Music Under the Star – Friday from 6-9:00 p.m. Bring the whole family, camp chairs, and blankets to enjoy live music by The Midnight Stroll with Walker Lukens. Concessions available for purchase. FREE! Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, 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.
Family Saturdays: Underwater Cities (RSVP) – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Make a reflective work of art using cool printmaking techniques at this architecture-themed workshop, inspired by the hundredth birthday of the majestic Driscoll Villa. Collaborate with fellow architects on a Lego city and learn more about how buildings are made. Recommended for ages 2-11. FREE with RSVP. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W 35th St, Austin.
#NOFOMO! – Saturday from 1-4:00 p.m. The Dougherty’s first annual #NOFOMO event kicks off with music by the top under 18 musicians in Austin: Ben Buck, Electric Milk, Pacifist Ninjas, Room 24, and The Tiarra Girls. Jump into a live art installation, partake in some slam poetry by Speak Piece, munch out on some free food, and be inspired by Arte Texas street art. All ages welcome. FREE! Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
Summer Free Family Film Series: Gay Purr-ee – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. When house cat Mewsette falls in with the wrong crowd in Paris, mouser Jaune Tom and his friend Robespierre set off to find her. Featuring the voices of Judy Garland and Robert Goulet. (1962, Not rated.) All seats are available on a first come first served basis. FREE! Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, Austin.
Echo and the Bats: Music for Book Lovin’ Kids – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Dance along with Austin’s first all Youth Librarian Band. You’ve seen their storytimes, now come hear some of your favorite kids books put to music. Familiar stories, familiar tunes, all new fun for the whole family. FREE! APL – Yarborough Branch, 2200 Hancock Dr, Austin.
Kids’ Music Sundays: Joe McDermott – 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.
Family Day at the UMLAUF – Sunday from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Explore the collection, create art, listen to stories, practice yoga, watch demos, and enjoy live music. FREE! Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Robert E Lee Rd, Austin.
Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip RV – Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Kids and families are invited to participate in their very own “pop-up” reading festival, meet some of their favorite authors, and engage in fun reading activities. Join Clifford the Big Red Dog and Geronimo Stilton for some awesome photo opportunities, plus check out local authors Varian Johnson, Paige Britt, and Jennifer Ziegler with their fantastic books. Admission is FREE! BookPeople, 603 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
Concerts in the Park: Woodwinds – 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:
Splash Party Movie Night: Raiders of the Lost Ark – Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Watch a classic movie while you cool off in the 72-degree water or picnic on the hill. Movie begins at dusk. The regular pool entrance fee($1-8) covers the movie and pool entrance. Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy Ave, Austin.
Bonus Shopportunity:
Rock Rose Arts Festival – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Enjoy over 50 local artisan vendors along Rock Rose Street in the heart of the The Domain. Admission is FREE! Rock Rose St, 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 Bluegrass Showmen. Georgetown Square.
Music in the Park (Pflugerville) – Friday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, friends, and neighbors for a FREE evening of music, entertainment, and relaxation. This week’s performers are El Tulé. Food and drinks available for purchase. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Rd, Pflugerville.
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.
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.
5th Annual Tomato Round-Up(Dripping Springs) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. There will be covered tomato tasting tables, food to eat, live music to enjoy, games to play, and information from the Hays County Master Gardeners on how to grow the best tomatoes in Central Texas. The stars of the show will be the amazing array of garden-fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes – from the smallest, sweetest cherries to the largest, juiciest slicers, to the richest, most flavorful heirlooms. Admission is FREE! Veterans’ Memorial Park, 140 Mercer St, Dripping Springs.
Hands on History(Georgetown) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Children can get up close and personal with the history of Williamson County, learn something new, and create their own artifacts. This month, learn about the Battle of Gettysburg and Pickett’s charge while making your own Kepi. FREE! Williamson Museum, 716 S Austin Ave, Georgetown.
Finding volunteer opportunities for the whole family can sometimes be challenging. Here are a few of our favorite Austin charities where you can volunteer as a family.
Weekend Top 10 Free Events:
