- AISD Innovation Summit – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. All AISD parents, students, and teachers are invited to attend the second AISD Innovation Summit. Keynote Speaker Diana Laufenberg–known nationally for her work with project based learning, inquiry in the classroom, modern teaching methods, and structuring modern learning ecosystems–will open the summit by sharing “Creating The Classrooms We Need.” Over 50 teachers and students will present the technology they are using this year in the classroom. Poster sessions from teachers across AISD will run continuously beginning at 10:00 a.m. FREE! Austin High School, 1715 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin.
- Austin Alternative School Fair – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The annual Austin Alternative School Fair will be held on the Whole Foods Market rooftop plaza, located at 6th & Lamar. This family-friendly event will feature engaging activities for kids of all ages, family-friendly entertainment, and endless fun on the rooftop playground! Don’t miss the theatrical storytime at Noon – it’s FREE! Whole Foods Market, 525 N Lamar Blvd., Austin.
- BDYHAX Expo – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Bring your whole family to learn about neuroscience from OpenBCI; help to assemble 100 3D printed prosthetic hands for kids; listen to free talks at the Attendee Lounge; play Singularity Quest for huge prizes; check out performances by Sky Candy; and more. The expo floor is open to the public and FREE! Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 5, 500 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin.
- Chinese New Year Celebration – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. A weekend-long celebration to welcome the Year of the Monkey. Special dance and musical performances, family-friendly attractions, and food accompany this Austin tradition. Admission is FREE! Chinatown Center, 10901 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
- Literature LIVE! Presents: The Selfish Gardener – Saturday at 1:00 p.m. What happens when a band of native plants and insects gets a new neighbor who isn’t very friendly? Will the band get the boot, or will gardener and insect learn to live together? Find out in this musical spin on the Oscar Wilde classic, The Selfish Giant. Recommended for ages 4 and up. FREE! Recycled Reads, 5335 Burnet Rd, Austin.
- Celebrate Urban Birds – Saturday from 1-4:00 p.m. Learn more about our feathered friends, specifically those who also call cities home. As you’ll learn, it’s a much richer community than you may expect. More than grackles and pigeons, from Warblers to Hawks, many can be found in an afternoon at a Certified Wildlife Habitat like the one at the Ney. Join experts from Travis Audubon as they lead participants in an hourly bird count, part of a special program sponsored by Cornell University. Become your favorite bird at the face painting booth. Construct an elaborate bird house from recyclable materials. Recreate colorful feathers and clay bird feeders. FREE! Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 E 44th St, Austin.
- Liberty, Equality, and Fireworks! – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Set in a history museum, this play’s characters (a group of 4th grade students) experience key elements of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s when iconic images from this important period of our national history come to life and begin to move and speak. Best for students in grades 3-6. Presented by Pollyanna Theatre Company. Tickets are not being sold to this performance – it is FREE and open for anyone who wishes to see it. LBJ Presidential Library, 2313 Red River St, Austin.
- Cars and Coffee – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Enjoy a low-key display of classic cars at the largest FREE car show in Central Texas. The Oasis on Lake Travis, 6550 Comanche Trail, Austin.
- Staci Gray – Sunday from 12-3:00 p.m. Live music especially for families with children. Staci will be playing with a band for three sets of bubbly awesomeness. FREE! Central Market, 4001 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
- Ivy and the Wicker Suitcase – Sunday at 2:00 p.m. It’s a book. It’s a record. It’s a movie for your ears! Author and composer Brian Beattie will sing the songs and tell the tale of Ivy. Artist and illustrator Valerie Fowler will crank the Cranky Show, a series of 30 foot-long illustrated scrolls, a low-tech hand-drawn audiovisual extravaganza. FREE! APL – Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St, Austin.
Bonus Nearly Free Fun:
- Kids Brazilian Carnaval – Sunday from 4-5:30 p.m. Join Esquina Tango for this new fun, family celebration of Brazilian Carnaval where everyone can enjoy music, dance and activities. Children will learn steps, rhythms, and enjoy fun times dancing. All ages welcome. Bring your own beverage/snacks. Cost: $5 per child; kids under 2 free; adults by donation. Esquina Tango, 209 Pedernales St, Austin.
Bonus Fun in the ‘burbs:
- Just Between Friends Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale (Pflugerville) – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. JBF hosts events twice a year in clean, well-organized venues where shoppers can find all they need for their families at substantial savings. Merchandise is inspected to insure only high quality items are sold. You’ll find clothing, toys, baby equipment, strollers, high chairs, cribs, joggers, nursery gear, sporting goods, maternity wear, baby carriers, play yards, play sets, coats, shoes, and more at a savings of 50-90% off of retail prices. Friday: $3 admission or FREE with this coupon; Saturday: FREE admission–no coupon necessary–and most items will be 50% off. Hawaiian Falls Event Center, 18500 N SH 130 SVRD SB, Pflugerville.
- Star Party (Round Rock) – Friday from 5:30-9:30 p.m. ACC’s Star Party will feature hands-on science exhibits for the kids, planetarium shows for everyone, a talk on “Planet 9 and Visiting Pluto: New Discoveries in Our Old Solar System” by ACC faculty and UT researcher Barbara Endl, and guided viewing of the night sky through telescopes. FREE and open to the public. ACC Round Rock Campus, 4400 Campus Park Dr, Round Rock.
- Star Wars: The Fun Awakens (Round Rock) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Meet the Jedi of the Lone Star Saber Academy; take your photo with Star Wars characters; learn how to wield a light saber; witness balloon twisting magic; and enter to win an appearance by the Lone Star Saber Academy at your party or event. FREE! Kaleidoscope Toys, 110 N IH 35, Ste 375, Round Rock.
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For more, check out our Free Fun Calendar!
