MULTITUDES 3: A GATHERING WITH ALEX WONG & VIENNA TENG

September 10-12, 2026 | New Braunfels, TX

What is Multitudes? Well, it's hard to explain...and impossible to forget. This short video gives you a glimpse.

We invite you to join musicians, activists, and polymaths Alex Wong and Vienna Teng to a very special retreat. Over 2 days and nights, Alex and Vienna will show up as their whole, many-faceted selves - and invite you to do the same.

This year, we're gathering at Hacienda del Rio, a beautiful property on the Guadalupe River in the iconic Hill Country region of Texas. New location, same magic! Maybe we'll be tubing down the Guadalupe River singing at the top of our lungs. Or combining pickleball and philosophical conversations. Or holding impromptu song circles and puzzle parties around the pool. Come reflect and relax, forge new friendships, and get inspired to show up more powerfully in the world, as only you can.

Official programming begins the afternoon of Thursday September 10, and concludes at checkout the morning of Saturday September 12. You're warmly welcome to book additional nights at Hacienda Del Rio to keep the Multitudes magic going!

Heartfelt thanks to Laura Slovesko for the beautiful photos from previous years' Multitudes. Note that her photos depict previous years' location.

Hacienda Del Rio is your colorful corner of the Hill Country, rooted on the banks of the Guadalupe River, near the legendary music & dancing venue Gruene Hall. With vibrant design and a splash of Southwestern soul, this is your unconventional Texas escape. Take a dip in the pool, float the river, play beach volleyball, or sip a cocktail at the clubhouse. Check in, chill out, and soak up the good times!

We look forward to co-creating another year of multi-faceted programming with all of you!

A sneak peek at what's in store:

Multitudes Jam - The highlight of Multitudes I and II! Share one of your passions in a 5-minute presentation - you'll be surprised what new friendships unfold

Campfire Karaoke - Belt out beloved tunes, jam along on your own instruments, all under Hill Country skies...and Vienna & Alex singing right alongside you

Multi-Sensory Evening Events - On Thursday and Friday evenings, Alex and Vienna will combine food, music, storytelling and more to get all your senses humming
Guest-Organized Sessions - Previous years included Multitudes Book Club, Chinese calligraphy, Multitudes Pride, songwriting jams, waterfall hikes, and more. We can't wait to see what folks bring to this year's gathering!

ALEX WONG

To hear Alex Wong’s music is to know him.

Alex is a Latin GRAMMY-nominated artist, producer and activist who creates music to empower everyone, especially those on the margins, to take up space with their stories.

In 2023 he launched The Permission Parties, a multi-sensory experience that uses music, food and storytelling to ask “who feels permission to take up space, and why?” Each track from his upcoming album is paired with a Chinese-inspired dish that shares a common emotion. He has toured the events on two continents, serving over 4000 plates and 1000 guests in 17 cities and 3 countries.

“I hope to write more at some point about singer-songwriter Alex Wong’s Permission Parties, at which he and his partner Leah Light prepare an amazing meal that contextualizes his songs about growing up a second-generation Chinese-American in California. These communal gatherings are showing how music can create community in a whole new way.” - Ann Powers, NPR

In 2021 Alex established The Quiet Voice non-profit, and in 2024 he received a Cultural Week of Action grant to create the Show Yourself Festival, activating marginalized communities to fight for change within and outside of the political system and normalizing BIPOC artist visibility to Nashville audiences.  The Quiet Voice has raised over $87,000 for APA charities.

“Growing up in the US as a second-generation Chinese American, I struggled to feel permission to take up space. Movies and media told me I was allowed to be a buddy, a punchline, or a decoration, but there was not enough space for my story in the center of the room.  By sharing the emotions connecting my music, food, and identity, I hope to empower everyone, especially those on the margins, to feel permission to take up space with their stories.”

In 2025 Alex signed a record and publishing deal with TRO Essex Music/Shamus Records. His music has appeared in "The Last Song,” "The Lincoln Lawyer," "True Blood,” and "Ray Donovan,” he’s been a featured artist on NPR’s Mountain Stage, SXSW, 30A, AmericanaFest, and Musicians Corner, and has supported Sixpence None The Richer and Vienna Teng on tour. Alex was a 2024 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival emerging songwriter and a Kerrville NewFolk Finalist in 2024 and 2020.

VIENNA TENG

Some songs are the life of the party. Vienna Teng's are the back-porch conversation you still remember years later.

