Festival

Getting there

Festival Beach at Lady Bird Lake – 1626 Nash Hernandez Senior Rd, Austin, TX 78702

Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 10 AM to 4 PM

**Due to I-35 Capital Express Central construction, road access near Festival Beach is limited. We strongly encourage carpooling or taking public transportation to the festival.**

Ride the Rail for Free

Thanks to our partners at CapMetro, we’re offering free 1-day MetroRail passes for festival attendees. The Red Line runs from Leander and Cedar Park all the way to Plaza Saltillo Station in East Austin, just one mile from Festival Beach.

How to claim your free ride:

  1. Download the UMO App (iOS or Android)
  2. Create an account
  3. Tap the menu (☰)
  4. Select “Redeem Code”
  5. Enter code: CM-V6HR-LG9W

Passes are redeemable April 24-25 and valid for 24 hours after first use. Limited supply available.

Last Mile: Plaza Saltillo to Festival Beach

Once you arrive at Plaza Saltillo Station, you have two easy options to reach Festival Beach:

CapMetro Bikeshare

Connecting to the Austin Dragon Boat Festival is easy with CapMetro. After taking the Red Line to Plaza Saltillo Station, hop on CapMetro Bikeshare for the short trip down to Festival Beach at Lady Bird Lake. There are two Bikeshare stations close to Festival Beach:

  • E. 2nd/Pedernales
  • Nash Hernandez/East @ RBJ South

Simply download the Bikeshare app, create an account, and purchase your fare. You can also view the system map and bike availability through the app. Every bike in the system is electric assist, making your trip a breeze.

For more information, visit CapMetro.org/bikeshare.

Pedicab Adventures

Look for the ADBF-branded pedicabs at Plaza Saltillo Station. Our partners at Pedicab Adventures are offering discounted rides to Festival Beach for Dragon Boat Festival attendees. Rides are $5 to $10 per person depending on group size.

Visit pedicabadventures.com for more information.

Driving and Parking

Free street parking is available near Festival Beach. Please note that parking is limited and we strongly encourage using transit. Festival Beach is located along Lady Bird Lake in East Austin.

Road Closure Notice!

Due to I-35 Capital Express Central construction, several roads near Festival Beach on the north shore of Lady Bird Lake are closed:

  • Flores Street at I-35
  • Waller Street between Flores Street and Nash Hernandez Senior Road
  • Nash Hernandez Senior Road at I-35
  • East Avenue under I-35
  • Parking lot under I-35 closed for construction and equipment staging

The best route to the festival area east of I-35 is Holly Street to Comal Street. Free street parking is available near Festival Beach, but spaces are limited. We encourage carpooling whenever possible.

For more information about I-35 construction and road closures, visit my35capex.com.

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