Celebrate the first weekend of the new year with origami in the garden, hot air balloon fun in a historic home, lightsaber demonstrations downtown, and more!
Weekend Top 10 Free Events in Austin:
- TuneBugz! Demo Classes (RSVP) – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at various times. Children and their caregivers are invited to sing, dance, bounce, and play with TuneBugz! View locations, schedule, and reserve your child’s FREE spot here.
- Kids Workshop: Crate Toolbox (RSVP) – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. You and your child can get to work on a wooden toolbox you can use for keeping anything from art supplies to toys neat and portable. Once the toolbox is built, your child can paint it in their favorite color. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a pin while supplies last. Reserve your child’s FREE spot here. Your local Home Depot.
- Saturday Morning Drawing Salon – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Through these unique workshops, visitors will have an opportunity to draw from Elisabet Ney’s sculptural works in her very own historic artist studio. Each session is hosted by a Museum Educator and all materials are provided. Participation is FREE and open to everyone, regardless of age or level of experience. Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 E 44th St, Austin.
- ZACH Theatre Open House – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The event will include sample classes, performances from ZACH actors, craft activities, and more. FREE! ZACH Theatre, 1510 Toomey Rd, Austin.
- Star Wars Family Fan Day – Saturday from 2-4:00 p.m. Bring the entire family to celebrate all things Star Wars. Enjoy lightsaber demonstrations and hands-on activities with intergalactic arts and crafts. Snap your picture with your favorite Star Wars characters, make a Lego Star Wars masterpiece, and commence your Jedi training in a Star Wars virtual reality experience. Don’t miss Star Wars prize giveaways as well as comic book giveaways. FREE and fun for all ages. (Please note: Ticket purchase is required to see Rogue One or for Museum exhibition admission.) Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, Austin.
- An Afternoon of Storytelling and Singing – Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Austin Shakespeare hosts an afternoon of story reading and singing featuring stories such as The Emperor’s New Clothes and the Three Little Pigs performed by professional actors. Ages 3 and up only, please. FREE! Brentwood Social House, 1601 W Koenig Ln, Austin.
- First Saturdays – Saturday at 6:00 p.m. This once-a-month event will celebrate a range of themes and tie into exhibitions at the museum. It’s family friendly, diverse, and the programming is intelligent. Celebrate our community and have a new experience through art, craft, music, food and conversations. FREE! George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center, 1165 Angelina St, Austin.
- Family Day – Sunday from Noon to 4:00 p.m. January’s Family Day celebrates the New Year and Winter with the Japan-America Society of Austin and activities will include origami and calendar-creating, Kakizome demonstrations, and a Shamisen performance. FREE! UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum, 605 Robert E Lee Rd, Austin.
- Sunday Funday: Hot Air Balloons and Gliders – Sunday from 1-4:00 p.m. While the ability to fly may seem totally routine, there’s nothing quite like the experience of making something that can climb up into the air. This Sunday, using simple, household materials, extra thin plastic bags, string, straws, and birthday candles become balloons that can easily reach the treetops. Staff and volunteers will guide you through the process of building a simple balloon, but you are also encouraged to be your own engineer and experiment with different methods of constructing a lighter-than-air flier. They’ll also have plans for a few simple gliders with some pre-built examples to launch off of the historic balcony. FREE! Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St, Austin.
- Storybook Dance Making – Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Read Earmuffs For Everyone! How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs, dance, play games with your family and design your own earmuffs. Storybook Dance Making consists of a warmup, game, reading, dance making, and mini-performance with your family. This class is ideal for families with children ages 4-8. FREE! RSVP is appreciated here. Recycled Reads, 5335 Burnet Rd, Austin.
More Events Beyond Austin:
- Free Day of Dance (Pflugerville) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Join Lonestar Dance Center for 30-minute demo classes for all ages in all styles. Free breakfast, coffee, great door prizes, discounted registration and FREE dance. Lonestar Dance Center, 2606 FM 1825, Ste 119, Pflugerville.
- Life-Sized Candy Land (Cedar Park) – Saturday from 2-4:00 p.m. Play a life-sized version of the beloved game Candy Land. Families will navigate through this colorful world together and meet Princess Lolly, King Kandy, Lord Licorice, Gloppy the Chocolate Monster and other characters along the way. Sweet treats will be distributed as families race to the finish. Each game takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. FREE! Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd, Cedar Park.
