Akin Gump Pro Bono Effort Helps Secure Future of Austin’s Historic Kite Festival
Contact:
(Austin, Texas) – Akin Gump, in a pro bono effort led by corporate partner Alan Laves, worked with its client the Exchange Club of Austin Charitable Activities Fund to formalize an agreement with ABC Home and Commercial Services to secure the future of Austin's Zilker Park Kite Festival.
The agreement pledges ABC Home and Commercial Services as the event’s primary producer and joins the nearly 70-year-old Austin business with the Exchange Club of Austin as stewards of the event for decades to come, thereby safeguarding Austin as home to the nation’s longest continuously running kite festival of its kind. The Exchange Club of Austin launched the Kite Tournament in 1929 as a community event that encouraged children’s creativity, moving the event to the then-newly opened Zilker Park in 1936. It has since become one of Austin’s signature annual events.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler presided over the signing of the agreement February 3 in the City Hall Media Room. After signing the pact, ABC President Bobby Jenkins announced a series of new and exciting attractions for this year’s festival, which is now known as the ABC Kite Fest. This historic act between stakeholders to the 88-year tradition was joined by Austin business leaders, city representatives and festival sponsors. The agreement names ABC Home and Commercial Services as the title sponsor for a 25-year term, with options to renew for additional 25-year terms, ensuring the continuity of the festival.
This year's ABC Kite Fest will be held March 5 (rain date March 12) at Zilker Park. The event is free to the public.
Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
# # #
People Mentioned in This News
