Since moving to Austin, I’ve noticed that every weekend there seems to be a different festival of some sorts happening. This weekend I was able to attend two very Austin-only festivals. These festivals are in addition to those that Austin is nationally known
SXSW
South by Southwest:
The two week long music and film breakout event.
This festival is where new talents are scouted, films are premiered, and where the latest tech companies reveal some of their social media wonders (FourSquare was introduced here).
I got to experience SXSW – at least the free no-name shows. It was fun to see all the different aspiring artists, the street performance, and be part of such a large festival.
The other nationally known Austin festival is
ACL
Austin City Limits. Another music festival that lasts 3 days and happens to be something someone (—–>> M<3) is greatly looking forward to this year.
These acts are more well known, not really up and comers, but more established artists. M<3 has a deep desire to attend this year in order to fight the crowds and watch his beloved Cannibal Corpse and Slayer perform. Disappointingly, I will not be experiencing this festival but I promise to bitch and complain about all the traffic jams caused by it.
Okay so now for the real festivals I attended this past weekend:
Austin’s Bat Fest
If you recall, we previously discussed Austin’s overgrown vampire colony. Only now, we get to celebrate the bat infestation by partying on top of the bridge which they call home….Nothing like a good day’s sleep with 5,000 festival goers stomping around above!
The festival had a few music performance, lots of festival food and drinks, and vendors selling a few too many Bat themed clothing and headgear.
A picturesque Austin sunset
Loads of bat taking off for their nightly blood sucking
“Sadly” I missed the bat flight during Bat Fest – but missing the flight also meant dodging the 110 degree heat and elbowing my way through sweat-soaked bodies. I plan to enjoy the bat flight while sipping a margarita from a distant restaurant.
Nightwalkers celebrating along SoCo bridge
This is me, with the Bat Cow.
What is a Bat Cow you ask? Honestly, I still don’t know. My basic understand is it’s a piece of art (Questionable, but yes, a piece of art). It’s a cow wrapped in bat wings and it was hung from the SoCo bridge. And now, it returns to the bridge every year during Bat Fest for vulnerable tourists and bat crazed fans to take photos with.
These are just two of the Bat Crazed fans I speak of. This lady had a fake bat in her hair and was overly excited to have me take a photo of it! Also, make sure you note her multiple winged tattoos adorning her body. She must be Bat Woman. I also witnessed many wannabe Batmans and their trusty sidekicks Robin at the festival.
I wonder who was watching over Gotham City while Batman was off visiting his Austin dwelling relatives…..
A few friends and I trying to keep cool
My last comment about Bat Fest – the fumes. And these fumes I speak of are actually bat droppings….It made the whole festival that much more pleasant. Nothing says celebration like sweaty bodies, stale beer, and hot bat pooh!
Hot Sauce Festival
Sunday we headed downtown in the 115 degree heat (no lie, the moving car’s thermometer said so!) to the Hot Sauce Festival!
This was literally a free Chips & Salsa event. We tasted lots of yummy salsa, some claiming to be FIRE hot.
Disappointingly, none of it was FIRE hot. The only thing Fire hot at the Hot Sauce Festival was the sun. Never in my life have I ever just been standing an dripping sweat. Maybeee it was the Hot Sauce, but more likely it was the sun.
There were lines everywhere
Lots of chips & salsa everywhere! I was in heaven, if you didn’t know already,
I eat salsa like soup
Just a couple Salsa lovers showing their true love for sauce and heat by patiently waiting in line. I probably would have enjoyed this festival so much more and even would have tried a lot of the homemade salsa in the huge sampling tent, if it wasn’t 115 out…..My suggestion to Austin is to take this festival inside next year!
Oh and for the record, I’m sure <3M and I were the only ones who attended the hot sauce festival without purchasing any hot sauce…but we did leave with a nice tub of Mint Chutney!
As for my weekend of Austin festivals, I think I’d prefer festivals with a bit less heat – otherwise I could deal with the bat friends and long lines. Can’t wait to see what Austin’s Fall and Winter festivals are like!
