bookstores, and more. A lot of famous authors and movie stars also come to the library to do a read-aloud or a meet n greet with the outreach program. There are also three libraries under current renovation. Oak hill is opening October 26, Yarborough is opening next year, and Pleasant Hill is getting a complete renovation. The library renovations and outreach help further the libraries’ ability to help the Austin Community.
A librarian helps out citizens at the librarys front desk. They can help opening library accounts, give you library times and events, and much more. Photo by Austin Public Library
Two people talk in one of the events rooms. Many of these are specialized rooms have unique designs, and ofte they have interactive programs that vary from week to week. Photo by Austin Public Library.
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By: Hana Hussaini Pool or lake? Pool
Take the quiz to find out which attraction in Austin would be the best the best way for you to spend the day!
Lake Low-Key? Nah, I want to go all out!
Yes Please Kid-Friendly?
Reservations?
No thanks Rush Hour | 18
Yes, Yes, Yes!
Of course!
Nope!
MATCH
Deep Eddy Pool
Find your pool! Sculpture Falls
As the oldest swimming pool in Texas, Deep Eddy is available to the public for a small admission fee. It is visited by locals and tourists, Deep Eddy remains crowded year round, and has been a popular attraction since the 1920’s It is located west of downtown Austin. The pool is man-made, but it is chlorine-free and fed by a natural spring . Information provided by City Data
Austins hidden gem, Sculpture Falls is part of the Edwards Aquifer along with a 7.9 mile long Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin. To get there, you have to hike, and will find several smaller waterfalls and wading pools along the way. When you get there, there will be opportunities for cliff jumping. The Falls are also dog and alcohol friendly. Information provided by Sarah Vaughn
Barton Springs
The Springs measure three acres in size, and is ideal for year-round swimming. It has recently had a record setting number of visitors over the past few years, getting close to nearly 800,000 visitors. A small fee is required. The springs have an average of 68-70 degrees fahrenheit fed from underground springs. They are also home to the endangered Barton Springs Salamander.
Hamilton Pool Hamilton Creek spills out over limestone to create a 50 foot waterfall that goes directly into the Hamilton Pool Preserve. The area is home to a variety of animals, plants, and more. Reservations are required during summer months, and you should bring anything from a small snack to a picnic as there are no concessions. Make sure to wear shoes comfortable for walking, as there is a small trail to get to the pool.
ippie ollows Hippie Hollows is Texas’ only clothing optional public park. It is 18+, and is a mix of tradition and the governments respect for that tradition. Some say that it is a type of community, and is very controversial. The Hollows are thought to be a historic landmark of Austin, and is a unique, one of a kind experience. Information provided by KUT
Information provided by Visit Austin Rush Hour | 19
KEEPING AUSTIN
By: Helen Bigge
BATTY
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I
How the Public Responds to one of the Main Drivers of Austin’s Economy
t’s a crisp, cool night in early October, and you are about to leave your home to get a good latenight snack. As you prepare to leave, you hear loud shrieks and the flapping of many limbs. I need to be fast if I’m going to get any of the good mosquitoes, you think. Mexican Free-Tailed Bats have resided in Austin since the city was founded in 1839, and after the South Congress Bridge was reconstructed in 1980, they began moving under it by the thousands. Although people originally feared them, Merlin Tuttle brought the International Bat Conservation to the city, and Austinites soon grew to appreciate the bats and their
Tourists and local Austinites alike observe around 1.5 million bats emerging from under the city’s Congress Avenue Bridge. September 11 was one of the many emergences during bat season of 2017. (Photo provided by Merlin Tuttle Bat Conservation)
beneficial impacts on Austin. Shortly afterward, bat tours (or organizations taking groups of people to see the bats’ emergences,) became very popular in the city. Now, Bat Conservation International (BCI) estimates that bat-watching alone adds at least 10 million dollars to Austin’s economy. When Tuttle brought BCI to the city, people started to respect bats quite a bit more, even to the point of making them Austin’s official city mammal. The conservation organization states that they taught Austin residents about the species’ positive impact on what is now the “Bat Capital of America” in order to foster warmer feelings towards the
bat season because of
Mexican FreeTailed Bats. “[We] gradually convinced Austinites that they have little to fear and much to gain from the bats in their midst,” BCI said. “Not only do the bridge bats delight tourists, they also help control destructive insects and reduce the need for pesticides.”
