Another wonderful Austin weekend is here, and there are so many great things to do in and around town. Here are the top 10 FREE Austin events happening this weekend.
- Waterloo Greenway Conservancy First Annual Symphony Scare
Friday, October 18 | from 6 to 9 p.m. | Symphony Square, 1111 Red River Street
Join Waterloo Greenway Conservancy for a night of frights and delights at the first annual Symphony Scare! Listen to ghastly folktales by bilingual storyteller Carolina Quiroga-Stultz, accompanied by a live performance from the acclaimed composer, Graham Reynolds. Enjoy other activities including a costume contest, onsite food & drink vendors, a writing workshop from Austin Bat Cave, a live bat exhibit from Austin Bat Refuge and other environmental vendors.F or more information, visit https://waterloogreenway.org/events/symphony-scare/ - The Monster Squad Free Outdoor Screening
Friday, October 18 | from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. | Community Cinema and Ampitheater, 9301 Hog Eye Road
Mobile Loaves & Fishes invites you to a free movie night at our Community First! Village. Grab chairs and a blanket, bring family and friends, and enjoy this special screening. Explore Community First! Village, pick your spot, and enjoy your favorite movie snacks from the Community Grille. Burgers, french fries, snacks, and drinks will be available for purchase (cards only, cash no longer accepted). The event is free, however a $5 donation would be highly appreciated. - Movies at Lake Park – Rescheduled
Friday, October 18 | from 7 to 9:30 p.m. | Mueller Lake Park, 4550 Mueller Boulevard
Join in October for two free, family-friendly events taking place at Mueller’s outdoor amphitheater. The October 11 movie is Beauty and the Beast (animated version). - Harvest Festival (Liberty Hill)
Saturday, October 19 | from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Cross Tracks Church, 101 Church Street, Liberty Hill
In a throwback to festivals of year’s past, Cross Tracks Church, a United Methodist Community, invites you to a fun-filled day of strolling through 40 vendors of unique arts & crafts. Free kids’ games and activities, including petting zoo, bounce house, Halloween Fun House. Concessions including Bar-B-Q plates, Music & more! - Creepy Crawly Carnivore Hike (Lockhart)
Saturday, October 19 | from 10 to 11 a.m. | Lockhart State Park, 2012 State Park Road, Lockhart
Peer into the world of creepy and ferocious insects in this fascinating walk! Join a Master Naturalist to meet your backyard bugs, and explore how ferocious insects fight for survival in the bug eat bug world of Lockhart State Park! All ages welcome. Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes. Bring water and apply sunscreen or bug repellent, as needed. No registration required. Meet your guide at the Creekview Trailhead. If driving from park headquarters, take your first left-hand turn, pass the campgrounds, and park along the paved loop. This program is free with entry to the park. Regular park entrance fees are $3/adult, free for children 12 & under. - Halloween at the YMCA
Saturday, October 19 | from 3 to 7 p.m. | YMCA Twin Lakes, 204 East Little Elm Trail
Spooky fun for everyone! Come join us at this FREE event which features games, bounce houses, slime craft, cupcake decorating, kids costume runway walk, giveaways and trick or treating with our local businesses. Halloween at the Y is a free event that offers a safe place for our community to enjoy Halloween festivities! - Hill Country Galleria Movie Under The Stars
Saturday, October 19 | from 7 to 9 p.m. | Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Boulevard
Hill Country Galleria will host Movie Under the Stars on select Saturdays on Hill Country Blvd. in front of H&M this fall. The series kicks off with a showing of the original Ghostbusters on Saturday, October 19. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to relax. Admission is free and movie showtime is at 7 p.m. - Kid’s Book Drive – Benefitting BookSpring
Sunday, October 20 | from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Zilker Brewing Company, 1701 East 6th Street
October is National Book Month! What better way to celebrate than with your friends and family at Zilker Brewing Co. Sunday, October 20th from 10AM to 2PM, we invite the whole family out to our Kid’s Book Swap and Book Drive benefiting BookSpring. BookSpring’s Storytime Volunteers will be on hand in both our indoor and outdoor reading areas for story time. Meet some of our favorite authors/illustrators: Gerardo Rodriguez & Maria Mercedes Rodriguez – The Colorful World of Monica: A Doggie Adventure, Lori Otto Samocha – W is for Weird: An Austin Alphabet. Spicy Boys Fried Chicken will be serving up delicious kids meals and there will Spokesman Coffee for the adults. Bring your gently used children’s books to our Zilker Library to swap for something new or just donate to BookSpring. - Yellow Bike Project Pizza Party
Sunday, October 20 | from 6 to 7:30 p.m. | Yellow Bike Project, 1216 Webberville Road
Learn bike maintenance while enjoying a slice with Smart Trips and our friends at Yellow Bike Project. This is a perfect opportunity for beginner bicyclists to learn how to work on your own bicycle! Participants will learn how to change a tire, tune your bikes shifting, oil your chain and more. - Disney Swing Dance
Sunday, October 20 | from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. | Swing In The City, 205 E. Monroe Street
Swing in the City is hosting an ALL-DISNEY themed dance night! Come in costume, if you can! The entire DJ’d playlist will be disney music that you can swing dance to. Come watch some amazing local swing dancers and have fun dancing yourself! We have an amazing old wood dance floor and are located in the heart of the SOCO district. There will be a few live-performed songs and costume awards as well. You have never been to a swing dance like this before! This dance is free (donations accepted).
