The Pecan Street Festival is the longest running and the largest arts, crafts and music festival held in the historic Sixth Street District, downtown Austin. This two-day festival is a bi-annual event that takes place in May and then in September, every year. Started as a community event to preserve the local culture and creativity, the Pecan Festival is being held for more than three decades and has now become an integral part of Austin’s tradition. The festival is being organized for more than a decade by Special Events Live.
The Pecan Street Festival is a conglomeration of hundreds of local, national and international craftspersons and artisans, from various parts of the country and the world, who come here to showcase hand-crafted articles made of different materials such as wood, fiber, metal, leather, clay, stone, glass and also from recycled materials of all kinds.
Origin of the Name: “Pecan Street Festival”
The Austin street grids were designed by Edwin Waller and the north-south streets were given names of Texas rivers, while the east-west streets were named after trees. Later, these streets underwent a change, where they were given numeric names. Although Pecan Street came to be known as the Sixth Street, the Pecan Street Festival upholds the original name of the street.
Festival Location
Held at the heart of Austin’s live entertainment and business district, the Pecan Street Festival is usually held on Sixth Street, originally known as Pecan Street. The street has many commercial buildings and historical houses that date back to the 1800s and 1900s. In fact, the area finds a place in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sixth Street is indeed Austin’s entertainment center and holds some of the greatest events like the SXSW, Pecan Street Festival, the Sixth Street’s well-known Halloween celebrations and The Republic of Texas Biker Rally.
Things to Do on Sixth Street
The old buildings of the Sixth Street now contain most of the area’s art galleries, live entertainment venues, tattoo parlors, cafes, art galleries, restaurants and retailers. Here you can get a fill of your favorite genre of live music, be it blues, jazz, hip hop, progressive, country, rock, metal or punk, there is something for everyone. Once you have indulged in some retail therapy and filled your senses with music, you can give into your cravings and indulge in a variety of foods and cuisines, ranging from regional dishes like ribs, chili and Tex-Mex or other delicacies such as seafood, steak, deli or Cajun cuisine.
Activities You Can Enjoy at the Pecan Street Festival
Music
There are three stages set on the Neches, Trinity and Red River streets that feature more than 50 musical acts by Austin’s renowned and veteran bands, musical artists and upcoming bands.
Food
Enjoy food from more than 30 stalls that are spread throughout the festival venue that feature delicious local, regional and national cuisines. Treat yourself to a variety of beverages to keep you fresh and hydrated, while indulging in some yummy sweets and desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings.
Activities for Kids
The Pecan Street Festival has plenty of activities to keep tiny tots and kids engaged and happy. There are many activities that kids can participate in – face painting, street magic, classic carnival, dance performances, interactive workshops, rides and a petting zoo among others.
In the past, the Pecan Street Festival has attracted more than 200,000 visitors and this has helped in generating quite a bit of income for the place. The festival has witnessed several famous and new performers, and in the past, there have been attractions such as The LEGO Experience Tour, where visitors could take part in exciting building-block fun or the “Face the Day” Tour by Wahl, where men could get grooming tips from experts and also free trims.
Doing Their Bit for the Austin Arts and Crafts Community
The Pecan Street Festival was started as a means of preserving Sixth Street as a landmark. The proceeds from the Pecan Street Festival are used to support the Austin community for many projects and the continuing restoration and beautification of the buildings on Sixth Street. The Pecan Street Association also makes donations to municipal-aided organizations and many local Austin non-profit groups, thereby doing their bit for the community. Many local Austin dumpster rental companies like Centex Dumpster Rentals, donate services to keep Austin beautiful.
People flock to the Pecan Street Festival from far and wide. While some are art lovers who come here to appreciate and buy art that is displayed by various artists, others come here to enjoy the music and food, while some others just come to the Pecan Festival to soak in the atmosphere and have fun. All in all, the Pecan Street Festival is a wonderful way to spend a weekend!
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