The annual Founders Day Festival in the bustling Southwest Austin suburb of Dripping Springs is making its grand return from April 25-27.
The long-running family-friendly festival was created by the City of Dripping Springs and the Founders Day Commission to celebrate the Hill Country town's founding in 1850. Since its inception, the festival has ballooned into a beloved community-wide tradition that's now in its 36th year of operation. The festival is held on Mercer Street, which runs through the center of town, and along nearby connecting streets.
There will be more than 150 arts and craft booths, food vendors, nonprofits, and local businesses participating in the festivities this year, and several live performances from local bands, a barbecue cook-off competition, street dances, and more.
Attendees might see a few Elvis impersonators among the crowd while the signature parade flows through Mercer and Wallace Streets from 6:30-7:45 pm on Friday, April 25. This year's parade theme is "Viva Las Drippin'!" and floats will be decorated like famous Las Vegas hotels and chapels, but with a Dripping Springs twist to pay homage to the city's reputation as the "Wedding Capital of Texas."
The iconic Mighty Thomas Carnival will bring its thrilling rides for the festival, starting at 4 pm on Friday (and closing temporarily for the annual parade). Carnival hours are from 4-11 pm on Friday, 11 am to 11:30 pm on Saturday, and 11 am to 7 pm on Sunday.
Adrenaline junkies will love the thrilling carnival rides.Photo by Dave Wilson
Austin-based rock band Chance of Weird will kick off the weekend of live music at 7:30 pm on Friday, with 90s cover band Type A scheduled to perform from 9-11 pm.
Saturday's main stage performance lineup is as follows:
- 10 am – Head to Toe Dance Studio
- 10:35 am – Dripping Springs Music Academy
- 11:10 am – Sycamore Springs Middle School Jazz Band
- 12:45 pm – Cunningham Sisters
- 1:20 pm – Ryker Pantano
- 2:00 pm – Vaughan Segers
- 3:00 pm – Tone Junkies
- 4:30 pm – Rochelle & The Sidewinders
- 6:30 pm – Bobby Pounds Band
- 8:30 pm – Jamie Weston Band
The final day of the Founders Festival will begin with a church service from 10-11:30 am at the main stage, with official festival hours beginning at 11 am. Scheduled music performances for the day include Denver-based funk band Wild Love Tigress on the main stage at 12 pm, followed by a chicken clucking contest at 2:30 pm. The barbecue cook-off awards will be presented at 3 pm. The arts and crafts booths will be set up from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday.
Know before you go
No matter how sunny the weekend gets, don't forget to bring your sunscreen, and some water in a reusable bottle (as glass bottles are discouraged). Festival organizers also discourage bringing pets to the festival grounds, as the asphalt may get too hot.
The festival is free to the public, but attendees who are interested in riding the carnival rides will need to purchase tickets in advance or during festival days. Select local businesses will be offering carnival pre-sale tickets through noon on Friday, April 25. Pre-sale prices are $40 for 70 tickets. Festival-goers can also purchase all-day Sunday wristbands for $30 each.
Pre-sale tickets are being sold at:
- South Star Bank, 10901 US 290, Austin
- Lone Star Capital Bank, 401 US 290, Dripping Springs
- Prosperity Bank, 721 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs
- Sunflower Bank, 100 Creek Road, Dripping Springs
- Martin's Wellness Pharmacy, 100 Commons Road #1, Dripping Springs
- City of Dripping Springs Development Services Building, 661 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs
- Texas Regional Bank, 700 E Hwy 290, Dripping Springs
Where (and where not) to park
Festival attendees cannot park on Ranch Road 12 at any time during the three-day weekend (and cars that do park on the street will be towed), but there will be free parking all weekend long at Dripping Springs High School. The DSHS Rotary Club will provide a shuttle service from the high school to the festival all day on Saturday. The Dripping Springs VFW will have limited general parking available at varying prices. Handicap parking will be located on Old Fitzhugh Road.
Adrenaline junkies will love the thrilling carnival rides.Photo by Dave Wilson