The Austin City Limits Music Festival generated a record $534.8 million in economic activity for the Austin area in 2024, according to a new report released this week. The event, produced by C3 Presents, continues to serve as a major driver for the city’s economy while also contributing substantial funding toward local parks through its […]
Austin Parks Foundation
A local nonprofit that works to improve and maintain public parks, trails and other greenspaces. It was founded in 1992.
Posted inParks
City shares update on parks-nonprofit relationships
During a special called meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee on Oct. 9, three speakers stated their concerns about the relationship between the Parks Department and its nonprofit partners, specifically regarding special events and the Trail of Lights. This public testimony was the latest chapter in a recent ongoing dialogue about the relationship […]
Posted inPreservation
Umlauf Vision Plan aims to revive iconic sculptor’s home and studio as museum
Plans to significantly expand the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum are continuing to drum up enthusiasm, with Historic Landmark commissioners granting the project their blessing last week. The Umlauf Historic Preservation, Expansion, and Unification Plan hopes to add thousands of square feet in new gallery and programming space while opening up new areas of the […]
Posted inParks
Study calls for formalizing partnership between parks department and foundation
Local parks advocates want the city and the Austin Parks Foundation nonprofit group to come to a formal agreement spelling out the roles and responsibilities between the two entities, with the hope of better addressing equity issues across the city’s massive span of parks facilities. That recommendation was one of the main findings of a […]
Posted inParks
C3 announces ACL Fest economic impact, with $7.2M donated to parks improvements
In a clear sign of the resilience of outdoor music festivals after the Covid-19 pandemic, data released yesterday show the 2022 edition of Austin City Limits Music Festival produced $447.9 million in economic impact. That number represents a substantial jump from the $369 million impact from the festival’s return in 2021, and the $291 million […]
Posted inParks
Trail project moves to complete Oltorf-Riverside connection
The city’s Public Works Department is gearing up to finally complete a 3.5-mile urban trail that would connect Mabel Davis and Roy G. Guerrero Park in Southeast Austin. The new trail segment would bridge the existing gap between trails ending on East Riverside and Oltorf streets. With site plans submitted earlier this month and a […]
Posted inTransportation
Want free entry to Barton Springs? Take the bus.
The Zilker Park road loop will be closed from July 6-30 pending construction of new tracks for the fully electric Zilker Eagle, the train formerly known as the Zilker Zephyr. Following slope failure at the previous turnaround (due to erosion from rain), the new turnaround will be located at Lou Neff Point, where Barton Creek meets Lady […]
Posted inParks
Austin Parks Foundation gives an update on Zilker train restoration
The Austin Parks Foundation has laid out its plans to restore the beloved train formerly known as the Zilker Zephyr, which ceased operations last year. In January 2020, after more than two decades in operation, the owners of the Zephyr announced in a Facebook post that they were shutting down for good after rainstorms in […]
Posted inParks
No ACL Fest means delays to parks projects, millions lost for parks foundation
Improvement projects at parks throughout the city will be delayed for up to 18 months as a result of the official cancellation of the Austin City Limits Festival. Organizers of the two-weekend event, which was set to take place in October in Zilker Park, announced Wednesday that concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic made it impossible […]