Austin is a vibrant city with a diverse population containing a myriad of interests.  As something of a cultural center of the country, we have a lot of interest for folks that don’t live here.  This has taken the form of the many, many, many festivals that occur during the year.

Of course, this post is inspired by the Austin City Limits Music Festival, having just wrapped up a waterlogged second weekend.  A lot of my classmates went to at least one of the weekends, but being something of a homebody that gets anxious in crowds, I tend to avoid big events like this.  But there are plenty of other festivals and events around Austin for which I do make time.  ACL and SXSW are great, but there’s so much more!

One of my favorite events is the annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook Off.  As I mentioned before, I do like my vegetarian food, and the veggie chili cook off is a great way to try something new.  There are plenty of types that will satisfy even a meat eater, and the variety of chilis there is really something cool.  It’s on Sunday, November 10th this year, and I’m looking to take some of my fellow MPAs with me when I go.

Here’s one I generally don’t get to attend, but wish I could:  the Austin Food and Wine Festival.  It brings in some all-star chefs with some great opportunities to try some delicious food.  Tickets are a bit pricey, but if you can go, I think you’ll be happy.  (You did know that Austin is home to a Top Chef, right?)  April 25-27, 2014.

I suppose you could say that I like word play, and Austin is home to the O.Henry Pun-Off each year.  For thirty-five years, the puns have been slung naming the best punner in Austin.  Expected in May, 2014.

The famous Sixth Street used to be called Pecan Street, and each year in early May, vendors and booths are set up for the Old Pecan Street Festival.  It’s a nice way to spend the afternoon checking out some fun crafts, and you get to see Sixth Street in the bright light of day for a change.  May 3-4, 2014.

This may be a bit self-aggrandizing, but I have to mention Austin’s biggest board game convention, Board Game Bash.  Organized by yours truly, it’s a fun weekend of games where you can meet the fantastic Austin gaming community.  August 1-3, 2014.

Our local alt-weekly, the Austin Chronicle, puts on the Austin Hot Sauce Festival each year in August.  It’s tough eating spicy salsas in the August heat, but it’s a pretty good time.  If you don’t love and appreciate salsa by the time you finish at UT, then you definitely didn’t get out enough.  Hit this one up to try a bunch at once.  August 24, 2014.

What was the ice cream manufacturer’s primary financial concern?

Liquidity.