Sixth Street - Autstin, Texas
The city of Austin is proud of a great many things, being the State Capital of Texas, University of Texas football, and being ranked by golf.com as America’s #1 city for golf. All of this, however, pales in comparison to Austin’s stature as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Nowhere in the city of Austin is this moniker more apparent than its famous Sixth Street.
If Austin is the ultimate Texas city, then Sixth Street is the ultimate Texas neighborhood. Home to endless amounts of entertainment, food, and history, Sixth Street boasts that its blocks are the heart of Austin’s entertainment life. On Thursday through Saturday evenings, holidays, and days of special events, traffic is usually blocked on Sixth Street and most crossroads in the district to allow crowds to walk as they please.
Sixth Street is a must-visit evening activity for anyone who comes to Austin. The district, placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, is lined with storied old buildings which are now home to numerous bars, clubs, live entertainment spots, art galleries, cafes, more upscale restaurants, and even a few tattoo parlors.
Music
Virtually every genre, type, and sound of music can be found on Sixth Street. Jazz, blues, country, rock, hip-hop, beat, progressive, metal, and punk are all represented on Sixth Street. Some of the most popular musicians to have played on Sixth Street recently are Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and the band Switchfoot.
Food
Austin’s number one love may be music, but food is not far behind. Sixth Street is a virtual buffet of flavors. Chili, ribs, tex-mex, steak, seafood, Cajun, and delis are all to be found in abundance.
Places to Stay
The Luxurious Driskill Hotel has been a Sixth Street staple since it was built in 1886. The historic hotel has been restored to its original majesty, and the Driskill’s magnificent columned lobby is amazing with its marbled floors and a stained-glass dome. The Driskill is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and it is a safe bet that an evening at this Austin landmark will be unforgettable. http://www.driskillhotel.com/
Aside from its everyday popularity, Sixth Street is also home to some of the most popular festivals and events of Texas throughout the year.
Popular Sixth Street Events
The South by Southwest (SXSW) festival is actually several festivals in one. Three different components (music, film, and media) interact to make up this huge entertainment event. SXSW began in 1987 as the Austin Battle of the Bands. Today SXSW is one of the largest music festivals in the United States, boasting over 1,400 performers over four days. Check it out at http://sxsw.com/.
Every year the weekend after Memorial Day The Republic of Texas Biker Rally comes to Sixth Street. This event lasts an entire weekend and is for motorcycles riders of all ages. Learn more at http://www.rotrally.com/.
The Pecan Street Festival is a family-oriented event featuring food, music, entertainment, and hundreds of arts and crafts exhibitors. Each year it is visited by approximately 300,000 plus visitors. Get more information at http://www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com/.
The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival began in the early 1990s as a neighborly contest between Austin and San Antonio. Since that time the Hot Sauce Festival has grown to be one of the largest annual contests in the world. Over 15,000 people come for free to one of the hottest events on the Sixth Street calendar every year. Most years the contest draws more than 300 entries.
Along with all of the music and food the Austin Fine Arts Festival transforms Sixth Street into an amazing rainbow of creativity and art. The festival is attended by over two hundred of the nation’s best visual arts. The participating artists are selected by a highly competitive jury process, and it is because of this process that attendees are treated to unique and original artwork of various forms and fashions. Much of the artwork is available for purchase in many different price ranges.
Austin, Texas
If Austin is the ultimate Texas city, then Sixth Street is the ultimate Texas neighborhood. Home to endless amounts of entertainment, food, and history, Sixth Street boasts that its blocks are the heart of Austin’s entertainment life. On Thursday through Saturday evenings, holidays, and days of special events, traffic is usually blocked on Sixth Street and most crossroads in the district to allow crowds to walk as they please.
Sixth Street is a must-visit evening activity for anyone who comes to Austin. The district, placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, is lined with storied old buildings which are now home to numerous bars, clubs, live entertainment spots, art galleries, cafes, more upscale restaurants, and even a few tattoo parlors.
Music
Virtually every genre, type, and sound of music can be found on Sixth Street. Jazz, blues, country, rock, hip-hop, beat, progressive, metal, and punk are all represented on Sixth Street. Some of the most popular musicians to have played on Sixth Street recently are Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and the band Switchfoot.
Food
Austin’s number one love may be music, but food is not far behind. Sixth Street is a virtual buffet of flavors. Chili, ribs, tex-mex, steak, seafood, Cajun, and delis are all to be found in abundance.
Places to Stay
The Luxurious Driskill Hotel has been a Sixth Street staple since it was built in 1886. The historic hotel has been restored to its original majesty, and the Driskill’s magnificent columned lobby is amazing with its marbled floors and a stained-glass dome. The Driskill is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and it is a safe bet that an evening at this Austin landmark will be unforgettable. http://www.driskillhotel.com/
Aside from its everyday popularity, Sixth Street is also home to some of the most popular festivals and events of Texas throughout the year.
Popular Sixth Street Events
The South by Southwest (SXSW) festival is actually several festivals in one. Three different components (music, film, and media) interact to make up this huge entertainment event. SXSW began in 1987 as the Austin Battle of the Bands. Today SXSW is one of the largest music festivals in the United States, boasting over 1,400 performers over four days. Check it out at http://sxsw.com/.
Every year the weekend after Memorial Day The Republic of Texas Biker Rally comes to Sixth Street. This event lasts an entire weekend and is for motorcycles riders of all ages. Learn more at http://www.rotrally.com/.
The Pecan Street Festival is a family-oriented event featuring food, music, entertainment, and hundreds of arts and crafts exhibitors. Each year it is visited by approximately 300,000 plus visitors. Get more information at http://www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com/.
The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival began in the early 1990s as a neighborly contest between Austin and San Antonio. Since that time the Hot Sauce Festival has grown to be one of the largest annual contests in the world. Over 15,000 people come for free to one of the hottest events on the Sixth Street calendar every year. Most years the contest draws more than 300 entries.
Along with all of the music and food the Austin Fine Arts Festival transforms Sixth Street into an amazing rainbow of creativity and art. The festival is attended by over two hundred of the nation’s best visual arts. The participating artists are selected by a highly competitive jury process, and it is because of this process that attendees are treated to unique and original artwork of various forms and fashions. Much of the artwork is available for purchase in many different price ranges.
Austin, Texas
