AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin has unveiled a new display on Guadalupe Street of burnt orange letters spelling “T-E-X-A-S” as the Longhorns prepare for their Southeastern Conference (SEC) debut.
The 40-foot-tall letters with white trim appear on the street along The Drag, between UT’s West Mall and neighboring shops, including the University Co-op.
The installation comes ahead of the university’s SEC Celebration on Sunday, June 30.
“Guadalupe Street, or The Drag as we affectionately know it, is our symbolic front lawn that tens of thousands of students, faculty, staff and visitors cross every day as they come to class and to work. How they experience our campus contributes to their pride and spirit and is important to their sense of place,” UT President Jay Hartzell said. “I can’t think of a better time to show our tremendous spirit on the street than during a time when thousands of prospective students come for tours, thousands of admitted students and their families come for orientation, and as we prepare for a Texas-sized party marking our entry to the Southeastern Conference.”
UT said it worked with city officials to make sure the project could be permitted and completed on time.
UT and Texas Athletics are hosting an all-day celebration on June 30 commemorating the Longhorns’ inaugural day in the SEC on July 1. The public event will include live music, fireworks, interactive games, photo opportunities with Bevo, an array of food trucks and live broadcasts by the SEC Network.
Admission to the celebration is free and includes free activities presented by university museums and centers like the LBJ Presidential Library, Texas Science and Natural History Museum and Blanton Museum of Art.