Her subversive choral piece "The Hymn of Acxiom” turns up in media literacy classes as well as drum corps shows (plus David Byrne’s blog, and the occasional flash mob choir in government buildings). The angst and effervescence in “Stray Italian Greyhound” has inspired anime music videos - and bridge-building political conversations. Americana-tinged "City Hall" has quietly become a queer anthem, a soundtrack for coming-out journeys. The electro-pop exhortations of “Level Up” have powered many a doctoral dissertation, first novel, and courageous battle with illness. “Harbor” is a beloved first dance at weddings and a graduation gift. “Lullabye For A Stormy Night” has been woven into countless bedtime rituals. These are songs that not only age well, but remain trusted friends throughout people’s lives.

It helps that Vienna's sound has never stood still. Her warm, delicate mezzo and intricate piano playing have drawn listeners since 2002, when her debut Waking Hour landed appearances on NPR's Weekend Edition, The Late Show with David Letterman, and the top of Amazon’s charts. But she’s built different worlds around her from album to album: the string-laced intimacy of Warm Strangers, the hushed jazz of Dreaming Through the Noise, the eclectically ambitious Inland Territory, the shimmering electronica of Aims. She’s world-built for other voices too, as composer for original stage musical The Fourth Messenger. You can hear how she’s metabolized influences like Paul Simon and Tori Amos, particularly their adventurousness and attention to songcraft. But Vienna Teng doesn't quite sound like anyone else.

Her perennial curiosity extends beyond music. In the 2010s, Vienna took a detour into graduate school and then professional work on climate solutions, turning in stints at the University of Michigan’s Erb Institute, consulting firm McKinsey’s sustainability practice, and environmental nonprofit Delterra. She also became a parent: first as a new addition to her partner’s family, then as a birth mother herself. Those years of carrying many truths at once led to her intricate 2024 release, We've Got You: two songs designed to be played simultaneously, as well as standing on their own.

Her love of multi-layering now informs her work with music fans as well as songwriting. In 2025, Vienna was named one of Grist's 50 climate innovators to watch, for the "music x action" community she has cultivated across the US and internationally, working one-on-one with her listeners to buy their first e-bike, start a green initiative at work, or even change local clean energy laws. Her workshops, held in music venues on tour, have been described as "life-changing," "rocket fuel," "the perfect antidote to despair." Those back-porch conversations aren’t just metaphors. Little by little, they’re becoming a movement.

Q: Is my booking refundable?

A: You may cancel for a full refund up to 48 hours after booking. After the 48 hours, bookings are 50% refundable through July 10 (two months before the event). If we have a waitlist, we may be able to arrange for someone to claim your spot and issue you a full refund.

Q: How many people will be in the "SHARED: " package rooms?

A: All booking packages beginning with "SHARED: " are for 1 person per bed, for a maximum of 2 people per room. If you're a "the more the merrier" type, have a look at the Del Rio Family Suite package, which is for up to 4 people (the suite has one bedroom with 1 King bed, and another bedroom with 1 Queen bed + 2 Twin bunk-style beds over the Queen bed).

Q: Are kids allowed?

A: Our programming is designed for adult guests. Alex and Vienna's families will staying on site, with caregivers for the kids. Please contact us (via Ask A Question) if you're wondering whether a specific situation would be a good fit for this gathering. We do hope to host family-friendly gatherings for guests in the future - childcare and kid-friendly programming are a whole world unto themselves!

Q: Are pets allowed?

A: This is a humans-only event, but we may get lucky and glimpse some local wildlife during our stay!

Q: Are the rooms and program spaces ADA accessible?

A: All program and event spaces are ADA accessible. Hacienda del Rio is a renovated historic property, so please note in your booking if you need a room on the ground floor. (Note that the Loft Queen rooms are not accessible.)

Q: Will you accommodate dietary restrictions at the dinners?

A: Yes, we ask about dietary preference/restrictions at booking checkout. Both dinners will be “plant-forward,” and we'll strive to provide delicious options for every guest's diet. Please note that food prep facilities may not be free of common food allergens (e.g. nuts, dairy).

Q: Will I need a car to get there / get around?

A: All artist-led programming will be held on site at Hacienda Del Rio, and activity services like Paddle TX offer shuttle transportation. But if you plan to explore the area on your own, getting in a car is the most practical way to do so. We love it when Multituders invite others along to offsite excursions, and carpool!

Q: What are my payment options?

A: WeTravel accepts all major credit cards as well as U.S. bank transfers. A 1% WeTravel service fee is added to all bookings at checkout. Credit card payments incur an additional 3.017% + $0.30 fee; bank transfers incur only an additional $0.30 fee.