Fireworks, barbecue and patriotism are just a few things that come to mind when thinking about the Fourth of July. You might have plans to spend some time at the lake with family, have a potluck-style picnic with friends or you may still be on the search for ideas. We compiled a list of Fourth of July festivities taking place in Austin and surrounding areas: 4th of July Fireworks and Symphony at Auditorium Shores – Come out to Auditorium Shores and enjoy a variety of food, drinks and live music. The symphony performance begins at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. Best of all – it’s completely free. Hill Country Galleria Independence Day Festival – The Hill Country Galleria will celebrate the Fourth of July this year with more than 75 vendors, live music, family fun, barbecue and a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. to end the night. Live music begins at 4:15 p.m. and will include Vallejo, Dawn & the Hawkes, T Bird & The Breaks and Uncle Lucius. Parking and admission is completely free. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their dogs! Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic – Austin legend Willie Nelson will play at the Circuit of America’s racetrack along with 20 other artists including Eric Church, Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel and more. There will be picnic tables where fans can eat, drink, celebrate and watch their favorite artists perform. Parking opens at 10:00 a.m., gates open at 11:00 a.m. and music starts at 11:15 a.m. Ticket prices range from $35 to $75. […]
Read MoreUWCA raises over $100K for Wildfire Relief
It’s hard to believe it has been over a month since wildfires broke out across Central Texas. For UWCA, this time of year is always busy with workplace giving campaigns, but the wildfire relief efforts brought an added sense of urgency to the work we do. Within hours of hearing about the fires, our 2-1-1 (the United Way Helpline) team went to work verifying information on resources, services and safety. Social media is now a huge part of every disaster recovery effort so 2-1-1 staff members scoured social channels for up-to-the-minute news, verified its validity and then served as a hub of verified information for all callers. UWCA also initiated a text-to-give campaign, so anyone can text “Wildfire,” to 85944 and donate $10. The money donated to the Wildfire Relief Fund has already provided gift cards so those affected by the fires could buy groceries, gas, lodging, replacement tools, clothes and other necessities. To date, we have collected more than $117,000. Recently, Samsung announced a one-time gift of $50,000 for our wildfire recovery fund, the largest contribution to date. This donation allows United Way to work with communities to determine both immediate and long-term recovery needs. Together, we can help those most in need and those who are no longer covered by insurance regain a productive life. Samsung’s gift exemplifies what it means to be a true corporate partner and citizen. Their gift toward wildfire recovery is in addition to the ongoing corporate giving campaign, so those who relied on […]
Read More