the tourism it brings. “Our bat season’s pretty busy— not just because it’s summer, but because people from all over the world really love to come and ask about the bats and try to see them.”
and goes on to describe how amazing it is that we are able to The big thing that makes these see them in the first place. bats so attractive, Cisneros “We as a parks system don’t One organization that benefits describes, is the incredibly large really [need to] do a whole lot from the unique opportunities numbers that they can be seen to be able to maintain [the bats’ presented by the Mexican Freeemerging in. natural habitat],” McNeeley Tailed Bats is Congress Avenue said. “That’s kind of a natural Kayaks. Their manager, Pamela “There’s about 1.5 million bats occurrence. Those Mexican bats Cisneros, explains that the have been there for years upon company profits quite a bit during that fly out from the bridge, and you can’t really years, and they continue to come see them whenever back and migrate to that space. you’re underneath [it], And I think we’re just privileged because they’re in the and lucky enough to have it be "Those Mexican bats cracks, so you wouldn’t on the bridge that crosses the imagine that there water that connects to our trails have been there for would be that many of that allows us the opportunity to years upon years, them,” Cisneros said. be able to see them on such a ”So it’s just amazing regular basis.” and I think we're to see a whole colony fly out, because it’s a There is another reason for the just lucky enough to very large number of massive amounts of people that have the opportunity bats. I think that’s what come to Austin during bat season. makes it incredible; McNeeley explains that curiosity to be able to see them." there’s so many.” plays a big role in people deciding to come out to watch the Kimberly McNeeley, bats fly out. the Director of Austin Parks and Recreation, has seen the Mexican Free-Tailed bats quite a few times
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“I think some people are fascinated by them and want to learn more about how they fit into our ecosystem,” McNeeley said. “You know, what do they eat? How [do they] benefit Austin? Where do they live? Those sorts of things.” Congress Avenue Kayaks receives a lot of these types of questions from tourists and local Austinites alike. “A lot of questions that people ask on the tour would be like, ‘How many of them are there?’” Cisneros explained. “Sometimes people will come during the day and ask if they can see them at that point, but they’re nocturnal. So you know, they’re only gonna see them at night. Sometimes people ask how much they eat or how far they fly. We have answers for all [these] questions.”
" If a bat's in a room, watch it until it lands and then go up with a coffee can and slip a piece of cardboard behind so they can't get out, take him outside, and release him." Unfortunately, there are many people who are not interested at all in the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats. In fact, some people just down-right hate them. According to OnePoll, an organization that has been working for multitudes
Though Austin’s bat colony is quite beneficial to the city’s local businesses and are extremely interesting to many people, there are still many people with fears that are directly related to the mammals.
A Mexican Free Tailed Bat is seen laying on a tree during April of 2016. Every Spring, Mexican Free Tailed Bats begin the mating process, and the majority of females are pregnant by April. (Photo by Ann Froschauer) Rush Hour | 22
of brands and other agencies to provide reliable survey research for over 15 years, about one in every five people either dislike or hate bats. This means that around 20 percent of people, even those who have never had any experience with the mammal whatsoever, have a bias against the small, winged creatures.
