Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and KUTX present 4th Pride in Local Music

Photo by Gregg Cestar

Presented by the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce along with KUTX and local 4th Street businesses (Austin’s unofficial LGBTQ+ district), Pride in Local Music will be a block party with a full street closure to close out National Pride Month.

The one-day festival will feature musical performances from a myriad of local Queer artists, along with tabling and activations from local organizations and businesses as well as a Pride Marketplace curated by The Little Gay Shop.

The lineup showcases artists on multiple stages, including the main Pride In Local Music Stage on 4th Street as well as the OUTlaw Pride Fest Stage at The Courtyard at 4th & Co, and late night shows in Austin’s LGBTQIA+ clubs, including Cheer Up Charlie’s, The Iron Bear, and The Eagle.

The Pride in Local Stage features queer Austin native and Latin Grammy Award nominee Gina Chavez, intergalactic pop star Primo the Alien, next big thing rapper / pop royalty promqueen, high energy alt pop stars Glass Mansions, and the fabulous Heyoncé brings Queen Bey to the hive.

The OUTlaw Pride Fest stage includes performances by genderqueer hard rock band Butch County, bass-driven post punk / indie-rock band Female Gallery, queergrass country indie-Americana band Brand New Key, and queer country roots rocker Julie Nolen.

It all benefits the Austin LGBT Chamber Education Fund, which provides scholarships to LGBTQ+ and allied students who exhibit strong potential in leadership, academic ability and involvement in their communities.

Photo courtesy of Warby Parker

5 Austin shops to keep you looking cool this summer

RETAIL THERAPY

Who doesn't love a bit of retail therapy? Especially now that it's finally time to break out the breezy tops, the fun sun hats, and a well-fitting pair of sunglasses.

If you need help deciding where to find a summer gift, outfit, or skincare item, we've gathered a few Austin shops that will have you looking too cool to let the summer heat get to you.

Chicago-based convenience store Foxtrot opened its new Austin flagship location at the corner of South 1st and West Annie Streets on June 6. Think of it as a combination between a bodega and your neighborhood café, wine bar, and gift shop. And we can't forget about its spacious indoor-outdoor covered patio. The South 1st location is the second of four planned stores throughout Austin; their Burnet Road store opened in February 2023.

If you need a new pair of glasses or sunnies to go with your summer 'fits, Warby Parker's refreshed Summer 2023 Collection debuted June 6 to bring you new designs and color palettes. Whether you try online or visit one of their three Austin locations, eye-catching frames such as Lottie in green tea crystal or sophisticated Keiko in polished gold are sure to bring on the compliments with any outstanding outfit you put together.

Speaking of summer releases, Austin's favorite vodka Tito's has launched their Tito's X Summer accessory line just in time for your next trip to Town Lake or your favorite pool. Their Floating Cabana Bar in collaboration with luxury pool float makers Funboy is sure to catch the attention of fellow day-drinkers and fun lovers at any function. You can shop online or in person at their storefront on Lavaca.

A local, BIPOC, women-owned "anti-beauty" beauty brand is working to keep your skin healthy in the Austin summer sun.Daybird's 4-in-1 Tinted Skincare combines a sheer foundation with a serum, moisturizer, and mineral SPF 50. It's also vegan, Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free, and the product container is fully recyclable. The Tinted Skincare, which is currently their only available item from their line, can be found on their website, Urban Outfitters, and Poosh.

Contemporary womenswear boutique Estilo's first Estilo Kids (stylized estilo KIDS) store opened in Tarrytown at the beginning of May. Owner Stephanie Coultress O'Neill has had her clothing boutique for 18 years, and expanded her brand to include menswear in 2020. Now, the new children's boutique will offer gifts and clothing for children aged three through 14. Estilo is located at 2727 Exposition Boulevard in Tarrytown's Casis Village.

