10TH ANNUAL KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD FESTIVAL & 5K LAUNCHES EARLY REGISTRATION

Early registration for the 10th Annual Keep Austin Weird Festival and 5K – taking place Saturday, June 23, 2012 –  is now officially open!

 For the second year in a row, the Keep Austin Weird Festival and 5K will be held on the beautiful grounds of the Long Center for the Performing Arts. This weird and wacky extravaganza celebrating all the funkiness of Austin will begin at 2 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m., with the breathtaking Austin skyline serving as the backdrop. The 5K portion of the event will start at 7 p.m. on Riverside Drive, with more than 3,000 participants dressed in crazy costumes running, skipping and jumping their way along the streets of Austin.

 More than 5,000 Austinites are expected to flock to this year’s festival and 5K to experience a day unlike any other. Attendees will enjoy great music, local artisan craft vendors and a bevy of iconic Austin eateries, just as in year’s past.

 Michelle Graham, Bounce CEO and producer of the event has high expectations for this year’s celebration.

 “As a native Austinite, it’s wonderful to see this festival reach its 10th year and still grow at an amazing rate,” she says. “This not only represents the tight-knit culture of Austin, but shows how this city truly is one-of-a-kind.”

 Unofficially deemed “the slowest 5K you’ll ever run,” the 5K is sure to keep anyone entertained with a variety of adult and kid-friendly fun stops along Cesar Chavez and the “Dog Pound Loop.”

 The Long Center, located at the epicenter of Austin’s parks, is a natural setting for the Keep Austin Weird Fest and 5K, which is supporting the Austin Parks Foundation (APF) for its third straight year. Since 1992, Austin Parks Foundation has initiated, promoted and facilitated physical improvements, new programming, and greater community involvement in Austin's parks. Donations to the Austin Parks Foundation will be accepted online up until the festival, as well as on event day (June 23, 2012).

 Early-bird pricing for the Keep Austin Weird Festival and 5K is $35 (this includes a 5K entry, festival pass and T-shirt and a free Keep Austin Weird magnet for the first 500 to register). The Kids’ 5K registration is $10, which includes a festival pass and T-shirt.

 For more information, to purchase festival passes or register for the 5K, visit www.keepaustinweirdfest.com.

 And remember, this is the weirdest celebration of Austin all year. Don’t be surprised if you see a man dressed in a cow suit trying to swim down the South 1st Street Bridge!