“They are carriers of rabies, so that’s something to watch out for,” Cisneros said. “It’s not a huge risk, because not all the bats are going to have rabies, but the virus does like to live with them. So we always have to be careful and remember that as cute as the bats are, we don’t want to touch them or anything because you never know which bat could be infected with rabies.” Though the disease is something to be careful of, there are some times that a person may
Merlin Tuttle hangs a bat from his hand in an attempt to photograph it. He has founded two bat conservations so far, with one being named after him. (Photo provided by Merlin Tuttle Bat Conservation)
need to handle a bat because it is injured or trapped (in their house, for example). Merlin Tuttle, founder of BCI and Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation, advises anyone in these situations to either take any injured bat to an animal rehab facility without touching it directly, or contain and release the bat if it has gotten stuck inside. “If a bat’s in a room, watch it until it lands and then go up with a coffee can-- or even better, a plastic container that you can see through-- and clamp it over where the bat is so that he can’t get away from the wall without
going into it,” Tuttle said. “Then, slip a piece of cardboard behind so they can’t get out, take him outside, and release him.” There is another fear among people that gets in the way of them connecting with bats. Some people are afraid of the mammals potentially attacking them. Tuttle, on the other hand, notes that Mexican Free-Tailed Bats would not attack as long as they are unprovoked. “[Bats are] unlikely to ever harm anyone who doesn’t pick one up carelessly, and [if someone picks one up,] the bat may bite in
self-defense just because they’re picking it up,” Tuttle explains. “We shouldn’t pick up unfamiliar animals, but as long as we don’t try to handle bats, they will never attack us.” As bat season begins every March in Austin, it’s important to bear in mind that bats will not cause harm to us as long as we do not bother or bring harm to them. The furry friends that have helped boost our city’s economy for decades need to be respected, and the biggest way to accomplish that is by not disturbing the small, brown, winged creatures. Rush Hour | 23
The Yearly Cycle of Our Bats
A Year in the Life: Timeline By Helen Bigge
Graphic of Mexic an Fre e-Taile d Bat M ove me nt By He le n B igge
Areas where the majority of M e x i c a n F r e e -Ta i l e d B a t s stay in the same place yearround Areas where the majority of M e x i c a n F r e e -Ta i l e d B a t s do migrate (like ones from Austin) Rush Hour | 24
Image of a Bat Cre ate d By He le n B igge
Austin’s Mexican Free-Tailed Bats live under the South Congress Bridge during warmer months and greatly impact our city in many ways. Find out more about these migrating mammals’ lifestyle through this year-in-the-life timeline. (Information provided by: Texas Parks and Wildlife)
January February At this point, the bats begin their migration to more northern regions, including Texas.
April The bats continue mating now, and many are pregnant at this point.
June In June, almost all baby bats are born. There is generally one pup is born per mother.
August The pups are hunting more and more frequently now, making their emergences even more incredible.
October The bats generally start migrating south for the winter during the month of October.
December The Mexican Free-Tailed Bats are settling into their temporary homes and lead an active hunting life throughout the wintertime.
The bats are roosting in their winter shelters in Mexico and other Latin American countries.
March During March, the last of the bats arrive in Austin. They also start mating during this month.
May Most female bats are pregnant at this point, and the males and females are now living in seperate areas.
July This month, the young bats who were born in June start learning to fly and hunt from their mothers.
September The bats are getting better at flying during this stage, and are becoming independent of their mothers now.
November The last of the bats leave Austin, and they all arrive at their winter shelters.
*Note: Months with bats by them are ones where there are large numbers of bat emergences in Austin*
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prom pop inence Lizzo s ular in l sing ately, L gs at A iz ers t C oda zo has L in 20 y. beco 1 me 9. After one of th gaining em ost
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Live Music Capital of the World
By: Keerthanyaa Arun
What makes Austin so popular for musicans eg Gr , n aga e sR rle r Ho a h e y C Rog b o d n ot Ph ire, a No
Adrenaline runs through you while you jump to the music with the rest of the crowd. Sweat drips down your smiling face, while you scream at the top of your lungs. The music resonates in your ears. You hold up your phone with the flashlight turned on along with everyone else in the crowd, illuminating the dark night. You dance without a worry, knowing that it will be a while before you go back to a music festival.
people every year, both locally and globally. ACL not only includes mainstream artists and headliners, but the also include local acts. By performing at a music festival as large as ACL, a musician or band can gain a lot of exposure. Emil Kudanov, the bass guitar player in a band here in Austin, when asked about the exposure bands can get, responded by saying that music festivals can really help with getting your name out there.
Music festivals in Austin are a significant part of its culture. Austin without music festivals would be like the Pacific Ocean without any water. Austin hosts many festivals like, SXSW, ACL, Blues on the Green, and many more leading to its motto: “The Live Music Capital of The World.” Each festival is unique in its own way and attract different crowds from all over the world.
“You have a lot of exposure,” Kudanov said. “Not only[do]people come into the fest, but a lot of press[comes]from online magazines.”
The Austin City Limits (ACL) music festival is a festival that started in 2002, and has since grown over the years. It’s one of the most popular music festivals in Austin attracting around 450,000
Another festival similar in size to ACL, SXSW occurs in the spring in downtown Austin. Unlike ACL, SXSW takes place in multiple venues all over downtown Austin in bars, hotels, restaurants, and other locations. SXSW is also not just a music festival. It is also a film, media, and technology festival. Kristen Albert, a former member of the UT member talked about how SXSW feels local and is much more laid back than other festivals.
