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« Previous Edition | This Texas Travel Edition Posted on 01/24/13 | Current Edition »

Visiting Austin & Hill Country

Austin, the live Music Capital of the World, keeps on giving. The winter and spring calendar include the 8th Annual Urban Music Festival and the Austin Reggae Festival along with the grand daddy of them all, South by Southwest. This is also the season for the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon to keep you on top your training. Enjoy the Texas state capital’s diverse calendar of fun ranging from the unique Louisiana Swamp Thing and Crawfish Festival in Buda to the Gut Check Challenge mud-race near Bastrop. Music, film, marathons and more, enjoy a visit to Austin and Texas Hill Country.

Put your New Year resolution to the test at the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon. An early season race through downtown Austin, the 2013 Austin Marathon is February 17th. Events begin on February 15th and 16th with the Health and Fitness Expo at the Palmer Events Center featuring special guests, live music and speakers. Sunday’s Austin Marathon starts at 16th Street and Congress Avenue, with the finish nearby close to the Texas State Capitol building – stick around for the post-race festival.

Among SXSW 2013 events is featured speaker Clive Davis. One of Austin’s premier events, the South by Southwest Interactive Film & Music Festival draws artists, musicians and filmmakers from across the globe. The 2013 SXSW runs March 8th through the 17th with the hub at the Austin Convention Center.

SXSW Music and Media Conference runs March 12th through the 17th with jam sessions, shows and expos to inspire musicians young and old. Marking its 27th year of filling Austin with music and music fans, SXSW Music showcases musical acts from around the world at venues across Austin.

SXSW Film Festival runs March 8th through the 16th. The 2013 Film portion features the new Come & Capture Film Factory allowing visitors to interact with the latest tools and filmmaking products. The SXSW Film Conference & Festival events include film screenings, conversations, panel discussions and a trade show among the activities championing the art of modern film making.

Have some springtime fun in Buda, 15-miles south of Austin on Interstate 35, at the 2013 Louisiana Swap Thing and Crawfish Festival. The fun takes place at Buda City Park on April 6th. Enjoy a full day of live music from Cajun and Zydeco to Jazz, along with 7,000 pounds of Crawfish. There’s a full array of southern food specialties to go along with the crawfish, so bring your appetite.

Commit now for April’s Gut Check Challenge. The 2013 Gut Check Challenge is April 13th and14th of Pope Bend road in Cedar Creek, 15 miles west of Bastrop southeast of downtown Austin. The challenge is a grueling mud-run through an obstacle course with beer and BBQ to round out the fun. Enjoy the challenge or cheer on your favorite participant while you enjoy live music and fun.