In Austin, seasons are as much about the festivals they entail as they are about the weather. The city's residents have long been known for their uncanny ability to celebrate pretty much anything -- from hot sauce and street magic to their favorite Winnie the Pooh character.

The fall festival season is perhaps the most anticipated. It features three international festivals and one of the city's longest-running events. For many, these happenings are the ideal way to recover from the summer temperatures and a reminder of why they withstood the heat. 

Residents of The Austonian have the luxury of being within walking distance of a number of these festivals, bypassing the frenzy that accompanies driving and parking. The high-rise luxury condominium's location, on the corner of 2nd Street and Congress Avenue, places them at the epicenter of the season's excitement. They're also able to experience the activities from the city's premium vantage point: the 55th floor Austonian Club, which features sweeping 360-degree views from the tallest building in the city.

Fall festival season kicked off with the 10th anniversary of the Austin City Limits Music Festival (http://www.aclfestival.com/). On September 16-18th, more than 75,000 music-lovers from across the globe gathered in Zilker Park to enjoy 130 shows, including live music performances by Stevie Wonder, Coldplay and Arcade Fire.

This weekend, September 24-25th, is the 30th annual Pecan Street Festival (http://www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com/home/), the largest arts festival in Central Texas, drawing 300,000 people. The juried arts and crafts fair takes place in Austin's popular Sixth Street (originally Pecan Street) district. The free, family-friendly event also features musical entertainment. Proceeds go to local non-profit organizations.

Recognized as one of the nation's top film festivals, the Austin Film Festival (http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/), from October 20-27th, brings in independent and box-office films from all over the U.S.  The festival kicks off with an interactive Screenwriters' Conference. Throughout the week, attendees can view 190 films in theatres throughout the city, including the historic Paramount Theatre, just a few blocks away from The Austonian. Festival attendees have the opportunity to see Regional, U.S. and World premieres.   

The Texas Book Festival (http://www.texasbookfestival.org/) takes place on October 22-23rd on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol. More than 40,000 participants flock to the Capitol grounds to celebrate 200 acclaimed authors during the weekend of music, poetry, readings, book signings and children's events.

Of course, the above are just a few of the festivals that keep Austin unique and at least a little weird. And the community events continue throughout the year. But the fall festival season (there's a chocolate festival mid-October) is quite possibly our favorite. It sets the stage for November's Fun Fun Fun Fest and December's month-long festival of lights in Zilker Park, which, in turn, prepares us for a new year of exciting big-name events.