News Coverage:
- KXAN: Waterloo Park to open in August with new 5,000-seat downtown amphitheater
- CBS Austin: Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater to open in August
- Austin 360: Radically reconfigured Waterloo Park and its new Moody Amphitheater will open in August
- CultureMap Austin: Austin’s completely reimagined Waterloo Park and new amphitheater to open this summer
- Sightlines: Waterloo Park to open in August
- Austin American-Statesman: EXCLUSIVE: Get a first look at the completely reimagined Waterloo Park in downtown Austin
Opening Season to Restore Park’s Long Legacy of Cultural and Musical Roots
AUSTIN, TEXAS — May 3, 2021 — In partnership with the City of Austin, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy today announced that the highly-anticipated Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater will open to the public in August 2021.
This summer, Austinites will have a brand new 11-acre green space to connect with nature in a downtown setting, socialize with neighbors, explore the 1.5 miles of hike-and-bike trails, and immerse themselves in musical, cultural and performing arts experiences. The opening marks the completion of the first phase of Waterloo Greenway’s 35-acre connected urban park system, creating a new mobility corridor and a reactivated Waller Creek.
“Waterloo Park is one way the City and partners are supporting the collective expression of Austin’s diverse and creative spirit,” said Mayor Steve Adler. “The reopening of this space will provide the community reimagined play spaces, relaxing leisure areas, and build upon Austin’s offerings of some of the greatest outdoor live events in the nation. Waterloo Park will serve as a symbol of inclusivity and resilience through nature, history, community, culture and the arts.”
Following an inaugural community event featuring free family-friendly activities, Waterloo Greenway will launch its Opening Season with a series of free and low-cost community programming representing cultures from all over the world. Dates for opening weekend and concerts and events throughout the fall will be announced in coming months. More details may be found on WaterlooGreenway.org. For more information on the new Moody Amphitheater, visit MoodyAmphitheater.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram (@MoodyAmphitheater), and Twitter.
A small sampling of Opening Season events includes the following:
• September – November // Lebermann Plaza Concert Series: Monthly intimate performances where park goers can enjoy free live music at the 200-seat-capacity outdoor theater;
• October // Día de Los Muertos Festival: A Day of the Dead festival featuring free live performances and music, community altar where visitors are invited to place images of their departed loved ones, and hands-on art activities;
• October // Asleep at the Wheel Reunion: Featuring the Grammy-award winning band with Austin roots, Asleep at the Wheel will unite for a 50th Anniversary performance at Waterloo Park, featuring low-cost tickets;
• November // Creek Show 2021: Waterloo Greenway’s free seventh-annual light-based art installation show featuring local artists, taking place at Waterloo Park for the very first time;
• December // Holiday Cinema: Two-night cinema event featuring free holiday-themed family-friendly films with fun activities for all ages.
“The reopening of Waterloo Park represents a bridge between Austin’s past, present and future,” said Kathy Miller, Interim CEO of Waterloo Greenway. “We’re honoring the culture of the area, while building a place that is a vital part of what Austin will become. Visitors to the park will see historical details like the park’s original retaining walls in the Hill Country Gardens, scribed with hand-written notes that date back to the 1970s. The preservation of heritage live oak trees throughout the park is a nod to its history, and we look forward to launching new community programming to ensure all feel welcome in this inclusive and equitable space.”
Since 1978, Waterloo Park has been home to many authentically Austin experiences such as Spamarama, Pachanga, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Mess with Texas and the Ice Cream Festival. Its reopening illustrates a homecoming of sorts, as the newly revitalized Waterloo Park honors its neighborhood history and builds upon a legacy of offering a home to a variety of multicultural community events.
In addition to free and low-cost events at Waterloo Park, Waterloo Greenway’s partner C3 Presents and Live Nation will launch its concert series at Moody Amphitheater with announcements in the coming weeks. This partnership allows top local, national and international touring acts to fill the 5,000-seat outdoor amphitheater. Through a unique arrangement exclusive to Waterloo Park, Waterloo Greenway and Live Nation/C3 will offer 100 free tickets to every concert, made available through a lottery. Lottery sign-up details will be released later in the summer to ensure everyone in our community has access to experience shows at Moody Amphitheater year-round.
As Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater open, the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and partners will follow state and local COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.
ABOUT WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY
Waterloo Greenway Conservancy is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create and maintain an extraordinary urban park system and a restored Waller Creek, in partnership with the City of Austin, for the benefit of all. The Conservancy renews the natural environment, promotes play, health and wellness, economic vitality and mobility, and engages the community through outreach, education, cultural events, and the arts.
ABOUT AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) seeks to inspire our community to learn, play, protect and connect by creating diverse programs and experiences in sustainable natural spaces and public places. PARD protects and maintains parkland, urban forest, and trails as well as offering sports, recreation, educational enrichment, arts programs, cultural opportunities, and nature and aquatic activities for Austinites.
ABOUT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT
Watershed Protection protects lives, property and the environment of our community by reducing the impact of flood, erosion and water pollution. We have a multi-tiered approach including a wide variety of ongoing programs such as Grow Green and the Lady Bird Lake Cleanup Crew; construction projects such as stormwater ponds and streambank restorations; and regulations to help prevent future problems. We are mostly funded by the drainage charge on utility bills.
ABOUT AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS
The Austin Center for Events is a collaborative assembly of City of Austin departments and agencies designed to streamline special event permitting on public and private property. ACE is anchored by teams from Austin Public Health, Transportation, Parks, Music, Police, Fire, EMS, Code, Austin Resource Recovery, Development Services, and partner agencies, and works closely with event organizers and venues to guide them through the special event permitting process.