Attend a purple martin party, play at Bubblepalooza, stomp like Shrek, dance under the Bullock’s big star, and more. Get ready for another great weekend in Austin, Texas!
Weekend Top 10 Free Events in Austin:
- Free Admission at the Umlauf – Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Through the generous donations of our community during Amplify Austin, the museum and garden will waive admission fees all summer long. (Please note that the garden is closed on Mondays.) FREE! Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Robert E Lee Rd, Austin.
- Music Under the Star – Friday from 6-9:00 p.m. Bring the whole family, camp chairs, and blankets to enjoy live music by Grammy Award winners Los TexManiacs with special guest and “Living Legend” Flaco Jiménez. Concessions available for purchase. FREE! Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, Austin.
- Get Pop-Cultured – Friday at 7:00 p.m. (Star Wars) and Saturday at 4:00 p.m. (Pokémon) and 7:00 p.m. (Manga) It’s time for Get Pop-Cultured, Barnes & Noble’s annual celebration of fanboys, fangirls, and pop-culture. Experience family-friendly activities, games, giveaways (while supplies last), trivia, special promotions, cosplay, and more. FREE! All Barnes & Noble locations.
- Purple Martin Party – Friday and Saturday from 8-9:30 p.m. Join Travis Audubon to watch a hurricane of birds as hundreds of thousands of Purple Martins “swirl” into their roosting site each evening. Binoculars are optional. Lawn chairs, cameras, and hats or umbrellas are recommended. FREE! Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Central (parking lot), 5901 N IH-35, Austin.
- Shrek: the Musical – Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8:15 p.m. Zilker Theatre Production’s summer musical is a cherished Austin cultural event. Shrek The Musical brings the beloved characters from the popular animated films to life on stage. Irreverently fun for the whole family, Shrek proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre. There is no charge for parking on Thursdays and Fridays. On Saturdays and Sundays, you must pay $5 per car at the meter. FREE; donations greatly appreciated. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
- Bubblepalooza! – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Activities include live music from the Kupira Marimba, The Biscuit Brothers, and Big Don; theatre for the very young (0-4 years) presented by Pollyanna Theatre Company; food trucks; arts and crafts; local vendors; a coloring corner; face painting; plus ticket giveaways and specials throughout the day. Admission is FREE! Parking will be available for $8 per car at the Palmer Events Center Garage. Long Center Terrace, 701 W Riverside Dr, Austin.
- The Que Pastas Kids Shows – Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Two FREE family-friendly friendly concerts for young and old alike. Saturday at Strange Brew and Sunday at Cherrywood Coffeehouse. Strange Brew, 5326 Manchaca Rd, Austin and Cherrywood Coffeehouse, 1400 E 38 1/2 St, Austin.
- Rock the Rose Summer Street Concert – Saturday from 3-9:00 p.m. The FREE concert will feature various cover bands and independent artists from Austin and beyond. Ryan Holley, Denny Herrin Band, Dirty Black Flannel, Southtown, and a variety of DJs will take over the stage in front of Kung Fu Saloon. In addition to the live music, East Side King’s Thai-Kun, General Tso’Boy and more will be selling food with proceeds benefiting local nonprofit Globetrotting for Good. The Dogwood Rock Rose, 11420 Rock Rose Ave, Austin.
- Kids’ Music Sundays: The Hey Lolly Band – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Enjoy a kid-friendly live music performance on the Public Domain outdoor stage, right behind the mini play area. FREE! Whole Foods Domain, 11920 Domain Dr, Austin.
- Concerts in the Park: Strings – Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Austin Symphony Hartman Foundation “Concerts in the Park” will return to the Long Center for a 14th season of FREE ensemble concerts on summer Sunday evenings. Each week, a different ensemble will be featured, performing music from jazz and light classical to pops selections and film scores. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner and blanket and make it a group outing. Long Center Terrace, 701 W Riverside Dr, Austin.
