Waterloo Greenway’s Glow in the Park Raises $2 Million at Sold-Out Austin Gala

This article is produced by TRIBEZA as sponsored content.

Waterloo Greenway’s annual Glow in the Park gala brought more than 700 guests to Waterloo Park on Oct. 8, raising $2 million and counting to support the nonprofit’s downtown park system and free public programming.

The sold-out evening featured dinner by MML Hospitality and a performance by Texas country musician Pat Green. Guests gathered on a fall evening to support the work behind Waterloo Greenway’s parks, trails and community events, with fundraising benefiting both the public spaces and the programming offered within them.

The celebration also recognized the opening of The Confluence, a 14-acre expansion featuring 200,000 plants and 1,600 trees. The project is part of Waterloo Greenway’s work to create a connected park and trail system along Waller Creek, expanding opportunities to experience nature and art in downtown Austin.

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Justin Healy, Sheldon Long, Taylor Bowles, Claire Healy, Clayton and Andrew Maebius (Photo by Lauren Slusher)

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Chloe Hooks, Melba Whatley and Geri Hooks. (Photo by Lauren Slusher)

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Gary Farmer, Colette Pierce Burnette and Mayor Watson. (Photo by Lauren Slusher)

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Glow in the Park 2026 at Waterloo Park. (Photo by Lauren Slusher)

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Honorary Chair Charles Attal. (Photo by Lauren Slusher)

Supporting Austin’s parks year-round

Proceeds will help fund the ongoing care and operations of Waterloo Park and The Confluence, as well as free music, art and community programming. That support helps maintain the parks as welcoming, accessible public spaces, with places to walk, gather and attend events. The money raised supports work that continues throughout the year, extending the gala’s impact beyond the evening itself.

Event chairs Geri and Matthew Hooks and Melba and Ted Whatley led this year’s celebration, joined by honorary chairs Charles Attal, Amy Corbin, and Rosemary and Russell Douglass. Sponsors, host committee members, table hosts and guests contributed to the fundraising effort.

Waterloo Greenway works to build, operate and maintain an urban park system in the heart of Austin. As that system expands, philanthropic support helps the nonprofit care for its landscapes and offer free programming that connects residents with the city’s green spaces.