sip and be seen

Fashion's Night Out: By George and Tribeza give New York's event a casuallypolished, local spin

Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley
Photo by Jon Shapley

Though our hot-box of a city couldn't seem further from the earthquakes and hurricanes of the Big Apple, various businesses around Austin tried their hand at reinterpreting an event born and bred in New York City—Fashion's Night Out.

Founded by Vogue editrix Anna Wintour, FNO "is an unprecedented global initiative originally created in 2009 to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence and boost the industry’s economy during the recession."

Nowadays on FNO, the streets of Manhattan feel more like a Halloween spectacle: music, booze and discounts spill out of high-end retail stores, while thousands of people mill about the streets, dressed in the most far-out, fresh-off-the-runway attire reserved only for the most conspicuous of occasions.

Of course Austin would be true to herself in the Tex-ified interpretation, putting on a low-key, relaxed event, allowing people to casually come and go and eye merchandise without any purchasing pressure. One of the most polished events of the evening was produced by the pairing of By George and TRIBEZA Magazine.

Deep Eddy Vodka poured complimentary drinks, newly opened Sully's Sidebar provided sliders and DJ Mike Swing kept the energy at a steady level while guests chatted, sipped, and delicately and tentatively handled clothing and accessories (trust me, you don't want to spill your drink in this store).

Said TRIBEZA's Lauren Ford (Editor and Creative Director), "We have always loved the concept for Fashion's Night Out created three years ago, so we decided to celebrate it Austin style by partnering with the iconic boutique By George for the night. It also happened to coincide with the release of our September Style issue, so all the fashion stars aligned for an after hours shopping soirée."

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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