Photo courtesy of Old Bakery and Emporium

Old Bakery and Emporium presents 2nd Annual Midsummer Festival

Old Bakery and Emporium's annual Midsummer Festival honoring the business' Swedish American heritage, featuring multiple Swedish events and activities. There will be live music by Scandinavian folk artists Mira Dickey & Ian Files, traditional & contemporary Swedish and Scandinavian songs by the Norrsken Three, a live demonstration of Swedish flat-plane wood carving, Swedish treats from Fika Table, flower crown-making station, traditional Swedish maypole, and Dala horse piñatas.

Photo by Anamaria Gutierrez

Bar Toti presents Mercado del Girasol

Bar Toti, the weekend bar and private event space located on the grounds of Este, will host their first-ever market in celebration of Este Garden’s third anniversary. The open-air market will feature pop-ups from local creatives, artisanal goods, DJ Juan Lo, drinks and more. There will also be three raffle baskets with proceeds from the tickets benefitting Casa Marianella, a local social services organization that welcomes displaced immigrants and promotes self-sufficiency by providing shelter and support services.

Bar Toti will have an outdoor bar set up with two signature cocktails and N/A beverages available for purchase. Este Garden will also host free sunflower picking led by garden volunteers from noon to 1 p.m. Additionally, Este will be open for lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m., so market-goers will have the opportunity to enjoy fresh Mexican-inspired seafood and more before or after they shop and check out the garden.

2nd Annual Pflugerville Pride

Pflugerville Pride will be bigger and better, with two outdoor stages and two indoor venues ready to showcase artists and entertainers from the local community.

A legislative panel will provide important insights into the issues facing the LGBTQ+ community, and the fun continues with Pride after dark, featuring 21+ entertainment, vendors, and events at Hanovers.

Visitors can enjoy over 10 food trucks/tents and browse through more than 80 vendors. Art enthusiasts will enjoy the art showcase featuring the work of talented local artists. There will also be a silent auction inside The Three Legged Goat.

Families can join in on the fun at our Family Pfun zone with bouncers, face painting, games, arts & crafts, and more. There will be tents with seating in front of the outdoor stages and by the food trucks, complete with misters.

The VIP Lounge at The Victory Tap features air conditioning, two specialty beverages, food bar, and a special swag bag.

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Property Showcase

Austin has the 3rd most active real estate market in the U.S. within the last decade

red-hot ATX

A new report has discovered Texas cities hold the top five most active real estate markets in the country, with Austin landing in third place. The study by storage marketplace StorageCafe reflects the city's resiliency over the last decade after a recent reported plummet in Austin's quality of life.

Austin had the third highest number of single-family home permits between 2013 and 2022, totaling 37,000 units. At the same time, the city also permitted over 98,700 new multi-family/apartment units. The massive influx of housing ultimately adds up to an impressive national surge.

On the industrial end, the Texas Capital also took the No. 3 spot in the country for the most square feet of new industrial space construction. Nearly 25 million square feet of new office space was erected in the last decade, further solidifying the city's standing as a top destination for business.

Outshining Austin in the list of real estate growth is Houston(No. 1), with 55,600 single-family homes permitted between 2013 and 2022, and nearly 90,000 multi-family units. San Antonio (No. 2) also outranked Austin with 34,000 single-family units and 8,500 new multi-family units.

The real estate markets in Fort Worth and Dallas respectively round out the top five.

The cities that complete the top 10 include:

No. 6 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 7 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 8 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 9 – Denver, Colorado
No. 10 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The full report can be found on storagecafe.com.

Austinites can now rent pickleball and tennis courts around the city

PLAY BALL

Pickleball and tennis lovers are getting more access to underutilized courts in Austin. Swimply, an online provider that lets homeowners rent out their private pools by the hour, has now expanded their services to include sport courts.

"After disrupting the $15B private pool industry, other backyard spaces for rent was a logical next step," Swimply said in a press release. "Pickleball is a phenomenon and there aren't enough courts to meet demand ...Tennis, likewise, has historically been an exclusive leisure activity where people pay upwards of $100 an hour at private clubs for court time."

In addition to tennis and pickleball, basketball courts will also be listed for rent on the site, beginning at $25 an hour. There are nearly 200 total spaces listed in Austin, and over 300 courts available across their other popular markets in Houston, New York, and Los Angeles. Expansion is currently underway for their remaining markets around the nation by the end of the summer season.

