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- May 14, 2015

Weekend Top 10 FREE Events (May 15-17, 2015)

By Heidi Gollub
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Weekend Top 10 Free Events Austin

  1. The Taming of the Shrew – Friday, May 15, Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 at 8:00 p.m. From the battle of the sexes to the marriage of true minds, Austin Shakespeare transforms The Taming of the Shrew to Austin of the 1890s, where city folk and cowboys collide. Bring a picnic and a blanket and enjoy Shakespeare under the beautiful evening skies across from Barton Springs Pool. Featuring Gwendolyn Kelso as Kate and Marc Pouhé as Petruchio. Post show audience/actor discussions after each performance. Presented by The City of Austin in coordination with Austin Shakespeare. Check Facebook for weather updates. FREE! Bring $5 for parking in Zilker Park. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
  2. Our Town – Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 17 at 2:30 p.m. Trinity Street Players present Our Town, written by Thornton Wilder and directed by Manuel Zarate. Come see your favorite characters from Grover’s Corners. All performances are FREE and open to the public. Free childcare will be offered May 17 and 23. You must call 512-402-3086 to reserve a space for your child. Reserve your FREE ticket here. Trinity Street Players Black Box Theater, 901 Trinity Street, Austin.
  3. International Multicultural Festival – Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Austin will gather to celebrate the world’s cultures at the inaugural International Multicultural Festival at the Oswaldo A.B. Cantu/Pan American Recreation Center. The first annual International Multicultural Festival will celebrate international multicultural diversity by bringing together people, families, entertainers, and anyone with a passion for culture and international living. The FREE, family-friendly event will feature music, dancing, entertainment and performances, storytelling, an arts and crafts exhibition, hands-on children’s activities, vendors, and much more. Rain or shine. Visit the Facebook page for updates. Oswaldo A.B. Cantu/Pan American Recreation Center, 2100 E 3rd Street, Austin.
  4. 2nd Street Public Art Crawl with Art in Public Places – Saturday, May 16 at 10 a.m. Discover new public art downtown on this guided tour! The crawl starts at City Hall and showcases new artworks along 2nd Street from the Art in Public Places collection. Meet on the southwest side of City Hall Plaza at 10 a.m. for a guided walking tour from Collections Manager Maggie Stenz. Visit Facebook for weather updates. Austin City Hall, 301 W 2nd St, Austin.
  5. Renegade Craft Fair – Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.  Shop for handmade goods, enjoy DJs from Waterloo Records, rent books from Recycled Reads, try a make-and-take craft workshop, and pose for a FREE picture in the Magnolia Photo Booth. Fair Market, 1100 East 5th St., Austin.
  6. West Austin Studio Tour – Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Big Medium presents the 4th West Austin Studio Tour! WEST is an annual, self-guided art event, providing the public with an opportunity to meet the makers: the local artists and artisans who leave a lasting imprint on Austin’s vibrant, dynamic culture. Tour-goers are invited to discover new artistic talent, see working studios, learn about artists’ tools, techniques, and inspirations, and explore unique exhibition spaces and local businesses. See Nicole’s top picks for family friendly stops. FREE! Locations vary.
  7. Splash Day at YMCA of Austin – Saturday, May 16. The YMCA of Austin will open some of its pools with a splash on Saturday! Join the YMCA of Austin at the East or Hays branches on Saturday for a day full of swimming, games, prizes and family entertainment! (Please note that Splash Day at the Northwest branch has been canceled due to the weather.) FREE! Times vary by location.
  8. Ney Day – Saturday, May 16 from 12-5 p.m. Celebrate Elisabet Ney and her legacy of inspiring creativity this weekend! Come hear live music from Elizabeth McQueen and EMQ, as well as SeVana Marimba, Yes Ma’am Brass Band, Naga Valli, and the Djembabes! Enjoy performances from Austin trapeze artist Madi Ward, and hula hoop hero Hullaba Loola. Visit a ton of booths with activities set up by organizations ranging from Girls Rock Camp to Tree Folks! Clay crafting, book making, science projects, sculpting demos and much more, for all ages. Read more about Elisabet Ney here. FREE! Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 E 44th Street, Austin. Postponed due to the rain.
  9. Traditional Peking Opera – Saturday, May 16 from 2-4 p.m. The Austin Peking Opera Club and Chinese Opera Club of Houston present this rare opportunity to see performed selected scenes from four classic Peking operas: Into the Palace the Second Time, Farewell to My Concubine, Lady Mu the Marshal, and Mother-Son Reunion. Chinese and English subtitles will be provided. FREE! Asian American Resource Center Ballroom, 8401 Cameron Road, Austin.
  10. Music Under the Star – Sunday, May 17 from 4-7:30 p.m. Bring chairs and a picnic and enjoy seasoned jazz pianist Larry Natwick, the alternative sound of Tim Abbott & Arcana Mundi and Austin’s purveyors of funky music Extreme Heat. The concert starts at 4 p.m. in the museum rotunda with performances outside on the Lone Star Plaza beginning at 5 p.m. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. FREE! Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Avenue, Austin.

