Halloween, festivals: 11 events to check out in the Lake Travis-Westlake area
Halloween celebrations, festivals and performances are in store for Lake Travis-Westlake area residents in September and October.
Common Ground Art Fest Hosted by artist-run nonprofit Contracommon, the full-day event will celebrate local artists with over 35 creative vendors, four live music acts and hands-on activities for all ages on the Hill Country Galleria’s Central Plaza. The festival was previously called the Summer Arts Festival.
Sept. 27, noon-6 p.m.
Free (admission)
12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave
Oktoberfest at Hill Country Galleria The event will feature a festive food menu, imported beers and local lagers, live music, face painting, yard games, a costume contest and more. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to watch live music on the Central Plaza lawn.
Oct. 18, 2-6 p.m.
Free (admission)
12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave
Riverfest @ Riverbend The all-ages event features a trunk-or-treat, games and a haunted house alongside food trucks, a pumpkin patch and a photo booth.
Rollingwood passes budget, tax rate for FY 2025-26
The city of Rollingwood has passed its budget and decreased tax rate of $0.202039 for fiscal year 2025-26.
The overview: On Sept. 17, the city adopted the voter approval tax rate of $0.202039, which is a 1.8% decrease from last year’s rate of $0.2058.
The details: The average home’s taxable value in Rollingwood is $2.42 million, according to city documents, meaning that the average tax on a home with the adopted tax rate would be $5,014.22. This marks a $476.87 increase from FY 2024-25.
In terms of expenditures, the largest sum went to the police department, a total of $2.87 million. This was a 30.8% increase from FY 2024-25.
What they're saying: “This is the work that this council and our staff [have] been undertaking for the last several months,” Mayor Gavin Massingill said at the Sept. 17 meeting. “I think we have brought to council a very responsible budget, [and] I think council has fine-tuned that budget in a very responsible manner and we’ve got a really nice budget document in front of us.”
Austin-based Harbor Health grows Texas footprint with VillageMD acquisition
Harbor Health is expanding its presence in the Austin area, following acquisition of 10 Austin-area Village Medical clinics.
What happened: In a Sept. 18 news release, Harbor Health announced that through an acquisition of 32 total clinics from VillageMD, growing its local presence and entering the Dallas, El Paso and San Antonio markets.
Austin Community College District expands student housing support with collaboration
Austin Community College District has introduced a new partnership with Housing Connector, a nonprofit organization focused on removing barriers to housing.
The impact: A recent survey conducted by the college found that 55% of students indicated they are housing-insecure, and 57% stated they would have difficulty finding $500 cash or credit in an emergency.
“Stable housing is essential to our students' success,” ACC Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart said. “Our mission is simple: help every student succeed. This partnership is about meeting students where they are, removing barriers and making sure they have the stability and support to keep moving toward their goals.”
The partnership will connect students with local property owners who are willing to offer accessible and affordable housing options.
The context: Housing Connecter has a partnership with the city of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office, which provides funding to expand housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
