Welcome to Austin, Texas Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge

According to Bat Conservation International, in 2015 there were 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats living under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. The bridge was originally completed in 1910. The bat colony was born in 1980 when bridge reconstruction created small gaps under the bridge which made an excellent bat habitat. In 2006, the bridge was renamed for former Texas governor Ann Richards who served in that capacity from 1991 to 1995. Hundreds of people watch the bats exit every evening from the bridge top, boats, and surrounding area. The bats eat up to 20,000 pounds of insects, including mosquitoes and other pests, every night.

Central Texas is home to many bat colonies. In Round Rock, 15 miles to the north of Austin, another 750,000 bats can be found under an Interstate 35 bridge. Bracken Cave is 65 miles to the south and home to the world's largest bat colony hosting approximately 20,000,000 Mexican free-tailed bats.

The Pennybacker Bridge on Capitol of Texas Highway and spanning Lake Austin is also a well know area landmark.

Answer: The University of Texas Tower

The Louisiana capitol is the tallest of the US state capitol buildings. With 34 floors and reaching 450 feet, the building is the tallest in Baton Rouge and one of the tallest in Louisiana. The Louisiana capitol building was used as a stand-in for the 307-foot and 31 floor University of Texas Tower located in Austin in the 1975 television film "The Deadly Tower". The movie depicted the 1966 shootings from the tower by the sniper and student Charles Whitman (in which 14 people lost their lives).

The UT Tower, or Main Building, was completed in 1937. After being closed to the public for 25 years, the tower observation deck was refurbished and opened for tours in 1999. The deck provides an excellent view of the campus and central Austin from all four sides. The Tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Austin, and is traditionally illuminated with orange light to recognize football victories. Tower and window lighting also varies to acknowledge other significant events.

The Texas state capitol building in Austin is one of the tallest of the US state capitols at 308 feet. While not the tallest, its 360,000 square feet do make it the largest. Between 1990 and 1993, an underground extension was completed which provided an additional 667,000 gross square feet.

The LBJ Library, named for former US President Lyndon Baines Johnson, and Blanton Museum of Art are both also on the University of Texas campus.

Answer: It is legal for any male over age 21 with a clear criminal history to carry concealed hand guns.

Possession of a concealed handgun in Texas requires a license. Eligibility for that license does, however, exclude both those under 21 and convicted felons. The law also excludes those who are "chemically dependent" or in arrears for taxes or child support. For the record, females are also eligible for this license.

It is legal but not common or encouraged for women to appear in public topless. However, Austin is home to Hippie Hollow on Lake Travis, the first official nude beach in Texas.

On March 1, 2013, a ban on all disposable paper and plastic bags became effective in Austin. This eliminated the use of an estimated 263,000,000 plastic bags annually.

While it is illegal to shoot buffalo from hotel windows, the law is not really relevant as you are more likely to see a sushi food truck when you take a peek outside.

Answer: Information Technology

Led by large IT sector employers such as Apple, Dell, IBM and HP, Austin has long been a technology boom town.

Austin also has a healthy entertainment industry. Austin carries the nickname "Live Music Capital of the World". Some movies filmed either entirely or in part in Austin include "Dazed and Confused", "Nadine", "Office Space", "Spy Kids", "Kill Bill: Vol. 1", and "My All American".

As home to the University of Texas, St. Edwards University, Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, The Art Institute of Austin, and others, there is no shortage of education sector jobs in Austin.

While overall Texas is a very large agricultural sector employer, the city of Austin is predominantly white collar.

According to the US Census Bureau, Austin was the fastest growing US city between July of 2013 and July of 2014 at a rate of 2.9%. From 2001 through 2010 there was a 37% population increase.

A 2014 projection by the Texas Department of State Health Services based on prior census and migration data placed the 2015 Austin metropolitan area population at 1,990,437. In 2015, Austin was the fourth largest metropolitan area in Texas behind Dallas-Fort Worth (7,117,896), Houston (6,622,047) and San Antonio (2,380,005).

Answer: Lady Bird Lake

The construction of Longhorn Dam in 1960 created Town Lake, which was renamed Lady Bird Lake in 2007. The former First Lady known as Lady Bird Johnson, wife of president Lyndon Banes Johnson, helped to create the Town Lake Beautification Committee in the early 1970s.

The Lake is a large recreational attraction. It is surrounded by the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, a ten mile trail designed for walking, running and biking. Most motorized boats are illegal on the lake, which makes it attractive for activities like kayaks and rowing competitions.

The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge mentioned in question one provides both automobile and pedestrian crossing of Lady Bird Lake.

Austin is located at the end of a string of lakes created by damming the Colorado River through the Texas Hill Country for flood control. North and West of Austin are the reservoirs known as the Highland Lakes, individually named Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, and Lake Austin.

Answer: Zilker Metropolitan Park

Zilker Park was named for Andrew Jackson Zilker who donated the land that comprised his ranch to the city of Austin. The park is 351 acres in the center of the city adjacent to Lake Lady Bird. Zilker is home to a sculpture garden and museum, a nature and science center, a botanical gardens, a hillside theater and, of course, a miniature train.

