F1 Fan Fest Attendance Shrinking; Nostalgia Used to Bring in More People

About a quarter of a million people are expected to visit Central Texas this weekend for the Formula 1 Fan Fest. While that may seem a large number, it’s actually the lowest number of attendees in recent years.

Organizers at the Circuit of the Americas, the company behind the festival, had ambitious hopes when they started the event a few years ago. Each year, the footprint has steadily shrunk, so much so that this year’s event has been pushed to Rainey Street, a smaller venue than the 10 blocks of downtown used in recent years.

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The U.S. Grand Prix is what typically brings diehard Formula 1 fans to downtown, but the music and racing nostalgia is what should bring new attendants in.

COTA has curated a unique collection of racing legend Ayrton Senna‘s personal effects from his entire Formula 1 career. There rare collection will be on display at the Downtown Paddock, 304 E. Cesar Chavez Street.

F1 Fan Fest will be on Oct. 22-24 on the Rainey Street Stage. The music shows are free to the public. Race tickets are still available here.

[Photo: F1 Fan Fest]