Bonus Nearly Free Fun:
- PBS Kids at the Alamo – Odd Squad: The Movie – Saturday at 1:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:35 p.m. The Alamo Drafthouse and our local PBS station are teaming up for a family screening of Odd Squad: The Movie along with themed activities and giveaways. This is an all-ages show with Baby Day rules – noisy young fans won’t be asked to leave the theater. Tickets are available for a $1 – $3 donation. Saturday: Alamo Slaughter, 5701 W Slaughter Ln, Austin. Sunday: Alamo Lakeline, 14028 N US Highway 183, Bldg F, Austin.
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Hands On History – Saturday from 6-9:00 p.m. Climb inside a M4A3 Sherman tank, a German Hetzer, WWII and post war era jeeps, Kiowa and Raven helicopters, US and German halftracks, an M113, and more. Weapons from the Civil War through the War on Terror will be available to touch and pick up, including all the standard infantry weapons and anti tank weapons. Uniformed reenactors will also be available to discuss the history of each weapon. Tickets are $5 at the door. (Children under 6 are FREE!) All proceeds benefit the Texas Military Forces Museum and its programs. The Texas Military Forces Museum, 2200 W 35th St, Bldg 6, Austin.
- Pokémon Go with Round Rock Express (Round Rock) – Sunday at 4:45 p.m. The Round Rock Express are opening the gates early at Dell Diamond for fans to play Pokémon Go on the field before the E-Train takes on the Sacramento River Cats. Using the online code “pokemon” (case sensitive) fans can purchase $11 infield reserved or $5 lawn tickets. The special Pokemon Go ticket will allow fans entrance to Dell Diamond through a gate at home plate beginning at 4:45 p.m. The outfield will be opened for Pokemon trainers from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Tickets are only available online using the discount code. Fans can purchase tickets here. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock.
Bonus Shopportunity:
- Growth Chart Ruler Pop-Up Shop – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Join White Loft for a growth chart ruler pop-up shop. Canvas, burlap and wooden growth charts will all be available. Stop by, say hello, and shop growth charts along with the beautiful items inside the store. Pottery Barn Arboretum at Great Hills, 10000 Research Blvd, Austin.
- Cones for a Cause – Sunday from 12:30 – 10:00 p.m. Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with a scoop while giving some joy to those who need it the most. Lick Honest Ice Creams will donate 5% of their sales proceeds on July 17th to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Lick Honest Ice Creams, 1100 S Lamar Blvd, Ste 1135 and 6555 Burnet Rd, Austin.
More Events Beyond Austin:
- Music On the Square (Georgetown) – Friday at 6:30 p.m. The “Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas” will be the stage for FREE weekly Friday night concerts featuring regional musicians from June through August. Bring chairs or a blanket and beverages to enjoy music from The Wilson String Family Band. Georgetown Square.
- Penfold in the Park: Comedy of Errors (Round Rock) – Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Show up with a blanket or chair and enjoy Shakespeare’s breeziest and most farcical comedy, overflowing with slapstick, romance, word play, and mistaken identities. The show runs about one hour and forty minutes with intermission and is recommended for middle school ages and up. FREE but donations are appreciated. Round Rock Amphitheater, 301 W. Bagdad Ave, Round Rock.
- Movies In the Park: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Hutto) – Friday at 8:45 p.m. Bring your chairs, blankets, coolers, and popcorn to enjoy a movie under the stars. Show begins at sundown (about 9:00 p.m.) Rated PG-13. FREE! Creekside Park Field, 305 Orchard Way, Hutto.
- Star Party (Cedar Park) – Friday at 9:00 p.m. Star gaze on a state-of-the art computer guided telescope. View through the telescope, take telescope assisted photos with your smartphone, and learn major stars and constellation positions along with the planets and moons. Learn how to read a star map, and much more. Weather permitting. FREE! Texas Museum of Science & Technology, 1220, Toro Grande Dr, Cedar Park.
- Beach Party (Elgin) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Build sandcastles, slide down a waterslide, eat watermelon, drink lemonade, and more. FREE! Elgin Memorial Park, 1127 N Main St, Elgin.