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performing in random places. One of my friends and I were just walking around downtown, and we found like, two or three groups that we like, still listen to that we just came across them. So I’ve always really enjoyed that about you can just show up and find free stuff to go to.” Albert also explained the contribution of SXSW to Austin’s culture.
iKON, a South Korean boy band performs at SXSW in 2018. SXSW hosts both national performers and international performers. Photo by Dave Pedley
smaller bands from other places.” Despite having many large festivals, Austin also has a countless number of smaller music festivals like Blues on the Green. Blues on the Green is an annual free music festival that happens once a month during the summer in Zilker Park. It is a great laid back concert for families and kids to spend some time with each other. Albert also explained how relaxed Blues on the Green is.
“So it’s very much like embedded in the Austin culture that, on any given day, especially on a, Saturday or “It tends to be a fun, relaxed Sunday evening, afternoon, you walk through downtown and there’s community event, especially Blues on the Green and, it’s free to go,” always, people playing music Albert said. “You can just bring a somewhere,” Albert explained. “And “[SXSW] is really cool because picnic or hang out. A lot of times we’ll I think that’s something pretty cool everything just feels a little more get there early on to hang out before because you get a lot of cool local local,” Albert said. “So you can anything starts. I know I have friends bands from Austin that are able to buy tickets to the big like headliner that bring their dog and it’s a really shows, or you can just walk around get really good exposure and then relaxed environment. A lot of people you’re also bringing in generally downtown, and you’ll find, people Odesza performs at ACL on October 5, 2018. Originally from Washington, this duo is a fairly new and coming up music act and they used ACL to gain more publicity. Photo by Greg Noire
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will take their kids to go see it.” For music festivals and musicians, social media plays a big part in publicity for them. It helps them get their name out into the world and let people know when and where they are going to perform. Christopher Vestre, the electric guitar player for a band called Bamako Airlines talked about how social media impacts bands and musicians. “It’s easier for people to find you,” Vestre said. “So now you can do internet search…[and] you can make a Facebook page so people can find you. And then you can also broadcast messages to people and your fans [by doing invites]...There’s a lot of very easy things you can do to get attention and communicate with people. And it’s free.” Music festivals are constantly popping up and changing in Austin. In the future, they might be mush more different than they are today. Kudanov believes that music festivals will slowly die off.
J Balvin performs at SXSW in 2017. J Balvin is a famous Colombian singer who has a large fan base comprising of millions of people. Photo by David Brendan Hall. Albert believes that there won’t be any major changes and thinks that new genres will appear. I feel like if anything, there are[going to be] more of them popping up. And maybe as far as evolving, they’re probably going to be evolving with new genres,” Albert said.
Albert, Vestre, and Kudanov all believe that there will be some change. But, they all agree that music festivals will continue to be a significant part of Austin’s culture.
Despite their different views on the future of music festivals in Austin,
“I think they will eventually disappear because of the huge population of streaming services right now,” Kudanov said. Vestre believes that musicians will start to leave because of the cost of leaving here in Austin. “I’m kind of worried all the musicians are going to leave. Because it’s expensive to live here. I’m afraid that it’s going to become less diverse, and that there’s going to be fewer musicians. It’s expensive to live here. And clubs don’t pay very much,” Vestre said.
A duo performs at SXSW in 2019 at the outdoor stage. SXSW has multiple venues where people can perform. Photo by Brendan Hall Rush Hour | 29
Find the music festival that’s right for you! By: Keerthanyaa Arun
Take this quiz to find out what music festival you shold go to. At the end, learn a little bit about some of the festivals Austin has to offer.
Do you like large crowds?
Do you like mainstream music?
ACL:
Annual music festival held at Zilker Park over a course of two weekends. Range of performers from mainstream artists to local talents.
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Do you want to go to a festival that has more than just music?
SXSW:
Annual festival with film, media, technology, and music held all over downtown Austin
Do you want a more family oriented experience? Do you like free concerts?
Do you want to discover new music and artists?
HONK!TX:
Nonprofit music festival featuring street bands from all over the world. It’s held in the spring in Mueller Lake Park.
Blues on the Green:
Free music festival located in Zilker Park. It’s held in the summer and promotes artists and bands local to Austin.
None:
Don’t go to a music festival. Stay at home!
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Fresh, Local, Organic- Oh My! Austin Farmers Markets By Jette Morris
Johnsons Backyard Garden is present at multiple markets throughout the week and has spread to other cities like Dallas and Houston. Rush Hour | 32
Every weekend, Locals come to the HOPE Farmers Market on Sunday in east Austin.
