Austin

Around Austin

Photo: Darb02 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Town and around · Minnesota · 40k people

Austin

“Spam Capital of the World”

Where small-town pride meets a world-famous flavor.

SPAM YellowHormel BlueBruins Red

Join the room Ask the neighbours

Welcome to Austin, Minnesota – the home of SPAM and a friendly community along the Cedar River. Whether you're here for the Hormel history or the small-town charm, you'll find plenty to do and neighbors who wave hello.

Clubs for Austin

No clubs for Austin yet.

The room

One room for everyone around Austin. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Austin. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • SPAM Museum Celebrates the iconic canned meat with interactive exhibits and free samples.
  • Riverside Arena Home of the Austin Bruins hockey team and community events.
  • Jay C. Hormel Nature Center A 400-acre nature preserve with trails, a visitor center, and wildlife viewing.
  • Cedar River Flows through town, offering fishing, kayaking, and riverside parks.
  • Paramount Theatre Historic theater hosting movies, concerts, and live performances.
  • Hormel Historic Home Victorian-era house museum of the Hormel family, open for tours.
  • Outdoors Fish the Cedar River
  • Outdoors Hike the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center trails
  • With kids Visit the SPAM Museum
  • With kids Mower County Fair
  • Evenings Catch a show at the Paramount Theatre
  • Evenings Grab a drink at a local supper club
  • Locals love Supper clubs
  • Locals love Meat raffle bars

Through the year

  • Mower County Fair July A classic county fair with livestock, rides, and 4-H exhibits every July.
  • River City Days Summer A summer street festival with parades, live music, and food vendors along the Cedar River.
  • Austin Farmers Market Summer and fall Weekly market featuring local produce, baked goods, and crafts from June through October.
  • SPAM Jam July A music and food festival celebrating SPAM with live bands and creative SPAM dishes.
  • Austin Bruins home games September-April NAHL hockey games at Riverside Arena from September to April, a local winter staple.

Austin has a continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The best time to be out is from May to September. Best: Late spring through early fall offers the most pleasant weather for outdoor activities.

Talk like a local

“Uff da”
An expression of surprise or mild frustration, common in Minnesota.
“You betcha”
A cheerful way to agree or confirm.
“Hotdish”
A casserole, often with tater tots, a staple at potlucks.
“The Cities”
Refers to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.

Getaways

  • Rochester Home of the Mayo Clinic, with shopping, dining, and the Douglas State Trail.
  • Albert Lea Lake recreation and the Albert Lea Lake area, plus the Freeborn County Fair.
  • Owatonna Known for the Owatonna Arts Center and the historic State Public School.
  • Mason City Music history at the Music Man Square and the Stockman House.

Local flavour

Teams

  • Austin Bruins NAHL

Also rooting for Minnesota Vikings (NFL), Minnesota Twins (MLB), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA), Minnesota Wild (NHL), Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA)

Eat and drink

  • SPAM Canned meat made at the local Hormel plant
  • Hotdish Classic Minnesota casserole, common at community gatherings
  • Walleye Freshwater fish often fried or baked, a local favorite.
  • Wild rice Minnesota's state grain, used in soups and casseroles.

Where people go

  • SPAM Museum Interactive museum dedicated to the history of SPAM
  • Small-town main streets Historic downtown with local shops and diners
  • Corn and soybean farms Agricultural fields surrounding the town

Heritage and traditions

Austin is proud of its Hormel heritage and the iconic SPAM brand, which put this small city on the map, and of its strong Norwegian and German roots that shape its community life.

Say it like a local: “Hotdish” — A casserole dish, often made with tater tots, a staple at potlucks.

Festivals

  • Austin Symphony Orchestra concerts Various Local symphony performs throughout the year, including outdoor summer concerts.

Landmarks with a story

  • Mower County Historical Society Preserves local history, including pioneer and agricultural artifacts.
  • Hormel Historic Home The 1871 home of George A. Hormel, now a museum and event venue.

Food traditions

  • Lefse and lutefisk at Christmas Norwegian immigrants brought these traditions; lefse is a potato flatbread, lutefisk is dried fish treated with lye.
  • Hotdish at potlucks A staple of church and community gatherings, often made with tater tots and cream of mushroom soup.
  • SPAM sandwiches at tailgates Given the local connection, SPAM is a popular quick meal at sporting events and outdoor gatherings.

Music and arts

  • Polka music German and Czech influences keep polka alive at festivals and dance halls.
  • Norwegian folk music Traditional fiddle tunes and songs are preserved by local heritage groups.

A little history

  • 1856 Austin founded as a railroad town.
  • 1891 George A. Hormel establishes Hormel Foods, which becomes a major meatpacking company.
  • 1937 SPAM is introduced by Hormel, becoming a global icon.
  • 1985–86 The Hormel strike, a major labor dispute that drew national attention.
  • 20th century The city grows as a regional agricultural and manufacturing hub.

Rivalries

  • Austin vs. Albert Lea Friendly high school football and basketball rivalry between neighboring towns.
  • Game day Austin Bruins hockey
  • Game day High school football
  • Outdoors Fishing the Cedar River
  • Outdoors Hiking the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center
  • With kids Ice skating at Todd Park
  • With kids Fishing on the Cedar River

Austin residents speak with the classic Minnesota accent—long vowels, a flat 'a' in words like 'bag', and a tendency to use Norwegian and German loanwords. You'll hear 'you bet' and 'oh ya' frequently, and the local dialect is often called 'Minnesotan'.

Only here

  • The SPAM Museum, dedicated entirely to the iconic canned meat, is a one-of-a-kind attraction.
  • Austin is known as the 'SPAM Capital of the World'—the brand was invented here in 1937.
  • The Hormel Foods headquarters remains in Austin, making it a global food industry hub.
  • The annual SPAM Jam festival celebrates the brand with music, food, and a SPAM eating contest.
New here? A few tips
  • Be ready for harsh winters—invest in a good coat, boots, and a snow scraper for your car.
  • Pronounce the city as 'AW-stin' (like the Texas city but with a flat 'a'), not 'AUS-tin'.
  • Try SPAM at least once—the SPAM Museum offers free samples and a fun tour.
  • Get involved in community events like the Mower County Fair or River City Days to meet neighbors.
  • Embrace the hockey culture—attend an Austin Bruins game at Riverside Arena.

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Part of Rochester area

Nearby

Every area
Albert LeaMinnesotaLakeside living with a small-town heart.OwatonnaMinnesotaWhere the prairie meets the river.RochesterMinnesotaWhere healing and heartland meetMason CityIowaWhere the Music Man meets the lakeWasecaMinnesotaWhere lakes and fields meet the prairieCharles CityIowaWhere the fields meet the sky and everyone knows your name.FaribaultMinnesotaRiver towns, college spirit, and prairie calm.MankatoMinnesotaWhere the river bends and the bluffs hold you close.

Austin, MN. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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