Our Capital City is a very special place indeed! For 30 years now, we’ve been celebrating all that makes Austin unique and weird. When Celebrate Austin first published in 1980, Austin was still driven at the heart by music. Musicians like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Stevie Nicks and Willie Nelson made the downtown scene their playground and laid the foundation for the city that would go on to be dubbed “The Live Music Capital of the World.” In 1980, The Continental Club had been open in Austin for over 20 years, President Reagan took office over President Carter, Blondie was Number 1 on the Billboard Charts and everyone loved the number one television program Dallas. Downtown Austin, about 345,890 people lived in the urban area that we have come to know and love so well.

30 years later, life in the Capital City is not so different. We’ve more than doubled in size and residents, but Austin is still driven by music. Austin, especially through its central music scene on 6th Street, Red River and throughout its downtown corridors, has thoroughly earned its nickname. Austin is home to South by Southwest, one of the largest annual music festivals in the U.S. Also found here is the locally hosted Austin City Limits Festival, as well as music and shows every night of the week.

There is so much more to love about our great Capital City. This issue we are celebrating “Where the Locals Go.” Slogans like “Keep Austin Weird” truly express the individuality of this city and the locals are the beating heart of our urban community that encourages self-expression. As you look through Celebrate Austin, take note of our local vendors, advertisers and participants. Each invites you to come visit their business to learn their stories and enjoy what they have to offer. From Historical 6th Street to trendsetting 2nd Street, from downtown to midtown to uptown you will find the most unique shopping and dining experiences.

There is so much to love about our great city, and this issue really sums it up. We have been Celebrating Austin for the past 30 years, and we are looking forward to the next 30. Whether this is your first visit or you have been here many times before, let us show you “How to Celebrate Austin.” We invite you to use our visitors’ guide as your gateway to the city. We have added new sections and content that create an exciting visitors’, newcomers’ and locals’ guide at your fingertips.

Y’all come back, now.

As a visitor, how would someone characterize Austin? For that matter, how would a local characterize Austin? What is there to do, what does it have to offer, and how do these things make it unique? The real question is where to begin.

Start with the biggest ingredient – literally – the capitol city is home to the largest state capitol building in the United States, a feat of architecture that brings to life Texas’ proud and independent history. Add to that Austin’s unique politics; long known as a single blue dot in a sea of red, Austin’s colorful political views reflect the extreme diversity of the city. Stir in a rich, deep-rooted musical history, a significant selection of art houses and museums, and a generous handful of locally owned and revered restaurants and businesses. Top it off with the picturesque and culturally rich Hill Country that surrounds the city, and you’ve started to create the melting pot that is Austin.

The people of Austin thrive in this self-styled environment. The temperate weather encourages outdoor activity, and the folks make good use of the multiple outlets in which to hike, bike, walk, run, or swim. The art and music scene is a living, breathing thing in Austin, and you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting someone of such persuasion. Hippies and hipsters alike bump elbows with the forces of gentrification without sacrificing their soul. Ask anyone on the street and they’ll tell you – Austin is proud of its eclectic heritage and fiercely protective of its free-thinking, liberal spirit.

So where do we end up? Visitors come for the beautiful environment and the interesting tourist attractions. They stick around because of the infectiously positive vibe. And in the end, they get carried away with the thrum of Austin’s lifestyle until finally they realize – they’re not a tourist at all, but instead another piece of what makes Austin unique in the first place.

Capital Cruises (the best Congress bat view in town)

Airscape Parasail (for an exciting Lake Travis tour)

Austin Duck Adventures (for a tour that goes on and off the water)

Austin Overtures (see all of Austin and the Hill Country in 90 minutes)

Seg City Tours (the most unique way to see downtown)

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (279 acres of gorgeous family friendly fun)

Museum of the Weird (the most curious place in Austin)

Bob Bolluck Texas State History Museum (interactive exhibitis, the IMAX®, gift store)

The OASIS Restaurant (for the best sunset views in Texas)