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In Mueller, ‘Nessy’ Turns 11: Neighborhood Birthday Set for Dec. 13 on Simond Avenue

Katie Stewart Wed, Dec 3, 2025 • 07:48 AM

A birthday for a neighborhood icon

Mueller’s Loch Ness–inspired mascot, Nessy, will mark an 11th birthday with a community party on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at 1829 Simond Avenue in Austin, 78723. Organizers have planned an afternoon aimed at families and neighbors, with hands-on activities, treats, and a brief program that explains how the whimsical character became a fixture of the neighborhood.

The event’s program includes an appearance by artist Dixie Friend Gay, who will tell the story of how Nessy came to be. H-E-Buddy is slated to drop by for photos. Attendees will also be able to pick up a 2026 Mueller calendar featuring watercolors by Cass Grange of Watercolor Financial, provided courtesy of realtor and neighbor Amanda Trevino.

What to expect on Saturday

Planned activities and giveaways include:

Glitter tattoos by Sparkle Faerie
Kids’ coloring and activity sheets
Lick Ice Cream BOGO coupons
Mueller Neighborhood Association (MNA) kids’ t-shirts (while supplies last)
Birthday cake and ice cream (while supplies last)

The celebration underscores how Mueller has leaned into public spaces and neighbor-led traditions. The community spans roughly 700 acres and was planned as a mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented neighborhood with more than 140 acres of parks and open space—an urban design that helps events like this feel accessible and low-key, according to Mueller POA.

A setting built for gathering

Walkability and everyday access to green space are central to the neighborhood’s appeal. Residents favor an active, sustainable lifestyle supported by connected trails, wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and nearby amenities, according to Austin Residence. That emphasis extends to local retail: the H‑E‑B at Mueller was reported to be designed to use substantially less electricity and water than a typical grocery store, Austin Residence notes.

Affordability has also been part of Mueller’s planning and recent growth. In coverage of local housing efforts—including 3D-printed homes offered through the neighborhood’s affordable homes program—the Austin American-Statesman has reported on models priced as low as about $195,000, a marker of the community’s evolving mix of residents and incomes, as reported by Statesman. Family-friendly gatherings have often followed that ethos, providing low- or no-cost ways to participate in neighborhood life.

From folklore to front yard

Nessy’s name nods to a much older legend. The Loch Ness Monster—affectionately called “Nessie”—is a figure in Scottish folklore said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Highlands. While modern investigations have not produced credible biological evidence for such a creature, the myth endures as part of popular culture, Wikipedia notes.

The appeal of that myth helps explain why a playful mascot resonates in an urban village built around porches, parks, and plazas. “The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it’s really a gift. A world that might have Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster is clearly superior to one that definitely does not,” said Chris Van Allsburg, the writer and illustrator, according to AzQuotes. A birthday party for a neighborhood Nessy may be a modern Austin translation of that sentiment—an invitation to suspend disbelief together for an afternoon.

Neighbors behind the celebration

Saturday’s program reflects a mix of local art and volunteer energy. Artist Dixie Friend Gay will recount how Nessy took shape and why the character has stayed. The calendar giveaway highlights watercolors by Cass Grange of Watercolor Financial, with production courtesy of realtor and neighbor Amanda Trevino. The Mueller Neighborhood Association is supporting children’s items, including MNA kids’ t-shirts while supplies last, alongside a lineup of coloring sheets and glitter tattoos aimed at the youngest residents.

It is a familiar pattern in Mueller: a modest gathering in a public space, with contributions from artists, small businesses, and neighbors. The setting—sidewalks that lead directly to parks, short blocks, and destinations clustered within a walk or a bike ride—makes it straightforward for families to stop by, according to Mueller POA and Austin Residence. A quick photo with H‑E‑Buddy, a slice of cake, a coupon from Lick Ice Cream, and a coloring sheet to take home is enough to anchor the memory.

As the neighborhood continues to add homes and amenities while advancing affordability initiatives described by the Statesman, celebrations like Nessy’s birthday show how Mueller maintains its focus on the block-by-block rituals of community. The mascot may be make-believe, but the pattern—neighbors meeting in the middle of the day to mark a small milestone—remains very real.

Read the press release at muellerneighborhood.org.

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