As you saunter about the booths the smell of fresh, warm tamales fill your nose as you pass a colorful table. You take a bite of your fresh pastry and your eyebrows shoot up in delight. You take a seat at one of the tables to sit back and relax. People from all over Austin fill the local farmers markets to get the freshest, finest food that money can buy. Every week in downtown Pflugerville and Austin, farmers markets supply a wide array of foods and local products. Eddie Garcia had been working
for the Pflugerville Pfarmers market since 2005, and is the director-- an expert on vendor’s requirements. “The biggest requirement is that any product that is sold at the Pflugerville Pfarmers Market is that, if it’s produce, it has to be grown in the ground or in a nursery in Texas - it cannot be brought from out of state.” Produce is a big seller at the market and these requirements for the vendors are in place to stay Texas Department of
"During the summer we may average 200-300 people easy. It varies and drops significantly." Rush Hour | 33
Agriculture, making them more compelling to buy from. Garcia said that if a vendor sells “a baked good, it can be baked with the Texas Cottage Act, which allows people to sell products that are baked at home without using a commercial kitchen.” Garcia works to recruit vendors who sell at the market. Incentives are put in place to make it easier to be a vendor. By “mak[ing] sure [his] market serves as an umbrella for the vendors that work there; the market offsets the cost of the permits.” Garcia works hard to make it easy for vendors to sell at his markets. “The market goes from May through October… We still average anywhere from 150 to 200 people coming into the market every Tuesday,” Garcia said. “During the summer we may average 200-300 people easy.” Garcia credits this great attendance to both the community pool located nearby and the amazing foods available to guests. Adrian Paredes is a co-owner of Tamale Addiction, a local business that makes fresh tamales. Paredes had quite the journey becoming a vendor in Rush Hour | 34
Shoppers can come get their knives sharpened by the produce section of HOPE Farmers Market.
a total of 11 farmers markets. Paredes described his journey. “I didn’t really know what a farmer’s market was,” Paredes said, “I was invited by a friend who helped me apply for a permit for the business. He was selling at the market and he invited me to come see it. We were really attracted to the market immediately and we talked with the owners and management. They told us we could not do what we were doing with them. We were not local, we were not organic not what they were looking for for the farmers market.”
Paredes said he was very disappointed, but later got a second chance. He described his second chance as another opportunity “Later we got invited to the farmer’s market we were surprised-- we were invited because we were something that was missing at the farmer’s market,” said Parades, “Again it was because someone left that space, the tamales, a lady who was really popular left the space. And we were told that we could do it if we sold tamales. We didn’t know how
to do tamales and we decided to go for it. We talked to family members and everything. And that is how we did the tamales, the first farmer’s market was in downtown Austin by the Sustainable Food Center and then we were invited to all of them. Every time we applied, we were invited to them. The HOPE Farmer’s Market on Sundays, and we were invited to the SFC Farmers market, and Barton Creek Farmers Market and the Mueller Farmers Market and the Lakeline Farmers Market,” Paredes said. The SFC Farmers Markets are at Republic Square
" I didn't really know what a farmer's market was. I was invited by a friend who helped me apply for a permit for the business. Station, Downtown Austin on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. The Pflugerville Market is on Tuesdays from 3pm to 7pm at The Green Barn in May all the way to October.
Austin Farmers Markets are extremely popular and help to provide fresh food to locals and give access to fresh food, all while supporting Austin’s local businesses.
Shoppers come to the booth for Hemp360 for their renownd skin care products. The buisness is present at several markets.
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Lake Activities Y’all!
Boating
Image courtesy of Depositphotos
By: Jette Morris
What could you be doing on a hot summer day at Lady Bird Lake?
Boat cruises and pedal boats have become very popular as outings with friends and Info by the Austinot family
Paddle Boarding Stand-up paddle boards are very frequently rented at local rental stores Info by the Austinot Rush Hour | 36
Image courtesy of Target
Kayaking and Canoeing Dozens and dozens of kayaks and canoes are rented each day at boat rental store fronts on Lady Bird lake. Info by the Austinot
Image Courtesy of Tractor Supply Co
Image courtesy of Gettyimages
No Swimming?! Since 1964, swimming has been banned. Multiple tragic drownings in the lake because of a hazardous underwater landscape caused the ban on swimming in Lady Bird Lake in 1964. Info by the City of Austin
Image courtesy of Shutter Stock
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