2024 was a big year for Austin — let’s unpack. | Graphic by 6AM City
It’s that time of year again — Spotify Wrapped is out, and so is ours.
Let’s dive into your top stories of 2024, but first, some stats.
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You’ve changed, and so has Austin. Let’s look at how you felt throughout the year.
In March, you were in your SXSW era, but wanted to know how to do the festival for free. We hope you had a blast without breaking the bank.
Home is Here: A Concert for Casa Mirianella | 7 p.m. | ACL Live at The Moody Theater | $40+ | Band members from from Spoon, Fastball, and Money Chicha will perform in support of an east Austin shelter for people seeking asylum in the US.
Rockman Chef Residency Series: Veracruz Taco Tuesdays | 4:30-7 p.m. | Rockman Coffee and Bakeshop | Cost of purchase | Enjoy collaborative dishes from Reyna Vazquez of Veracruz All Natural and take home some pastries to boot.
Hoppy Holidays with the Tinsel Singers | 7 p.m. | Neill-Cochran House Museum | $25+ | Sip a frosty beer or a hot cup of cocoa while you watch a holiday performance on the museum’s front porch.
Wednesday, Dec. 11
Tinsel + Tarot | 7-9 p.m. | Lefty’s Brick Bar | Cost of purchase | Head to the festive pop-up bar to get an insightful reading while sipping a holiday-themed cocktail.
Thursday, Dec. 12
“White Christmas” | 7:30 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $12 | Cozy up during this technicolor screening in celebration of the 1954 film’s 60th anniversary.
Get into the holiday spirit with this beloved tradition
Presented by ZACH Theatre
Bring a little extra holiday cheer to the theater and wear your favorite ugly Christmas sweater to the show. | Photos provided by ZACH Theatre; GIF created by ATXtoday
Join Scrooge, the Cratchits, and festive spirits for an unforgettable time during ZACH Theatre’s enchanting adaptation of “The Christmas Carol.”
Gather friends and family for this annual favorite on stage now through Dec. 29. Pro tip: For an elevated experience filled with even more festive fun, explore Fezziwig’s Festive Feast and Scrooge’s Suite Soiree ticket options.
Don’t miss out on the fun — secure your seats to this iconic Austin holiday tradition.
An apartment building in east Austin will soon undergo a major transformation. Juno East Austin, which opened earlier this year, will become a boutique hotel called Boheme. The 20-room hotel also has plans for a rooftop lounge and ground-level bar. (Austin Business Journal)
Civic
Tomorrow, Dec. 10, is the last day to vote early in the Travis County runoff elections. Voters in Austin City Council District 7 will choose their next City Council member, and Austin ISD voters will select the at-large seat for the Board of Trustees. Election Day is Saturday, Dec. 14. (KVUE)
Announced
Hey, soul sister — Austin has a new sister city. The Capital City just signed a Sister Cities Agreement with Limerick, Ireland. The partnership was commemorated in a ceremony with both mayors attending and with a new sign outside of Austin City Hall.
Number
90,562. That’s how many students applied for freshman admission to UT Austin during the fall submission period, a 24.3% increase from last year. Out-of-state submissions skyrocketed by 48% and Texas applicants increased by 12%, marking the third consecutive year that the university broke its application record.
Festival
Cue the giggles. Moontower Comedy Festival’s full lineup is here, featuring headliners like Hank Azaria, Tiffany Haddish, Aziz Ansari, and Pete Holmes. Badges are available now for the event, which runs Wednesday, April 9 through Saturday, April 19.
Austinites
Austin was one of the top five cities represented in the newly released Forbes “30 Under 30" list. Austinites who received the honor include Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas, beauty influencer Golloria George, and UT Austin professor Kent “Jingxu” Zheng.
Concert
Ready to rock? Styx will bring the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour to the Germania Insurance Amphitheater on Wednesday, June 4. They’ll be joined by Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon and Don Felder of The Eagles. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13.
Trending
One kiss is all it takes for Austin to win over Dua Lipa. After headlining this year’s ACL Festival, the pop icon told Vogue that Austin is her favorite place she’s visited recently, sharing that loves the city’s vibrancy, people, food, and honky tonks.
Sports The Longhorns didn’t close out their first year in the SEC with a conference championship, butkeep your horns up. Texas will take on Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Keep up with the local experts of the Texas Longhorns through Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Home
Did you know new windows could lead to lower energy bills? Read: Modern windows have better insulation. Renewal by Andersen is offering $400 off per window and $850 per door, so you can start the new year by saving on style upgrades for your home. Get your free quote.*
Category
Biz
🎉 Host with the most
Celebrate the holidays in style at one of these Austin venues. | Photos provided by Jackie Lee Young Photography, Photo Fusion Media, La Condesa, Wen Fitzgerald, and The Rackhouse at Desert Door
It’s not too late to plan an unforgettable party this holiday season.
From private dining rooms to expansive event spaces, here are six venues with packages ready to book for your festivity.
Downright Austin, 701 E. 11th St. No need to deck the halls — this Downtown hotel already has glitz and glamour. Invite your guests into the retro Rodeo Room, the grand Capitol Ballroom, or the intimate Capitol View Terrace.
La Condesa, 400 W. 2nd St. A Elevate your party by hosting it at The Flour House, a private dining room tucked inside this Mexican restaurant. The space, which is landmarked by the Texas Historical Commission, was built by the Schneider family in the 1860s and seats up to 18 guests.
Stella San Jac, 310 E. 5th St. Book a jolly brunch, lunch, or dinner in the private dining room at this upscale Southern restaurant nestled inside the Westin Austin Downtown.
Slippers that are warm, cozy, and able to be worn indoors and outdoors (so you can run errands in your slippers — score). Try these faux fur-lined houseshoes on Amazon or go for the UGG Tasman slipper that started the trend.
I’m excited for this week. City Editor Figi and I plan to check out a few new places in town: Fifth Street Diner, Tancho Sushi, and Tiger Lilly. Be sure to follow along on Instagram.
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