The Hidden Hours: Sunset Social

A Wild Minds Initiative Experience

Somewhere in Austin, as the workday fades into evening, something different begins.

Wild Minds Circle returns with the first edition of The Hidden Hours™, our new intimate event series and our take on the traditional happy hour: smaller gatherings, unexpected settings, new faces, and more space for real conversation.

For our first edition, Sunset Social, we’re welcoming you to The Observatory for an evening of drinks, food, brand discoveries, and a few surprises along the way.

We’re bringing together Austin’s founders, tech and startup community, creatives, food and beverage entrepreneurs, and curious minds for an experience designed to make meeting someone new feel natural.

No panels. No forced networking. Just good people, good energy, and conversations that might take you somewhere unexpected.

A different kind of happy hour.

Drinks, Food & A Few Things to Take Home

Enjoy complimentary drinks throughout the evening, thanks to our beverage sponsors:

RAIN

Waterloo Sparkling Water

Soto Vino

Saint Arnold

CLEAN Cause

Food will be available during the experience, and guests will receive special gift bags featuring a few of our favorite brands:

Wishing Well

PlantPeople

GOODSPREAD

You’ll also have the opportunity to receive a mini portrait by Dreamy Waters Design—a personal keepsake from our first Hidden Hours™.

Event Details

November 12 · 4:30–7:30 PMThe Observatory · Austin

Arrive for drinks, food, and conversation before THE SIGNAL™ begins at 5:30 PM, continuing as the sun goes down.

Come curious. Leave connected.

Meet Our Partners

A special thank-you to LumenKind, our event sponsor; The Observatory, our venue partner; and Austin Founder Feed, our community partner, for helping us bring the first edition of The Hidden Hours™ to life and connect Austin’s entrepreneurial community.

Meet Our Wild Minds Labs Selection

Discover the brands selected for the evening—and meet the founders behind them:

Amanda & Audrey — How Tea

Chaz — Dojo Soy Sauce

Yasmina — Lilou's Amlou

Josey — Afterhours Fuel

Hear their stories, try their products, share your feedback, and create a little content together. Your curiosity and perspective can help these founders shape what comes next—and they can’t wait to meet you!

A Collaborative Art Experience with Camille Scammell

Large-scale artist Camille Scammell will invite guests to contribute to a one-of-a-kind collaborative artwork. Camille will complete the final piece, which will be unveiled and auctioned during our SXSW 2027 event to benefit Wild Minds Initiative.

About Wild Minds Initiative

Wild Minds Initiative is a nonprofit expanding access to opportunity by creating spaces where people can discover their potential, share their ideas, and find the relationships and support to move forward.

Wild Minds Circle is our intimate evening format for deeper connection. The Hidden Hours™ is our series within Circle: a different take on happy hour, created for smaller groups, deeper conversations, brand discovery, and unexpected connections.

Come alone.Come with your people.Come to connect.Come as you are.

Discover our mission at wildmindsinitiative.com.

Can’t Join Us This Time?

Join us on January 22 for Wolf Connect 4 — Legacy Wolf Moon, the final edition of our first Wolf Connect series.

A winter gathering around legacy, reflection, community, and what we are building next.

Want to Partner With Us?

We’re welcoming select food and beverage partners, emerging brands, sponsors, and community collaborators to help bring The Hidden Hours™ to life.

From delicious bites and drinks to product discoveries, thoughtful activations, and in-kind contributions, we love collaborations that bring something special to the evening and support our nonprofit mission.

Interested in partnering or sponsoring?

Contact [email protected]