- Texas Robot Roundup – Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1. Texas Robot Roundup is back! Join the excitement at the Austin Convention Center. High school teams compete and demo their designs. See the schedule. FREE for spectators! Austin Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 5, 500 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin.
- Purple Martin Parties – Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1, from 7:45-9 p.m. Travis Audubon Society is hosting FREE Purple Martin Parties! Capital Plaza, 5451 N I-35 Frontage Rd, Austin.
- Zilker Summer Musical: Hairspray – Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 2 at 8:15 p.m. Zilker Theatre Production’s summer musical is a cherished Austin cultural event. The 57th Annual Zilker Summer Musical, Hairspray, winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, is a high-energy musical comedy phenomenon that will have the whole Hillside on their feet. Set in 1962 Baltimore, this musical is chock full of dazzling, toe-tapping production numbers and soulful rhythm and blues. FREE; donations greatly appreciated. Bring $5 to park in Zilker Park. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
- Home Depot Kids Workshop: Chalkboard Door Hanger – Saturday, August 1, from 9 a.m. – noon. Head to a Home Depot near you for a FREE hands-on workshop, designed for children ages 5 – 12.
- 5th Annual Austin Pet Expo – Saturday, August 1, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, August 2, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. This annual FREE event is all about the pooches! Head to the Expo this weekend for FREE nail trims, plus discounted vaccinations, microchipping, DNA testing and more. There will be adoptions and fabulous prize giveaways for both two-legged and four-legged visitors! Well-behaved pets are welcome. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
- Landmarks Guided Tour of Bass Concert Hall – Sunday, August 2 at 10 a.m. August is Austin’s hottest month. Escape the blistering summer temperatures and join The University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts’ Landmarks for a docent-led tour of art in Bass Concert Hall, on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The collection features striking examples of postwar and contemporary sculpture from influential artists such as Magdalena Abakanowicz and Ursula von Rydingsvard. FREE and open to the public. Meet at 10 a.m. in front of Bass Concert Hall (map) near 23rd Street and Robert Dedman Drive on The University of Texas at Austin campus.
- Free First Sunday at the Bullock: Story Telling – Sunday, August 2, from 12-5 p.m. Enjoy FREE admission to the exhibits from 12-5 p.m., with special programming for families from 12-3 p.m. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Avenue, Austin.
- Umlauf Family Day – Sunday, August 2, from 12-4 p.m. Enjoy a family friendly day in the garden, with yoga, storytime, clay creations, and music. FREE! Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, 605 Robert E Lee Rd, Austin.
- Annual Splash Mob – Sunday, August 2 at 2:30 p.m. Bring your squirt guns, all filled up! Bring water balloons, a water cannon, laser-seeking water grenades, or whatever you’ve got! Wear goggles if you have them, and prepare to get wet. The fun starts at 2:30 p.m. at the corner of 6th and Trinity in downtown Austin.
- Austin Symphony Hartman Foundation “Concerts in the Park” – Sunday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. The Hartman Foundation FREE “Concerts in the Park,” presented by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, bring the community together, just as similar events did in town centers years ago. This Sunday, the Strings ensemble will play. Free Parking is available at One Texas Center located on Barton Springs Rd. at S. 1st Street. Long Center, 701 W Riverside, Austin.
Bonus Back to School Events:
- Back to School Clothing Swap – Saturday, August 1, from 9 a.m. to noon. Donate what you can and take what you need. Accepting donations of clothing in sizes from infant to adult. FREE! Crestview United Methodist Church, 1300 Morrow St, Austin.
- TRACE Ice Cream Social – Sunday, August 2, from 3-5 p.m. Chef Angel is whipping up tons of frosty sweets and treats for kids of all ages, plus homemade Fido ice cream for four-legged family members. Admission is FREE! Guests are encouraged to bring school supply donations for SafePlace’s back to school drive. Learn more about supplies needed here: http://safeplace.org/backtoschool. TRACE Patio, 200 Lavaca Street, Austin.
You may also be interested in:
- Free Date Nights in Austin
- Free and $1 Movies this Week
- “Don’t Miss” Free Events in August
- Park Profile: Mary Moore Searight
Plus, your chance to win in this week’s giveaways:
