Austin Aqua Festival
austin aqua festival usually called aqua fest tenday festival held first week august shore town lake lady bird lake austin texas austin aqua festival created promote austin texas highland lake top vacation area boost local economy normally slow period first aqua fest occurred aug art linkletter headliner event festival offered many water related event mile canoe race fishing contest sailing regatta illuminated night time parade lake many land based event also including miss austin aqua beauty contest twilight land parade daytime military parade rodeo golf tournament concert dance firework patron fest could purchase book discount ticket get various venue ticket called skipper script next year script gave way skipper pin purchased pinned goer clothing letting worker know wearer eligible discount ticket central location many event festival beach small park town lake cityowned power plant residential neighborhood city originally created town lake cooling pond power plant festival added one popular controversial event drag boat racing town lake also added water skiing championship kite flying championship austin grand prix sport car racing city street aqua fest started world premiere batman adam west actor movie attendance also saw start battle band unknown rock roll band judged award recognition battle band would become festival top draw united state air force air demonstration squadron thunderbird first performed fest year estimated crowd watched night lighted water parade renamed rio noche parade crowd starting overwhelm festival beach causing traffic congestion parking problem security concern resident plus noise event especially drag boat however mostly hispanic community little political clout get anything changed theme night began various night festival would highlight different culture texas first year western german czech jazz rhythm blue night throughout year theme night varied new one tried unpopular one repeated included mexican black heritage italian american international night toward end festival life theme night settled multiple night western mexican theme also bergstrom air force base southeast edge austin began open house conjunction aqua fest titled aerofest addition thunderbird performing gathering showed many military airplane hardware crowd favorite c galaxy visitor would walk get main display area aerofest instant success two year drawing people base aerofest ceased base closed new decade saw aqua fests continued growth addition new event photography contest motocross pet parade growth event brought confrontation neighborhood surrounding festival beach complaint gone unheeded people finally took street protest antifest coalition led paul hernandez group calling brown beret protester arrested turn sued city austin aqua fest end decade drag boat race gone town lake pressure find new location hold aqua fest event due continued protest growing crowd aqua fest moved festival beach auditorium shore larger park along town lake mile west festival beach larger area meant festival could multiple stage entertainment festival organizer signed corporate sponsor local radio station cosponsor entertainment began booking national act city austin subsidized aqua fest early year believed fest selfsufficient withdrew financial support city began charging festival use auditorium shore attendance aqua fest peaked criticism came festival lack parking excessive noise alcohol abuse issue time rebuke resident bouldin creek neighborhood south auditorium shore opponent festival able force nonbinding referendum move aqua fest lake walter e long far east austin measure passed promised corporate support build new facility went away texas entered oil bust middle decade aqua fest stayed auditorium shore multiple stage entertainment aqua fest changed civic event live music event organizer began book bigger bigger act even paying premium get popular act dolly parton drove ticket price attendance festival drew people result lost festival organization exhausted cash reserve asked largest creditor city austin permission pay debt annual installment aqua fest returned root local act volunteer staff brought back popular theme night also tried drag boat race time lake walter e long race drew little interest little late austin aqua festival folded research article gathered clipping artifact austin history center collection ramon galindo collection aqua fest texas archive moving image wallace euna pryor collection aqua fest interview performance willie nelson – interview performance willie nelson austin aqua festival