Bonus sweet treats:

  • Lo-Burn Sugar Rush – Saturday, May 16 from 12-5 p.m. Indulge your sweet tooth at the Lo-Burn IBIZ District Sugar Rush. 25 locally owned businesses will be sampling sweet treats and offering sweet deals. The Lo-Burn IBIZ District runs from 44th Street to North Loop along Burnet Rd. See the participating businesses. Lo-Burn IBIZ District, Burnet Road, Austin.

Bonus fun in the ‘burbs:

  1. WCSO Concert: Out of This World (Cedar Park and Round Rock) – Friday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. (Cedar Park) and Saturday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. (Round Rock).  Journey to the final frontier and the land of the Hobbits. Listen to the Orchestra perform themes from: Apollo 13, Battlestar Galactica, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Star Wars, Superman, The Wizard of Oz, plus, Mysterious Journey by Composer-in-Residence, Dr. Daniels. There’s definitely something for the whole family – concert-goers of all ages will enjoy this evening in the park. FREE! Check Facebook for weather updates. Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd, Cedar Park (Friday) and Old Settlers Park – Lake Pavilion, 3300 E Palm Valley Blvd (US 79), Round Rock (Saturday).
  2. Art in the Park (Round Rock) – Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Enjoy plenty of hands-on art experiences and activities for families, along with a face painter and entertainment by a musical guest! The event is FREE and open to the public. Bright Horizons, 7210 Wyoming Springs Drive, Round Rock.
  3. Deutschen Pfest Parade (Pflugerville) – Saturday, May 16 at 10 a.m. The 40th annual Deutschen Pfest parade is happening on Saturday at 10 a.m. (with an 8 a.m. check-in time and judging at 9 a.m.) — and it’s FREE! The parade features marching bands, classic cars, and community organizations and dignitaries (including Chuck Norris). There is also a children’s parade beginning at 10:45, which follows a shorter route down Main Street. Check Facebook for weather updates. (If you plan to head to Deutschen Pfest following the parade, please note that the carnival has been canceled.) Parade route.
  4. Mighty Kite Flight (Bee Cave) – Sunday, May 17 from 12-3 p.m. The contest registration runs from noon to 1 p.m. with the contest beginning at 1 p.m.  The official Mighty Kite Flight will end at 3 p.m., but the Bee Cave Central Park stays open until dusk. FREE! Bee Cave Central Park located at the corner of RR 620 and Bee Cave Parkway. The address is 13676 Bee Cave Parkway, Bee Cave.
  5. Splash Day (Pflugerville) – Saturday, May 16 from 1-8 p.m. FREE admission to Gilleland Creek Pool in conjunction with Deutschen Pfest. Enjoy this special swimming event! Gilleland Creek Pool, 700 N Railroad, Pflugerville.

Saturday, May 16 is Kids to Parks Day.  If you’d like to participate, check out a list of Free Fun in Austin readers’ favorite parks!  Saturday is also the day the City of Austin splash pads turn on for the 2015 season. See the operating schedules for the Austin Area Splash Pads and get splashing!

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