{"id":205341,"date":"2026-03-15T04:20:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T04:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/205341\/"},"modified":"2026-03-15T04:20:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T04:20:58","slug":"dripping-springs-changes-festival-for-37th-annual-founders-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/205341\/","title":{"rendered":"Dripping Springs changes festival for 37th annual Founders Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrom April 24-26, Dripping Springs<\/a> community members will gather together to play games, eat local food, listen to live music and enjoy one of the city\u2019s biggest annual celebrations: Founders Day Festival.<\/a><\/p>\n

Although the festival will look a little different this year, city officials say that they\u2019re keeping “tradition alive” and that it\u2019s “still going to be a great event.”<\/p>\n

What you need to know<\/p>\n

The biggest change to the festival is the parade. While previous years have featured a driving parade with floats, a walking parade will take its place this April. Mayor Bill Foulds said this change was made due to safety concerns. Narrow roads, increased participants and other factors were noted as potential safety risks by city officials.<\/p>\n

Wallace Street is too narrow for proper barricades, and last year, kids were touching the floats as they drove by. Additionally, due to a lack of background checks and procedures, Foulds said that last year at least two float drivers were drinking while operating their float. Previously, the parade route also required one lane of Hwy. 290 to be closed for over two hours.<\/p>\n

With 40,000 anticipated attendees, the area does not have the capacity to safely operate a float parade, Foulds said. <\/p>\n

Foulds said this isn\u2019t a permanent change. City officials are considering different options to bring back the float parade in future years with more safety measures in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we can and will get back to having floats,\u201d he said in a podcast<\/a> about the changes. \u201cIt\u2019s just going to take some planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The background<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time changes have been made to Founders Day. Before the festival was held on Mercer Street, it used to be conducted near RR 12.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the cookers have grown, the vendors have grown, we just keep adapting,\u201d Foulds said.<\/p>\n

What they\u2019re saying<\/p>\n

Community response has been mixed, with many residents expressing disappointment with the change to the parade. Foulds said he shares their frustration, but that the safety of participants is the city\u2019s top priority.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m disappointed that we\u2019ve come to this,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it\u2019s a problem of our own making.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to look for a way to make it better every year,\u201d Foulds said.<\/p>\n

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