Every morning, we send you a free email packed with Austin news, business, and entertainment. Join 16,000+ readers who wake up to Austonia's newsletter.
Featured
austonia newsletter
Most viewed
You and your pup can enjoy a special happy hour at Austin Eastciders for International Dog Day. (Austin Eastciders)
If you've got a pup, you're in luck! This Thursday is International Dog Day, and Austin is the perfect city to be in to celebrate this special day.
Here are some businesses in Austin worth checking out with your furry friend on Thursday.
Hopsquad Brewing Co., 2307 Kramer Lane
This year, Hopsquad is going all out for International Dog Day! They've teamed up with Three Dogs One Bar to create the Good Boy Golden Ale, which is brewed with natural blueberry dog biscuits from Tomlinson's Feed. Pups will also have the chance to munch on some fresh treats made with spent grain. With each beer purchased, $1 will go toward supporting Divine Canines' work. Other featured events: a raffle for some goodies, local and dog-themed vendors, a pup portraits photo booth, and a dog-friendly space within the taproom and on the patio.
Austin Eastciders Barton Springs, 1530 Barton Springs Road
Get ready for a paw-some happy hour at Austin Eastciders! From 6-8 p.m., Austin Pets Alive! will provide a mobile adoption center, Paws on Chicon treats and doggie froyo. There will be a raffle with prizes including dog food and gift cards for Drooly and Barkin' Creek, and a local dog photographer will offer a photo booth for dogs and their owners. For every pint sold during this event, $1 will go toward APA.
Irene’s, 506 West Ave.
This Thursday, Irene's is hosting their Yappy Hour from 4-6 p.m. They are partnering with Austin Pets Alive! and providing on-site adoption (you could take home your new best friend that same day). Tito's drink specials will also be offered, with $1 from each cocktail going toward APA. There will also be a donation-based raffle with prizes that include dog-related swag and portraits as well as an Irene's gift card. Key free stuff: a dog photo booth, treats and food.
Z’Tejas, 1110 West 6th St.
Want to give back to the dog community? On Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Z'Tejas will be offering custom dog bandanas to purchase at the bar, which will help raise funds for the Austin Humane Society. For each bandana purchased, 10% will go back to AHS.
Hearth & Soul, 2727 Exposition Blvd.
Think your dog is the cutest of them all? Come get your pup photographed and have them entered into the Dog Day photo contest on Instagram for a chance to win a grand prize bundle that's valued at over $200. To RSVP, you can call or message the store and reserve your spot.
Dogtopia of Austin, 2105 Ranch Road 620 South Suite 101
It's a great day to be a dog at Dogtopia, an open area doggy daycare, spa and boarding facility in Lakeway. All-day on Aug. 26, Dogtopia will offer frozen treats at lunch with a $3 donation.
Flat Creek Disc Golf Destination, 24912 Singleton Bend East Road (in Marble Falls)
Do you love the outdoors? Do you love discs? Do you love dogs? If you said yes to all of these, this is the perfect way to celebrate International Dog Day. From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Flat Creek Estates will be hosting Dogs & Discs, offering free disc golf day passes, giving you a chance to explore the 18-hole course and 80-acre estate with your pup. You can either bring your own disc or rent one for $5 each. If you want some booze, you get $10 off either the Wine & Disc or Dine & Disc experience if you reserve by Wednesday, Aug. 25, using the promo code DOGS.
Read more on dog-friendly places in Austin:
Popular
Over a year after its first loss, Austin FC was all smiles as it beat LAFC to take home the top MLS West spot Wednesday. (Austin FC/Twitter)
Austin FC, which has flirted with the top spot in the MLS West this season, has now solidly reached the summit just a year after its second-to-last first season finish. The new top dogs are now 7-2-3 overall.
Here's a look at three highlights from the match:
Flashback in LA
For many Austin FC fans and naysayers alike, the match was more than a fight for the MLS West throne: it also served as a symbol of how far the team has come.
The two clubs first met on the Banc of America pitch as Austin FC saw its first game and first loss all at once in a 2-0 battle last April. It was an exciting but shaky start to the club's first season, and the loss seemed to set the tone for the rest of its inaugural year as the club dipped to second to last in the conference.
If Austin's first season was hallmarked by its first match, then its second-year success was foretold by its back-to-back five-goal victories to kick off the season.
Since then, the club has battled its own first-year shadow, claims of "bonus games" and a few unexpected obstacles—both on and off the pitch—but it has almost always come out on top.
That fight to the top was fully realized Wednesday, even as the club played its toughest opponent yet. Even with a man down in the middle due to Daniel Pereira's red card last game, the club kept its cool through even the trickiest moments of the match. Jhojan Valencia, who patched the Pereira hole in midfield, got his first MLS start and first MLS assist as Ruben Gabrielsen scored the first goal of the game.
Gabrielsen's goal
Nice turn and finish.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 19, 2022
Ruben Gabrielsen opens the scoring in LA for @AustinFC. pic.twitter.com/OMdTYgqS1x
Gabrielsen came to Austin FC as a potential hero for the team's center back position, but the club's resident Viking has already nabbed two goals in his first season with the team.
"That's center forward material," Austin FC announcer Adrian Healey said as Gabrielsen took control of Valencia's pass, paused to fake out the defense, and calmly tucked the ball into the left corner to complete the first goal of the match.
Feel-good Fagundez
🗣️ @AustinFC is off and running!@DiegolFagundez finds the short corner to make it a 2-0 lead in LA. pic.twitter.com/jgUr2IJQNe
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 19, 2022
Even as LAFC dominated possession for much of the match, Austin FC saw another wide-open goal opportunity crumble as midfielder Diego Fagundez's shot hit the corner goalpost in the 23rd minute.
But Fagundez wasn't finished. The midfielder was short on his Verde hair dye but full of surprises as he nimbly sunk a shot over LAFC defense to make it 2-0 with 10 minutes to go.
Fagundez, who has spent more time setting up goals for his teammates (becoming the No. 1 assister in the MLS in the process), finally took the center stage with his second goal this season.
Owen Wolff, head coach Josh Wolff's own son, had a scoring opportunity of his own foiled by the goalpost as he started his first MLS match as one of the youngest starters in the league this season.
But Austin FC wouldn't score again; instead, LAFC powerhouse Carlos Vela made the win a bit trickier in the 86th minute as he got past Austin keeper Brad Stuver to cut the lead in half. The other Wolff quickly subbed in a five-prong defense as the club kept steady for the final 10 painstaking minutes to win the match.
BONUS: Stuver's career-making match
Six saves on the night in LA for Brad Stuver! 🚫 pic.twitter.com/02V6hcUd3Y
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 19, 2022
After two weeks on the bench due to a knee gash, Austin's star keeper Brad Stuver had the Stuver-iest match of all time (yes, we're making it a word) as he pulled off six saves to help his team to No. 1.
Stuver looked like a pinball machine as he pulled off save after save with his feet, hands and body to keep it nearly 100% clean on the back end.
- Dominguez, summer heat shrouds Austin FC in 1-0 LA Galaxy loss ... ›
- Masks, Meh-teh and a miracle chicken: Meet the 'cryptids' of Austin FC ›
- Austin FC spends less than most first-year expansion teams - austonia ›
- McConaughey meets Ferrell: Austin FC's first match is a battle on ... ›
- From 'MLS in Austin' to Austin FC's first match: A guide to the first ... ›