The Austin Trail of Lights started in December 1965. The trail is a 1.25 mile walking path through and around over 40 Christmas light displays using over one million lights. The trail ends with a 155-foot Christmas tree design made from over 3,000 lights hung from a moonlight tower. The tree is 380 feet in circumference, and tradition says that standing underneath and spinning while looking up at the ten-foot star-shaped tree topper will bring good luck.

Zilker Park is also the home of Barton Springs Pool, a three acre spring fed pool with an average temperature of 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit year round. The small pool alone attracts around 800,000 visitors a year.

Answer: Eeyore

Eeyore's birthday party was first held in 1963 and has become an annual fundraising event to benefit Austin non-profit groups, as well as a popular gathering for the Austin hippie counter culture. Costumes are encouraged for the party, and like many other Austin festivals includes live music and other entertainment, along with plenty of food, drink, and body painting.

The festival is named for the A.A. Milne character of the same name in the "Winnie-the-Pooh" stories and cartoons. In one story, the habitually depressed Eeyore believes that his friends have forgotten his birthday.

Answer: Austin City Limits Music Festival, Zilker Kite Festival, Blues on the Green

Zilker Park is the most well-known and popular recreational area in Austin's park system. Almost completely surrounded by water, the park is scenic and hosts a wide variety of events year round. Zilker is a popular destination even when no events are scheduled. But it draws visitors from around the world for the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Popularly known as ACL, the Austin City Limits Music Festival was inspired by the long-running and popular PBS concert series named Austin City Limits. The festival started in 2002 and has grown to span six days over two consecutive weekends in 2015. About 75,000 people attend each of the six days to listen to a wide variety of musical genres on eight different stages. Numerous musical artists have performed both on the PBS television series and at the festival, including Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., Willie Nelson, Dixie Chicks, Widespread Panic, The Eagles, Van Morrison, The Shins, Elvis Costello and many more. ACL boasts a large food court focusing on local restaurants and an art market providing local artists the opportunity to sell their work. The festival attracts people from long distances and some home owners in the area have learned to profit by leaving town and renting their homes to festival attendees.

Blues on the Green is a popular summer free concert series sponsored by a local radio station and also held in Zilker Park. In 1929 a kite tournament was started by The Exchange Club of Austin. This is the longest running kite festival in the US. It has been in Zilker Park since 1936.

Old Settlers Music Festival is an annual event featuring jazz, blues, and bluegrass which takes place just outside the Austin city limits. Willie's Picnic is an annual event which was held at the Austin360 Amphitheater in 2015. The amphitheater is located at Circuit of the Americas race track which hosts Formula One, Motorcycle, Le Mans Series and other races as well as the annual summer X Games. Carnaval Brasileiro is one of the biggest Brazilian carnival style events that does require traveling to Brazil.

All of the other events take place in the Austin area, but not at Zilker Park.

Answer: Municipal Auditorium

President Kennedy was scheduled to speak to over 5,000 people at a fundraising event as his last stop in a tour of Texas at Municipal Auditorium in Austin, which was later renamed Palmer Auditorium.

In 1998, plans were approved to renovate Palmer Auditorium into a modern performing arts center. That new venue was named Long Center for the Performing Arts. The Palmer Auditorium stage was persevered and used in the new main venue, the Dell Concert Hall. During the deconstruction of Palmer Auditorium more than 95% of materials were recycled with much being used in the new facility. The ring beam which surrounded the round Palmer Auditorium was included in the new exterior to create what was named City Terrace while providing an excellent view of the Austin city skyline.

Long Center is a neighbor to the new Palmer Events Center, and Auditorium Shores. The events center hosts events such as a recurring City-Wide Garage Sale, Carnaval Brasileiro, Austin Record Convention, Austin Symphony events, Armadillo Christmas Bizarre and activities related to the South by Southwest Music Film, and Interactive Festivals, (SXSW). Spanning multiple weeks SXSW has grown into a massive event which contributed $317 million to the Austin economy in 2015. Auditorium Shores, now sometimes called Vic Mathias Shores, is a large park space in central Austin which hosts outdoor concerts, SXSW events, Fun, Fun, Fun Fest and city fireworks displays. The park was opened in 1959 at the same time as Municipal Auditorium and received a $3.5 million donation for renovations in 2013.

Paramount Theater is located in downtown Austin. The theater, built in 1915, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It hosts a variety of film, music, and other live events. Bass Concert Hall is located on the University of Texas campus and also hosts many concerts, musicals, and assorted live shows.

Answer: A comedy house featuring music, magic, and short skits

Esther's Follies is named for US swimmer and actress Esther Williams, and the building hosting the show is referred to as Esther's Pool. The name comes from an original skit performed in 1977. A fast-paced variety show in a format similar to vaudeville provides hilarious satire aimed at local, national and world current events and social issues. The "pool" is also a reference to the pool tables which provided elevated seating for early show goers.

A huge window directly behind the stage allows for an interesting interaction between the audience, the performers and the street traffic outside. Located on famous Sixth Street in downtown Austin, the show is in the heart of the area which gave Austin the nickname Live Music Capitol of the World. The night street traffic seen through the window often highlights the counter culture which gave rise to the motto "Keep Austin Weird".