Planners expect more than 300,000 people to congregate downtown during the United States Grand Prix less than two weeks from now.
Meanwhile, more than 100,000 are expected to watch the races at the Circuit of the Americas — if they can get to Elroy.
We expect to spot a few celebrities, but, as usual, we are inherently interested in the locals and visitors whose kissers will never be splashed across a tabloid magazine cover.
So what will happen downtown? Expect a modified version of South by Southwest.
Action will center on the Austin Fan Fest in the Warehouse and Second Street districts as well as the COTA Club party at the Austin Convention Center.
Aside from those big official events, celebrants will circulate among parties, clubs and lounges, some of them tailor-made VIP affairs for the race.
For instance, Ballet Austin’s studios will be outfitted for My Yacht, a Monaco-based salute to posh shipping organized by Hungarian Olympic bobsledder Nicholas Frankl. Presumably no one will arrive by boat or by bobsled.
At the W Austin Hotel, an international array of DJs will power Blue at the W Nightclub, which will also host the Full Tilt Fashion show with brunch on Nov. 16.
At the Four Seasons Hotel, it will be Gold at the Four featuring top chefs for rotating meals. Combined, the two power-luxury hotels will host 18 race-related events.
Keeping with the color coding, Parkside will create a pop-up supper club called the Sapphire Room at its East Sixth Street location.
And speaking of pop-ups, something called Lounge 88 opens that weekend at an undisclosed location. (One must reserve a spot to find the spot.)
A bit of Britishness lands here on Nov. 16 as Sir Peter Westmacott, the British ambassador, and Lady Westmacott, host a celebration of the UK’s designs, brands and innovations at 416 W. Cesar Chavez St.
Before all this begins on Thursday, Nov. 15, South by Southwest Film Festival and Circuit of the Americas will help launch the race with a Formula One documentary at the Paramount Theatre.
The same night, ACL Live will present the Best of Texas Music with Willie Nelson, Ray Benson, Ruthie Foster and a host of others. Expect more action there on the edge of the Fan Fest zone.
Much ink has been spilled about the Europeans, Latin Americans and others who are expected to alter the character of Austin’s nightlife for that weekend.
My guess is that the vast majority of revelers will be from this country, many of them from this state and a good number from this city. Austinites rarely pass up a party.
If the weather holds up, it should be quite a shindig. Novembers usually stay mild here, but there’s always the outside chance of a windy norther.