Festivals, comedy shows, theater productions and more are scheduled for the Lake Travis - Westlake area. Mark your calendar for these 11 events.

Hill Country Serenade: Local guitarist Scott Krippel will perform at the Lake Travis Community Library in Lakeway. Scott is a classically-trained musician that performs solo as Hill Country Serenade when he’s not performing with his full band, Buzz & the Blue Cats.

• July 17, 1-3 p.m.

Eat the Film: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”: As part of Hotel Viata’s ongoing film series, the hotel will provide a dining experience featuring flavors inspired by scenes from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The event will feature chocolate-inspired sweets and colorful confections for guests of all ages to enjoy as they watch the movie.

• Aug. 14, 7:30-10 p.m.

Blind and low vision travelers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport now have access to Aira Explorer, a free app that provides on-demand visual interpreting assistance throughout the travel process at AUS. 

How it works: The app connects travelers with a professionally trained visual interpreter and utilizes the traveler's smartphone camera and microphone to provide real-time assistance for a variety of travel-related tasks. Interpreters can: 

• Describe surroundings
• Read signs and information displays
• Help with navigation throughout the airport, including curbside drop-off locations, airline check-in counters, security checkpoints, and gates
• Locate amenities such as dining options, shops, bathrooms and pet relief areas

Nonprofit Emancipet is adding Saturday service to its free mobile veterinary clinic through September, offering free spay/neuter surgeries, rabies vaccines and microchips at rotating Austin locations for Travis County residents.

The nonprofit operates 10 onsite clinics nationwide, four in Travis County, and a mobile clinic that operates according to a posted online schedule. The mobile clinic also offers low-cost wellness services with the office visit fee waived on free days.

What it means: CEO Cheryl Katon said the extra day could allow roughly 2,000 more spay/neuter procedures over the three-month span.

Affordable veterinary care helps reduce shelter intake in two ways: it allows owners facing cost barriers to keep their pets, and it lowers the lifetime cost of pet ownership from an estimated $8,000 to $25,000 at market rate down to $2,000 to $3,000 through Emancipet, Katon said.

What’s next: Whether the third clinic day continues beyond September depends on the city's budget, Katon said, deferring further detail to city officials.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects

New Braunfels EDC invests $405K in pedestrian improvements: The NBEDC is funding the final design of Phase 2 of pedestrian improvements along five roadways. If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2028.

Ongoing projects

Legacy Ranch Drive expansion
Project: Crews are working to expand approximately 0.6 miles from Seward Junction North Loop in Liberty Hill to a CR 258 extension east of US 183, including new signals, pavement improvements, and turn lanes serving a future LISD site. 
Update: Contractors broke ground March 6.

• Timeline: completion expected this summer

• Cost: $1.4 million

• Funding source: Williamson County 2023 road bond