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    Lights Out and Away We Go

    Everything you need to know about the 2025 F1 U.S. Grand Prix at COTA

    CultureMap Create
    Oct 13, 2025 | 12:00 pm

    Start your engines, Texas: the Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix is returning to Austin's Circuit of The Americas (COTA) October 17–19, and this year’s lineup proves why it’s the biggest weekend of the year for racing fans, music lovers, and anyone looking for a Texas-sized spectacle.

    Expect 36 hours of nonstop entertainment over three adrenaline-fueled days, offering everything from the roar of the world’s fastest cars taking on COTA’s legendary 20 turns to chart-topping concerts and even Lucha Libre wrestlers.

    COTA F1 Photo courtesy of COTA

    The musical headliners

    COTA’s Germania Insurance Super Stage is where the party ignites each night, and this year’s music lineup is as thrilling as the F1 action on the track.

    • KYGO, Friday, October 17: The Norwegian EDM superstar, known for hits like “Firestone” and “It Ain’t Me,” will kick off the weekend with his uplifting, festival-ready beats.
    • Garth Brooks, Saturday, October 18: The country music icon and seven-time CMA Entertainer of the Year takes center stage for what promises to be a show-stopping night under the Texas stars.
    • Turnpike Troubadours, Sunday, October 19: After the checkered flag waves, the beloved Red Dirt band closes out the weekend with their mix of country, folk, and rock.

    All concerts are included with event admission, so your ticket gets you both heart-pounding races and unforgettable performances.

    Rodeo meets racing

    Only in Austin could F1 weekend also feel like a rodeo. This year’s Grand Prix introduces roping and racing activations that bring Texas flavor to the festivities. Expect rodeo-style demonstrations, interactive fan zones, and plenty of photo-worthy moments alongside all the high-octane racing.

    A feast for the senses

    No Austin event is complete without incredible food, and COTA is upping the ante with award-winning barbecue, unique fan villages inspired by Texas culture, and 20-plus local musicians playing across the grounds. Wander the immersive villages to find everything from live music to Austin-made goods, local brews, and bites that will keep you fueled all weekend.

    COTA F1 Photo courtesy of COTA

    COTA F1

    Photo courtesy of COTA

    The world's best drivers are coming to Austin.

    Racing’s biggest stars

    The real stars of the weekend — the drivers — will battle it out across the 20 turns of COTA’s state-of-the-art track, the only permanent, purpose-built Formula 1 circuit in the United States.

    With its uphill Turn 1 and thrilling straightaways, the course is known for producing some of the season’s most exciting overtakes and dramatic finishes. Be there to watch Max, Lando, Oscar, Charles, and the rest of the world's top drivers compete for trophies and precious points.

    Tips for planning your weekend

    • Buy tickets early: Grounds passes, reserved seating, and hospitality packages are available now. Remember, concert access is included with all admission tickets.
    • Consider multi-day passes: With so much to experience — races, music, food, fan villages — a two- or three-day pass lets you make the most of the weekend.
    • Arrive early: Gates open before the first track sessions, and you’ll want time to explore the villages, grab some chow, and snag a good concert spot.
    • Follow COTA: Stay updated on schedules, maps, and insider tips by following @COTA on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X.

    Whether you come for the thrill of the track, the festival-like atmosphere, or the chance to sing along to “Friends in Low Places” under the Austin night sky, the 2025 F1 Grand Prix at COTA is set to be a can’t-miss experience.

    Secure your tickets now and get ready for a weekend where the Lone Star State’s love for speed, music, and big-time fun takes center stage.

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    In Memoriam

    Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

    KVUE Staff
    Dec 16, 2025 | 2:00 pm
    Joe Ely
    Joe Ely/Facebook
    Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

    Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

    In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, at his side.

    Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

    As with many local legends, it's hard to tease out what specifically made Ely's time in Austin so great; Austin treasures its live music staples, so being around and staying authentic from the early days is often the most important thing an artist can do.

    Ely got his local start at One Knight Tavern, which later became Stubb's BBQ — the artist and the famous venue share a hometown of Lubbock. He alternated nights with emerging guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughn. He built his own recording studio in Dripping Springs, and kept close relationships with other Texas musicians. Later in his career, Ely brought fans into the live music experience, publishing excerpts from his journal and musings on the road in Bonfire of Roadmaps (2010), and was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2022. Austin blues icon Marcia Ball was among Ely's friends who played the induction show.

    "Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

    In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

    "His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings. [...]"

    --

    Read the full story at KVUE.com. CultureMap has added two paragraphs of context about the Austin portion of Ely's career.

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