Battle of the Bands

Local businesses rock out at record-breaking fundraiser for Austin musicians

What: Corporate Battle of the Bands

Where: ACL Live at the Moody Theater

The details: On May 5, Austinites rocked out at the 10th annual Corporate Battle of the Bands benefiting Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. Bands from Austin's top companies performed in front of a panel of celebrity judges — James Minor of SXSW and musicians Graham Wilkinson and Omar Vallejo — and a packed house at ACL Live to raise a record $170,000 for HAAM.

"Corporate Battle of the Bands is an incredible event — it gives us a chance to highlight the individuals and companies who avidly believe in HAAM's mission," said executive director Reenie Collins, in a statement. "Many of the corporations that compete have been participating for years, and we are thrilled to have them back. Austin is full of talented musicians and you never know where you might find them."

Bands from Cirrus Logic, H-E-B, AthenaHealth, Maxwell Locke & Ritter, NetSpend, OpenSymmetry, RetailMeNot, Seton Healthcare, and Wenzel Spine impressed, but Transistor Troubadors from Intel walked away with the grand prize, thanks to a stellar Gary Clark Jr. cover.

Who: Kyle Durand, Brigitte Donovan, Chris Adams, Anthony Hutchins, Jen Wheeler, Reenie Collins, Tomo Berry, Mike Murry, Mike Spear, Walter Sherwood, Raquel Garcia, Kim Couch, Janson Woodlee, Darcy Hardy, Chase Calvert, Jane McMurrey, Robert Alvarez, Gwen Arriaga, Janet Wilson, Jessica Phillips, Heather Ladage, Bill Wilson, Stone Slade, Kristin Gunn, Noel Escobar, Myndi Garrett, Janson Woodlee, Rolando Balli, Anna Tallent, Alex Rohach, Stephen Jeffrey, Roger Kidwell, Lynda Lerma, Andy Rumelt, David Hiskey, Peter Foskey, and Lawrence Sarkar.

Noel Escobar, Myndi Garrett, Janson Woodlee, and Rolando Balli.

HAAM Corporate Battle of the Bands 2017 Noel Escobar Myndi Garrett Janson Woodlee Rolando Balli

Photo by Ben Porter Photography

Noel Escobar, Myndi Garrett, Janson Woodlee, and Rolando Balli.

charity music

Taste of 2025

Austin's Wine & Food Foundation announces 3 big events for 2025

Photo by Erica Wilkins Photography

Theses Wine & Food Foundation events raise funds for local initiatives.

Austin's food scene is booming, but smaller businesses could always use support. The Wine & Food Foundation is one of Austin's leading industry protectors, and it's just announced three events to help support its mission over the next year.

The three events — Big Reds and Bubbles, Toast of Texas, and the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala — are spread out between March and November of 2025, and all offer something a bit different.

They'll all benefit the Wine & Food Foundation and, by extension, the local organizations it supports. Those include Keep Austin Fed, which diverts food surpluses from grocery stores, catered events, and other sites of professional food service; and Sustainable Food Center, which helps Texans access healthy food through SNAP and WIC incentives, hosts farmers markets, connects farmers with resources, and more. The Wine & Food Foundation also offers scholarships for hospitality professionals.

Big Reds and Bubbles, held Friday, March 28, will bring together more than 100 red and sparkling wines for a tasting event. In addition to comparing wines back-to-back, guests will get to try them with bites from popular Austin restaurants to discover interesting new pairings. They'll also get to dress to impress and see the new LZR space — formerly La Zona Rosa, an old Austin music venue that had its last official performance in 2013.

Next up is Toast of Texas on June 8. This is another tasting event that focuses instead on 20 local wineries. The food menu at this event is also more specific, featuring local barbecue and paella, among other local tastes. It'll be located at Assembly Hall, an event space on East 7th Street adjacent to the East Austin Hotel.

Finally, there's the premier event: the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala on November 8. This is a big fundraising opportunity not just because of potentially high auction tickets, but the chance to experience something truly out of the ordinary for the wine industry. Guests will also enjoy "an elegant dinner" according to the press release and wines by a featured maker. It'll all happen at the JW Marriott Austin.

The release counts more than 50 other events slated for the year, so there are plenty more opportunities between the big three. Some of these include wine tasting courses, which will be available again soon.

wine tasting small businesses wineries nonprofits galas