The Pecan Street Festival is back for its 50th biannual event on Sept. 12 and 13 at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave.

The event: The Pecan Street Festival is a free two-day art festival showcasing a variety of local vendors and over 300 artists.

Beyond the assortment of local vendors, the festival features live music, food and activities for kids and adults. Guests will find carnival rides, art workshops, interactive pop-ups, street magicians, face painting and more.

The details:

• Admission: Free

• When: Sept. 12, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sept. 13, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Travis County commissioners moved forward an estimated $2.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 on Sept. 10, boosting funding for public defense, housing and diversion programs while voting to consolidate the county's Axon Enterprise contracts under one department.

By the numbers: Indigent defense funding rose across multiple lines, including a doubled $3 million reserve earmark for outside counsel and $1.5 million added directly to the Public Defender's Office for attorney pay.

The budget also sets a new county living wage of $23.71 an hour. Commissioners also voted to consolidate the county's Axon Enterprise contracts into a single $6,832,000 technology department budget.

What officials are saying: The county's technology executive, Maurice McCreary Jr., defended the Axon contract as essential to transparency and evidence-sharing with defense attorneys. Commissioner Brigid Shea backed continued investment in body and vehicle cameras.

Advocates with the Coalition for Budget Accountability had rallied outside the markup, arguing new Axon spending should be matched with public defense funding instead.

Commissioners are scheduled to take a final budget vote Sept. 29.

This November, four candidates are running to lead the Texas Comptroller's Office and serve as the state's chief financial officer.

The overview: Libertarian V. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza, Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, Green Party candidate Shehla Faizi and Republican Don Huffines are running for comptroller. Huffines, whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to the office in July, is considered the incumbent in this race.

How it works: The comptroller oversees government spending and administers the state's $1 billion education savings account program, which launched ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

Check out some trending stories from the Austin area Sept. 7-10.

1. Pflugerville's Springhill Restaurant to close in October

2. $82M Hwy. 79 widening prepares for next step in Round Rock

3. Scheels, sandwiches and soccer: 13 Cedar Park-area business updates to know this September

4. Snarf's Sandwiches planned for Georgetown

5. Sandy’s Southern Spice closes in Bastrop after owner’s death

6. Austin reports on new homeless encampment management program's early results