Austin leaders push "Stand With Austin" after SXSW cancelation, aimed to help local businesses

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Mayor Steve Adler and other Austin leaders took to social media to promote "Stand With Austin" a new push to get people to go out and enjoy Austin businesses and artists who may be affected by SXSW's cancelation.

"Without SXSW, some in our community could really feel the pinch. You can help. Go out to eat, drink & listen to live music. Support the artists, businesses, and working people who make Austin special," the Mayor tweeted Saturday, the day after SXSW was canceled and as city and county leaders declared a local state of disaster due to coronavirus concerns.

In the video, Mayor Adler asks Austin citizens to get out and spend money within the community, "Now is the time that we should be going to restaurants, going to clubs, buying musicians merchandise, helping one another."

County Judge Eckhardt also joined in by saying "We want to make sure everyone knows it's still safe and a wonderful thing to stand with Austin, to eat with Austin, to take ride shares with Austin, and to go see local bands with Austin. So ya'll get out and enjoy yourselves."

Local business owners react to SXSW being canceled

Now that the decision has been made by city leaders to cancel SXSW, bar employees say this is their worst nightmare come true.

Mayor Adler also included a link to a fund aimed to "assist individuals and small businesses most negatively impacted by the cancellation of SXSW and least able to recover on their own." The fund was started on the Austin Community Foundation's website.

You can make a charitable donation here.