On May 7th, C3 Presents announced that the 2024 Austin City Limits Music Festival generated $8.4 million dollars for Austin’s parks.
C3 Presents COO, Emmett Beliveau, and Austin Parks Foundation CEO, Colin Wallis, were joined by Austin’s Mayor, Kirk Watson, PARD Director, Jesús Aguirre and council members from District 1, Sharon Mays (Chief of Staff for Natasha Harper-Madison); District 5, Ryan Alter; and District 8, Paige Ellis for the check presentation at Rosewood Neighborhood Park.
Celebrating a 20-Year Partnership Benefitting Austin’s Parks
In 2025, Austin Parks Foundation and C3 Presents are happy to be celebrating their 20 year partnership! Over those two decades, ACL Music Festival has generated more than $71 million dollars for Austin’s parks. APF receives a portion of the ticket sales from each year’s event: that means that every person who attends ACL Fest is making a difference for Austin’s parks. The contribution from the 2024 festival was the largest yet at $8.4 million!
One year ago, APF received $8.1M from ACL Fest’s 2023 proceeds. Here’s how that money was spent:
- $4.1M in city-wide park projects: Park projects require community input, extensive permitting and planning, so some of the projects identified by APF will take years to complete–like the All Abilities playground. These designated funds are earmarked for specific projects (Grand Meadow, Rosewood Neighborhood Park and Jamestown Neighborhood Park, to name a few), and while the money may not be spent this year, it will be held for those projects until it can be used.
- $2.5M was spent to support the infrastructure that makes these park projects happen. These funds also support APF’s mission of improving parks and green spaces through volunteerism, programming and advocacy, such as:
- Our robust volunteer program, including It’s My Park Day, our bi-annual community volunteer event that saved the city $639,462 in labor costs in 2024.
- Free family-friendly park programs, like our “In the Park” series, which hosted nearly 3,250 adults and children in 2024.
- Grant funding for community-initiated projects.
- Our Adopt-a-Park program, which currently includes 73 adopted parks.
- Advocacy efforts: In 2024, APF successfully advocated for 16 NEW full-time positions for Parks Maintenance, 4 full-time positions for Parks Maintenance specific to the Homeless Encampment Response Team and the creation of a land acquisition fund.
- $1.5M went directly to PARD to use for park projects at its discretion.
A few notable projects from last year include:
Brownie Neighborhood Park
This park opened to the public in February 2025. The final design plan included a picnic pavilion, irrigation system expansion, a loop walking trail, solar security lighting, benches, picnic tables, a new playground, a new drinking fountain, a basketball court and a vehicular turnaround with ADA parking spaces.
Deep Eddy Pool Improvements
APF helped fund new lighting around the pool and nearby playground. This lighting allows pool users and staff better visibility throughout the facility. In addition to the updated lighting, APF contributed more than $150,000 to repair the bulkhead, pool walls and divider.