On Sep. 6, Austin hosted the iconic annual Bat Fest, a festival organized in honor of the 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats that inhabit underneath the Congress Avenue Bridge, the event’s venue. This year’s festival, sponsored by Thomas J. Henry Law, welcomed performers and local businesses that entertained the nearly 100,000 attendees.
All the activities took place while waiting for the appearance of the Mexican free-tailed bats, the protagonists of the festival. This species was named Texas’ official flying mammal in 1995 by the State’s Legislature. The main reason behind this claim is due to the fact that Texas holds the biggest colonies of the bats, which have been found in cities like San Antonio, Houston and the capital, which holds the record of the largest colony living underneath the bridge. From summertime to early September is when the cup bats learn how to fly, which leads to the nightly spectacle of their flight that inspired French Smith to create Bat Fest back in 2006.
Despite the rainy weather, the School of Rock Austin kicked off the event at the north stage, located on the tip of the Congress Bridge, which also included the south stage on the opposite corner, which served as a kid’s zone destined for the little ones and their families and a costume contest for those who love to dress up. Through the festival’s eight-hour window, visitors from all over the city and tourists enjoyed the performances of the 13 bands and artists, split between the two stages, as well as activities like bouncing castles and face paint, all while appreciating the views of Lady Bird Lake.
Throughout the bridge, over 25 business owners displayed their stands, which varied from hand-made accessories, paintings, leather crafts, works of art and all kinds of food and drinks from the most cherished local businesses around the city. Some of the most distinguished vendors include BeeBee (local crochet artist), To The Moon (repurposing old T-shirts though tie-dye and cropping), and Pipe Punk Works (handcrafted leather goods). There was also a wide variety of food stalls and beverage options, including Amy’s Ice Cream, Lupe Tortilla, Yoyo Bubble Tea and Cha Chi’s.
For vendors, the event was seen as an opportunity to publicize their businesses as well as grow their customer base. Despite the gloomy weather at the beginning of the day, vendors felt they still made the best of events to make sales and get their name out there.
“It seemed to work out for me, and I found a couple of good clients that I can personally shop for,” To The Moon owner Caitlan Lockridge said.
Each year, thousands of tourists and locals attend the festival. When asked about their experiences, most of them made high remarks of the event and overall expressed how entertaining the activities were.
“I love that it feels very Austin and being in Austin for a long time, it’s kind of hard to find those things these days,” attendee Hannah Celing said. “I think this falls in line with old Austin and how it used to feel before it got all gentrified.”
The positive outcome, vibes and various forms of entertainment made Bat Fest 2025 a day to remember. From vendors and artists to attendees and staff, all factors contributed to the success of this memorable festival. The event’s success led to a consensual wish for most attendees to repeat this experience the following year.
