Austin.com Weekend Top 10 FREE Events (April 24-26, 2015)

Texas Community Music Festival – Friday, April 24 from 5:30-9 p.m.; Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Now in its 10th year, it’s safe to say the TCMF has become an Austin music tradition. See the schedule. All performances are FREE and family friendly! Central Market, 4001 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
Shakespeare at the Market: Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSVP) – Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. Present Company, in partnership with Whole Foods Market, presents the second annual Shakespeare at the Market on the rooftop of the downtown Austin Whole Foods Market. Seating and music begin at 6:30 for a 7 p.m. performance. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or short chair, and grab picnic goodies before the show. Promoting the philosophy of “accessible & sustainable art,” Shakespeare at the Market is a FREE event, however a $15-20 donation is suggested for guests able to support. Reserve your tickets here. Whole Foods, 525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
Movie in the Park: Big Hero 6 – Friday, April 24 at 8 p.m. Bring your own blanket, low lawn chair, and cooler with snacks. Movie will play indoors in the case of inclement weather. Rated PG. FREE! Northwest Rec Center, 2913 Northland Dr, Austin.
The 17th Annual Dragon Boat Festival and Races – Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. There will be Dragon Boat races on both days. On Saturday, you can enjoy Asian cultural performances of dances, martial arts, lion dance, taiko drum and a kid zone for children. FREE! Parking is limited. Festival Beach, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St, Austin.
Spirit of Sharing Fun Fest – Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Rotary Club of Austin Centennial together with Camp Gladiator hosts a Fun Run fundraiser each year to support local charities and Rotary Club programs. This is a FREE family event with a 5K, a kid’s run, some hands-on charity projects (to introduce our children to volunteering), bounce house, games, crafts, live music, snacks for kids, vendor booths from local businesses, and a raffle. FREE: Admission, Fun Run, kids’ run, all activities, kids’ charity projects, bounce house. Available for purchase: t-shirts ($10), raffle tickets, fountain drinks, items from vendor booths. Register here. Harper Park, 11008 Lake Creek Parkway (intersection of Lake Creek and Dearbrook Trail), Austin.
Austin Nature Day – Saturday, April 25 from 12-4 p.m. Celebrate Austin Nature Day at the Austin Nature & Science Center. Bring the whole family to this fun, outdoor event to celebrate Earth Day and experience nature through hands-on activities. Enjoy a guided hike through the Zilker Preserve, examine insects up close, and visit the resident animals that call the Austin Nature & Science Center home. FREE! Parking and Main Entrance at 2389 Stratford Drive, Austin.
Alamo Kids Club: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Saturday, April 25 at 12:20 p.m. Enjoy a FREE screening for ages 3 and up. Tickets are first come, first serve. Confirm showtime before heading out. Alamo South Lamar, 1120 S. Lamar, Austin.
Y Day at the Park – Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. At this FREE community engagement event, kids of all ages will enjoy enrichment activities and games alongside their parents. Families will also get to participate in the first ever Amazing Family 1K Race through Mueller Lake Park! Mueller Lake Park, 4550 Mueller Blvd, Austin.
Harry Ransom Center Family Day – Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and enjoy activities for the young and young at heart. Participate in writing activities with teaching artists from Austin Public Library Friends Foundation’s Badgerdog Creative Writing Program or engage with Lewis Carroll-inspired math activities with local math literacy organization Math Happens. University of Texas at Austin museum theater students will lead visitors through the galleries. Additional activities will include docent-led exhibition tours and story times in the theater. View the schedule. FREE! Harry Ransom Center, 21st and Guadalupe Streets, Austin.
The Big Squeeze Accordion Competition and Concert – Saturday, April 25 from 1-5 p.m. For its sixth year on the Bullock Museum’s Lone Star Plaza, the Texas Folklife Big Squeeze Accordion Contest will host an afternoon of squeezebox greats, young and old. Watch the next generation of accordion players compete for three grand prizes in polka, zydeco, and conjunto accordion traditions. Following the competition, enjoy a FREE concert featuring some of the best accordionists across the state: Conjunto accordionist Eva Ibarra and Cajun accordionist Charles Thibodeaux, and 2014 Big Squeeze Champions Aaron Salinas, Garrett Neubauer, and Randall Jackson III. Bullock Museum, 1800 Congress Avenue, Austin.

