It’ll be easy to kick July off right with this weekend’s FREE events! You can build a bug house, meet and adopt a furry friend, dance to great live music, and more. There are even some opportunities to get a head start on Independence Day festivities! Check out Where to See the Best 4th of July Festivals & Fireworks in Austin for more ways to celebrate our nation’s birthday.
A big thanks to our sponsor, tuneBugz! Summer is here and tuneBugz! invites you to enjoy a FREE demo music and movement class at any of their summer locations from Sunday, July 2nd to Saturday, July 8th. TuneBugz! offers Music Together® a research based music and movement class for early childhood. This playful and developmentally appropriate exploration of music is free of formal instruction and performance pressures, thus creating a positive musical bond for families that can last a lifetime. Just click here to reserve your FREE spot in a tuneBugz! demo class.
Weekend Top 10 Free Events in Austin:
- Home Depot Kids’ Workshop (RSVP)– Saturday from 9:00 a.m to noon. Build a bug house you can use to get a closer look at some many-legged friends in your own backyard. Once the project is complete, your child can personalize their bug house with paint. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, and a commemorative pin while supplies last. Children must be present at the store to participate in the workshop and receive the kit, apron, and pin. Choose your location and register here. FREE! Your local Home Depot.
- Kids Yoga at Whole Foods – Saturday at 10:00 a.m. You are invited to a FREE yoga class with Bliss Kid Yoga in the Arbor Trails cafe. All ages and abilities welcome. Whole Foods Arbor Trails, 4301 W William Cannon Dr, Austin.
- Kittypalooza – Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The heat is on, so it’s the “purrfect” time to join a bunch of really cool cats at the tenth annual KittyPalooza. At this event, adoption fees for all shelter pets will be waived. All cats and dogs will be spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated—a value of more than $200. Sponsored in part by the Friends of the Austin Animal Center, the first 100 cat adopters at Austin Animal Center will get goodie bags of supplies for their new pet(s) to enjoy. FREE! Austin Animal Center, 7201 Levander Loop, Austin.
- First Saturday at the Carver – Saturday at 1:00 p.m. This free, once-a-month event for people of color celebrates a range of themes each month. It’s family friendly, diverse, and the programming is intelligent. This month there will be a film screening, conflict resolution training, a cultural arts funding workshop, community gardening activities, entertainment featuring local artists and musicians, vendors, discussions, and more. FREE! George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center, 1165 Angelina St, Austin.
- Summer Free Family Film Series: The Black Cauldron – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. A young boy and a bunch of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can. Rated PG. Attention Parents: Suggested age is 10 due to frightening/intense scenes. Attendance is FREE, no ticket is required. Simply show up for line queuing outside of the Spirit Theater on the second floor of the museum. Bullock members will have priority seating which begins at 1:30 p.m. Members must present their membership card at the theater for early access. All other guests will begin seating at 1:40 p.m. Concessions from the IMAX lobby will be allowed in the theater. FREE! The Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave, Austin.
- Rivertime Live on the Porch – Saturday from 3-5:00 p.m. Rivertime is an eclectic Folk/Pop duo with wonderful harmonies. They make music that makes you smile and that you can enjoy without ear plugs. Check out in.gredients’ new playscape while you are there! Family friendly and FREE! in.gredients, 2610 Manor Rd, Austin.
- Hey Lolly Band Performance – Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Enjoy a rainbowlicious, puddle-stomping, monster-marching good time. FREE! Cherrywood Coffeehouse, 1400 E 38th 1/2 St, Austin.
- H-E-B Free First Sunday: Red, White Blues – Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. Celebrate our nation’s birthday with activities that are as American as apple pie. From creating a hat for the festive parade to writing a bluesy summer tune, there will be lots of creative fun! Enjoy FREE exhibition admission all day during. Families can explore the Story of Texas through three floors of exhibitions that showcase artifacts from around the state. Special family programs from 12-3:00 p.m. combine art creation, exploration stations, and gallery activities. FREE! Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave, Austin.
- The Hoots Live – Sunday at 3:00 p.m. The Hoots play fun and whimsical songs for children that adults enjoy as well, mixing life lessons like, “you don’t have to be famous to be good at what you do,” with buzzing bees and leaping tree frogs. They encourage audience participation, bringing a box of percussion instruments to each of their shows. Recommended for ages 5-10. FREE! APL – Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd, Austin.
- Fireworks at The Quarries – Sunday at sundown. Bring the whole family to the Quarries for one of the best fireworks shows in Austin, presented by American Fireworks. You can cook out on your grill, play games with the kids, and enjoy some great fellowship. Bring a blanket and some chairs and make an afternoon of it. FREE! The Quarries, 11400 N Mopac Expy, Austin.
Bonus Nearly Free Fun:
- Woodland Faerie Trail – Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The award-winning, 5th annual Woodland Faerie Trail features faerie homes and gardens created by Austin area gardeners, architects, artisans, businesses, clubs, families, and school groups. Explore the abodes of the faeries and gnomes along the Woodland Faerie Trail through the escarpment pathway and see who is home. Read about Emily’s experience here. FREE with Garden admission, which is $1-3 (for ages 3+). Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
More Fun 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 Woundloose Band. Georgetown Square.
- Music in the Park: Jimmy T & The Teardrops (Pflugerville) – Friday at 7:30 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, friends, and neighbors for a FREE evening of music, entertainment, and relaxation. Food will be available for purchase beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Rd, Pflugerville.
- Bastrop Patriotic Festival (Bastrop) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Celebrate a fun-filled day featuring a water wonderland for the kids, contests, a petting zoo, a car show with the Bastrop Area Cruisers, children’s activity area, a DJ playing music all day, a washer (with cash prizes) and domino tournament, tons of awesome food and treats, the Austin Symphonic band, and fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Admission is FREE but some activities may require a fee. Fisherman’s Park, 1200 Willow St, Bastrop.
- Family Fun Day (San Marcos) – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Celebrate the fourth of July weekend with a family-friendly event that’s fun for all ages, featuring environmental activities and crafts. FREE! Spring Lake Park, 201 San Marcos Springs Dr, San Marcos.
