Austin, the capital of Texas, was officially chartered in 1839 and became the state capital in 1845. Named after Stephen F. Austin, the city has continued to grow, and despite being the fourth-most populous city in the Lone Star State (behind Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas), Austin is close to breaking into the top 10, sitting at #11, just shy of one million people.
Of course, some people might argue that there are one million people on I-35 at any given stretch. That’s a conversation for another time of day.
As the city has grown, it’s picked up some fun descriptors. Here are some of the cute nicknames for Austin.
The Live Music Capital of the World
The Austin Convention and Visitors Council came up with the Live Music Capital of the World as part of an ad campaign for the city in the mid-1980s. The city sported more than 100 music venues back then. Today, over 250 spots welcome live music. My band Burning Years has played some of them, like Stubb’s, Mohawk, Come and Take it Live, and Sunny’s Backyard. And they are all DELIGHTFUL.
Of course, Austin is also well-known for massive festivals like SXSW and Austin City Limits (ACL). Touring acts come from all over the country and sometimes the world to play at these shows. You can almost always make a pal when you’re hanging out in between sets, and you’ll get to see some really cool shows along the way.
Bat City
One of the big tourist attractions of visiting Austin is heading to the Congress Bridge to watch the bats flutter out as night sets in. Your mileage may vary on the actual enjoyment you get from this event. Sometimes the bats don’t really congregate. Or they do, but they’re difficult to see. When it all works out, though, it’s great.
There are approximately 1.5 million bats in Austin, making it the largest urban bat colony in the world. While you may not think bats themselves are cute, the “Bat City” moniker fits among the cute nicknames for Austin. We’ve never seen Batman around these parts, though the nickname creeps into haunted houses, like the Bat City Scaregrounds.
City of the Violet Crown
O. Henry, the author with his own museum downtown, as well as the “host” of the O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships, recorded the first published work referring to Austin as the “City of the Violet Crown” in his short story, “Tictocq.” Please don’t confuse his story with the social media platform of the similar name. “Tictocq” was first published in his locally published newspaper The Rolling Stone (again, not to be confused with the music magazine Rolling Stone) on October 27, 1894.
Here’s the full passage with the entry: “The drawing-rooms of one of the most magnificent private residences in Austin are a blaze of lights. Carriages line the streets in front, and from gate to doorway is spread a velvet carpet, on which the delicate feet of the guests may tread. The occasion is the entrée into society of one of the fairest buds in the City of the Violet Crown.”
But the name might date a few years earlier, with other references in 1888 and 1891. Austin launched its Violet Crown Garden Club in 1924, and both The Violet Crown and The Violet Crown Cinema are worth checking out.
River City
I like this one because so many cities use “River City” as a nickname. The first utterance of it came from The Music Man in 1957, which was about Mason City, Iowa. Over the years, various Austin establishments have also adopted the name, with the River City Inn being among the first (if not the first) in 1973.
River City has never officially been used in Austin tourism materials. However, you still may find some remnants around town. Additionally, you can head south to San Antonio and see another River City. The River Walk is a sterling example of the name.
Blueberry in Tomato Soup
Former Texas governor Rick Perry coined this phrase in 2014. He was at SXSW and was being soundly booed after he was charged with two felonies. He referred to Austin as the “blueberry in tomato soup,” a foodie metaphor for Austin being a liberal city in a largely conservative state. It was a misinformed barb since Travis County wasn’t prosecuting him, but it’s still a bit of fun.
Personally, I’m only consuming tomato soup if I also have a grilled cheese to dip in it. Cheese pairs well with blueberries, so I’d be pretty non-plussed to find a rogue blueberry in my soup. I’d just pop it in my mouth and go on with my day.
The City of Legends
This is a new addition to the cute nicknames for Austin, and we have the Austin FC soccer team to thank.
In a matchup with Los Angeles FC, the team promoted itself as The City of Legends, going up against the visitors, The City of Angels. This name has not stuck like some of the others, probably because it’s harder to incorporate “The City of Legends” into a business name, but you still might hear it thrown around now and ago.
What do you think? Do you have a favorite of these Austin nicknames? Do you think the city should be called something else? Or are you just happy it’s not 110 degrees every day in the summer?