Bonus fun in the ‘burbs:

Movies in the Park: Big Hero 6 (Leander) – Friday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. Often described as a combination of state-of-the-art technology and the nostalgia of the 1950s drive-in, the Movies in the Park series provides families the opportunity to spend time together under the stars while enjoying first run movies. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and a picnic dinner. Concessions will be available for purchase. Rated PG. FREE! Robin Bledsoe Park, 601 S Bagdad Rd, Leander.
Movies in the Park: Big Hero 6 (Cedar Park) – Friday, April 24 at 8 p.m. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs. Food concessions will not be available, but you are welcome to bring a picnic. Rated PG. FREE! Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd, Cedar Park.
Founders Day Festival (Dripping Springs) – Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26. The three-day celebration kicks off with the Grand Parade and includes: free music and entertainment on two stages, the Mighty Thomas Carnival, food, beer, street dances, cook-off competitions, over 150 arts and crafts booths and business vendors. Admission is FREE! Paid parking will be available at the VFW located at the Northeastern corner of Highway 290 West and Ranch Road 12. To avoid towing in other areas, remember to not park in the right of ways. Historic Downtown Dripping Springs.
Red Poppy Festival (Georgetown) – Friday, April 24 from 6-9 p.m., Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Red Poppy Festival is a time to enjoy family and friends, music, food, a parade, and more. The Friday night kick-off concert will feature Dysfunkshun Junkshun. FREE admission! Bring a chair for the concerts. Parking info. Georgetown Square, Georgetown.
Yesterfest (Bastrop) – Friday, April 24 from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Yesterfest celebrates the history of Bastrop and the cultures that have contributed to its storied past. Enjoy historic reenactments including a wild west gun fight, demonstrators showcasing life as pioneers, live music, dancing, story telling, pictures with Longhorns, and more. FREE! Historic Downtown Bastrop.
San Market’s Kidsfest (San Marcos) – Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Shop local vendors and lets kids enjoy face painting (10 a.m. – noon) and a balloon artist (1-2 p.m.), and meet Elsa and Anna (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.). Admission is FREE. The San Marcos Farmer’s Market will happening in the same location from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Historic Square, 155 E San Antonio St, San Marcos.
Sunset Valley Art Fest (Sunset Valley) – Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunset Valley ArtFest offers varying forms of art, from classic paintings to music, local foods, jewelry, forging, sculpting, and activities for the kids! Joe McDermott will perform at 10 a.m. and The Biscuit Brothers will sing at 11:30 a.m. The SFC Farmer’s Market will be happening nearby from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. FREE! Toney Burger Center, 3205 Jones Road, Sunset Valley.
Kite Festival at Devine Lake (Leander) – Saturday, April 25 from 12-4 p.m. Leander Parks and Recreation hosts the Annual Devine Lake Park Kite Festival in the Spring of every year. There will be awards for kiting events, kite and food vendors, and lots of high flying fun! Devine Lake Park, 1807 Waterfall Drive, Leander.
Buda Weiner Dog Races (Buda) – Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. This one is only free for kids under 12, so we’re sneaking it in at the end. Adults (and kids 12+) must pay $5 admission at the gate. Enjoy a cook-off, bake-off, Buda Bee, pet parade, and washer tournament. See the schedule. Buda City Park, 204 San Antonio St, Buda.

You may also be interested in:

Free Date Nights in Austin
Free Earth Day Celebrations in Austin
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Austin Adventures of Flat Bat (with FREE hotel stay giveaway!)
Becker Elementary Pachanga Dance Party – Friday, April 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. There’s no party like a Becker Pachanga Dance party! Families are welcome to eat, play, or just shimmy, shake, and get down Pachanga-style. Boogieing will be easy with Grammy-winner Adrian Quesada (of Brownout and Spanish Gold), spinning dance jams on the turntables with a special guest performance. FREE! Becker Elementary School, 906 W Milton St, Austin.
Eeyore’s Birthday Party – Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to dark. Children’s Area is open from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Our readers are split as to the family-friendliness of this event, so we’ll let you decide! Read Traci’s take on going with a 7-year-old and Laura’s opinion of the “extremely odd birthday party.” The bottom line: the earlier in the day, the better, if you’ll be taking kids. Admission is FREE. There is no parking at the park. Rain date is May 2. Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St., Austin.
Anzac Day – Saturday, April 25 at noon. The traditional Anzac Day Aussie Rules football game of Essendon vs Collingwood will be playing on big screens on the rooftop bar of The Market. There will also be games like Two Up and Acey Deucey being played throughout the afternoon. Admission is FREE. All ages are welcome to join. Youngsters under the age of 21 will be able to stay at the bar until 3 p.m. The Market, 319 Colorado St, Austin.
Cafe Monet’s 15th Anniversary Celebration – Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26. Head to any of the three Cafe Monet locations (Westgate, The Triangle, and San Marcos) to enjoy cake, snacks, FREE face painting, raffles, and 15% off anything in the studio. Studio hours and locations.