Swimply founder and CEO Bunim Laskin said this new launch is a "game changer" for communities whose members want greater accessibility to recreational spaces.

"We're excited to offer this new opportunity for families and friends to have fun, exercise, and connect with each other in a safe, affordable, and convenient way," Laskin said. "Our mission has always been about democratizing access to exclusive spaces and creating positive social impact, and we believe that court rentals are a natural extension of that vision."

The service expansion also serves to improve access for those in low-income or marginalized communities, after a recent Trust for Public Land study said 100 million Americans can't access a park within a 10-minute walk from their homes.

Swimply is currently looking into expanding their recreational offerings to include backyards for events, music studios, and more.

7 things to know in Austin food right now: Pizza newcomer spreads wings for brunch, lunch, and happy hour

News You Can Eat

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of Austin’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our regular roundup of essential food news.

Although Dovetail Pizza has been capturing Austinites' hearts since opening in November of 2022, it's still getting on its feet. Things are looking quite established now that the pizzeria is also offering lunch with sandwich specials, and even a weekend brunch with pizza sauce Bloody Marys and beignoli. (Presumably that's something between a beignet and a cannoli.) Both lunch and brunch will be served from 11 am to 3 pm on weekdays and weekends, respectively. A happy hour from Sunday to Thursday, 3-5 pm, will offer discounts and a new meatball sandwich.

Speaking of service extensions, both the Ramen Tatsu-ya on East 6th Street and Domo Alley-Gato are serving ramen later at night — when you really need it, if you ask us. The full menu at each will now be available until 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, serving ramen later than any other Tatsu-ya location. The hospitality group has been focused on new locations for a while, so it's nice to see smaller changes coming to neighborhoods that have supported the restaurant for years.

Despite the low-brow beauty of some beer culture, it's still nice to enjoy some in a real fancy venue — say, The Driskill. The hotel's Beer Dinner Series is back on, introducing Austinites to new local beers alongside a five-course menu of pairings by Chef Alondra Martinez and Pastry Chef Kristen Groth. The first dinner of the returning series will be held on June 20, and will pair Thirsty Planet Brewery beers with grilled oysters, andouille sausage, quail, and more. The timing makes for a great Father's Day gift, if you're looking. Reserve ($80) on Tock.

Italian sandwich by Dovetail Pizza in Austin

Photo by Kati Luedecke

Dovetail pizza now offers brunch, lunch, a happy hour, and new menu items to tie it all together.

There will be plenty of opportunities to celebrate Pride Month in Austin throughout June, but a couple of coffee shop deals will make sure you have the energy to keep dancing. Abby Jane Bakeshop is using a brew by Sightseer Coffee, "Season of the Witch," to make espresso whoopie pies. Proceeds go to Out Youth for the organization's Transgender Wellness program. Another effort by Jo's Coffee has repackaged the house blend in limited-edition Pride Boxes that each drive a $2 donation to Equality Texas.

L'Oca d'Oro, the seasonal Italian restaurant in the Meuller neighborhood known for its progressive ideals as well as its delicious food, is wrapping up its recurring fundraising event, Pasta Paisanos, for the season. The monthly collabs have brought in great chefs from around Austin to drive donations to Lilith Fund, which provides funds and emotional supports to Texans seeking abortions. At the wrap-up event, in collaboration with alumni chefs Fermín Nunez and Angelo Emiliana, the restuarnat will also be celebrating its seventh anniversary and hopes to reach its $50,000 donation goal. Book at locadoroaustin.com.

Locals can always count on the Peached Tortilla for a menu with a theme. The restaurant, which is known for its extensive whiskey menu and "Asian comfort food with a Southern twist," actually already celebrates "Fried Chicken and Whiskey Wednesdays," which falls right on National Bourbon Day this year — the whiskey gods decreed it. Celebrate with umami fried chicken, mixed grilled corn with kimchi miso butter, kimchi mac and cheese, and "proper biscuits." The restaurant has 10 bourbons to choose from, and plenty more if the chicken sounds great but you're...not an observer of National Bourbon Day.

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