now you see it

Hill Country festival throws eclipse party with camping and Texas bands

Music lovers will flock to Utopia to watch concerts and the eclipse in nature.

Plans are being laid across Texas to watch the eclipse occurring on Monday April 8, when the sky will darken and the sun will disappear except for a glowing backlight.

Utopia, Texas, 340 miles southwest of Dallas, lies right in the center of the eclipse path and will provide a ringside seat via UtopiaFest, the long-running 14-year-old music festival which in 2024 will capitalize on the eclipse with a specially-timed rendition taking place April 5-9. (Previous renditions took place in the fall.)

The five-day festival will be located at the Four Sisters Ranch, a 1000-acre countryside stay with hiking and camping facilities in the Hill Country between Garner State Park and Lost Maples State Natural Area.

The festival offers a variety of passes, ranging from a short three-day pass to the full five days. Every person attending needs one of the following passes:

Sunday-Tuesday, $350
Saturday-Tuesday, $400
Friday-Tuesday, $430
Sterling Pass, $600, spanning the full Friday-Tuesday stay with expedited entry, entrance for any vehicle, premium camp site, and access to Sterling lounge

All passes include free parking and tent camping, with available park-and-unload by campgrounds.

There are also passes if you want to drive in and "car camp" or if you want to bring an RV, with limited power hookups available, and separate passes for kids and teens ($20 to $40). Dogs are an additional $150.

The festival recently released its lineup of nearly 50 acts spread across two stages, dominated by Texas artists including Dallas band The Texas Gentlemen, who will perform on "eclipse day," Monday April 8, along with acts such as Ghostland Observatory, Phoebe Hunt, and The Mighty Orq.

In the U.S., eclipse "totality" will begin in Texas at 1:27 pm (and will end in Maine at 3:35 pm Eastern time, or 2:35 Texas time). Austin funk/soul ensemble Sir Woman gets the honor of performing during the magic moment, says Utopiafest co-founder Travis Sutherland.

This was meant to be the festival's last year, but the announcement hints that the camping festival may return. "We can't wait for one last Four Sisters Ranch party (for now)!" it says.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brianna Caleri contributed to this story.

concerts festivals live music nature

Smoke on the Thames

2 Michelin-starred Texas pitmasters take their world-class BBQ to London

InterStellar and La Barbecue at The Ned London

The Ned London/thened.com

Even in Austin's home scene, these restaurants are considered the cream of the crop. Abroad, this is an extra special treat.

Two of Texas' best barbecue joints are are firing up their grills in London. Austin-based InterStellar and La Barbecue are in residence for one month a London hotel called The Ned.

Service started on September 4, and guests have until October 4 to see what great barbecue tastes like on the other side of the pond.

Each restaurant sent their best representative: John Bates of InterStellar BBQ and Ali Clem of La Barbecue, the two pitmasters who opened the restaurants and led them to barbecue's first Michelin stars. Both are somewhat traditional with a few signature twists, making them a good match beyond their similar levels of prestige.

Proteins on the menu include pork ribs, pulled lamb shoulder, chopped cheese sausage, and InterStellar's famous peach tea pork belly burnt ends. Brisket will be available as an add-on. The team is also cooking up sides and pairing the bites with cocktails made for the occasion by Jack Daniels.

The exclusive sharing tray is available for $75 per person, with a minimum of two people per reservation ($150). A 14.5 percent service gratuity is also being added.

Many barbecue fans understand that a smoker plays a huge part in the final product, and being away from home could dramatically change the cooking process. An Instagram post explains (and seems to lightly promote) that the pitmasters are using Ironbrand smokers, which are custom-made in the United Kingdom.

The residency is happening at Electric Bar & Diner, The Ned's all-day American diner. The 248-room hotel is located in Poultry, on the north side of the River Thames near St. Paul's Cathedral. It is also very near to the Bank Station, a connecting station for four rail routes, making it easy to get to from many parts of London.

Booking is already going fast, so guests who want to snag a space should commit soon.

barbecue international michelin michelin guide pitmasters pop-ups travel

now you see it

Hill Country festival throws eclipse party with camping and Texas bands

Smoke on the Thames

2 Michelin-starred Texas pitmasters take their world-class BBQ to London

High 5 Exchange bowling and entertainment mega-center rolls into Allen

Rodeo Goat fires up its crave-worthy burgers for new Allen development

These are the 10 best things to do in Dallas this Labor Day weekend