On Sunday, June 18, families across the country celebrated Father’s Day, while Austinites headed to Circuit of The Americas to give those precious Father figures a day they wouldn’t forget.
Cars & Coffee Austin started bright and early, with spectator gates opening at 8 a.m. to hundreds of hot rods, mods, classics, and more in front of COTA’s iconic Main Grandstand. Families came out in droves to check out supped-up hatchbacks, restored British Army trucks (that were also for-sale), and historic muscle cars.
To add a little cuteness to the car show, Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) made a much-desired adopt-stop early in the morning at COTA. Tails were in full swing as friendly pups Billy Ray, Brave, and Steve visited The Circuit in search of forever homes. Garnering as much attention as the one-of-a-kind show cars on campus, guests stopped by the tent multiple times to pet, cuddle, and play fetch. In partnership with APA!, COTA is committed to helping the many furry friends being displaced in Austin with health services, shelter, and even save them from euthanasia.
COTA’s official 2023 Cars & Coffee Austin charity partner, the Boys and Girls Club of the Austin Area (BGCAA), was also eager to participate in the Father’s Day festivities. BGCAA provided lawn games, snacks, and conversation to the family-friendly experience, helping attendees learn more about BGCAA’s impact on local children and families and the importance of father figures everywhere.
Throughout the day, everyone had the chance to engage in a friendly dad joke competition to win free prizes. Fan favorites included, “Why didn’t the lobster share his meal? Because he was shellfish” and “Someone here is an owl. Who?”
Alienware, owned by Dell Technologies – a year-round COTA sponsor, brought out their Mobile Gaming Lounge to set up within the car meet complete with exhilarating video games, including everyone’s favorite Rocket League. Guests stopped by for a brief blast of AC and the best tech in high-performance computers and PC gaming.
Later as the day heated up, Velocity Lounge in the Main Grandstand opened its doors for Dad and co. to watch two races: IndyCar’s Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America and the Formula 1 Pirelli Grand Prix du Canada. Families kept busy with a dedicated bar, cornhole, and basketball shootout while Alex Palou won with Chip Ganassi Racing and Max Verstappen killed two birds with one stone (or race car in this case), taking the trophy for Red Bull and tying with Ayrton Senna for total number of wins.
COTA’s famous 3.41-mile track also saw live action with Chin Track Days zooming around to all dads’ delight. A quick step outside the Lounge gave everyone the perfect vantage point to watch the high-speed school put in laps with sports cars families may have just seen at Cars & Coffee.
In the evening, Metric, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, and Garbage brought classic rock to the big stage in the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. Metric flawlessly delivered the bumping bass of “Black Sheep” while Noel Gallagher opened with “Pretty Boy” to the cheers of the pit. Shirley Manson strut out to the strong rock roots of “Supervixen” and, later in the set, took Garbage through “Queer” when she noticed a fan holding up a sign for it. Dads throughout the amphitheater sported their favorite band tees and struck the perfect silhouette with a cold beer in hand.
To all dads, stepdads, guardians, and father figures, thanks for stopping by The Circuit to celebrate your special day! We’re grateful for you.
