AUSTIN, Texas — The future of Blues on the Green is looking a little brighter.
In mid-January, the organizers of Blues on the Green – Austin's free, family- and pet-friendly summer concert series – said the event would not return this year. Officials with Austin City Limits Radio, which hosts Blues on the Green each year, cited rising costs as the reason behind the popular event's cancelation.
Then, earlier this month, a group of Austin City Council members sponsored a resolution asking city leaders to work with the organizers of Blues on the Green, in an effort to co-sponsor the event to keep it free and to use local vendors.
"We have a responsibility to assist our live music scene," Councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison (District 1) said. "Especially as they become more financially vulnerable, even with increasing engagement from our residents."
On Thursday, Feb. 15, the council passed the resolution to help support "open-to-the-public events and citywide traditions," including Blues on the Green. On Friday, Feb. 16, the event's organizers stated that Blues on the Green is now "back on," though details of how exactly it will proceed are limited.
"ACL Radio's Blues on the Green – presented by H-E-B is back on thanks to the Austin City Council's approval of Resolution 23 and H-E-B's increased financial support to keep this iconic tradition and important cultural event open to the public in Zilker Park as planned," Austin City Limits Radio posted online. "A special thanks to City Council member Natasha Harper-Madison, the co-sponsors for their work to make Resolution 23 a reality, and to the community who showed up to support the effort."
The radio station said it continues to speak with partners, sponsors and others as it plans to bring Blues on the Green back this year. Organizers said they will provide more information soon but thanked the community for their support in the meantime.
Blues on the Green dates back more than 30 years, going from shows at The Arboretum to Zilker Park, with Austin's booming skyline acting as the event's backdrop. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before returning in 2021. Last year's show only featured two nights of performances.