- Circuit of The Americas Fan Fest – Friday, October 31 from 5 p.m. – midnight, Saturday, November 1 from noon to midnight, and Sunday, November 2 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The three-day festival returns this year with three stages of live performances as well as food and drinks from local restaurants, pubs, food trucks and artisans. There will also be interactive displays and simulators, an X Games-style action-sports zone, activities for kids, and more. View the entertainment schedule here. FREE and open to all ages. Downtown Austin (map).
- Trick-or-Treat for Books – Friday, October 31 at 6 p.m. Gather at BookPeople this Halloween to hear stories full of monsters, ghosts, and witches (but none of them will be too scary). At 6:30 p.m., join the costume parade, which will end at the front of the store where you’ll get your treat – a free book to bring home. This Halloween party is perfect for witches and wizards ages 7 and under. FREE! BookPeople, 603 N Lamar, Austin.
- Haunted House at Dottie Jordan Rec Center – Friday, October 31 from 6-8 p.m. Have a spooktacular time with carnival games, snacks, a haunted house, a cake walk, music, and more. FREE! Dottie Jordan Recreation Center, 2803 Loyola Ln, Austin.
- Movie Night: The Nightmare Before Christmas – Friday, October 31 from 7-10 p.m. A giant inflatable screen will be set up in the field across from Whole Foods Market. Feel free to bring blankets and chairs. Seating starts at 7 p.m. and the movie starts at sunset. Rated PG. FREE! Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Whole Foods Arbor Trails, 4301 W William Cannon Dr, Austin.
- Shakespeare on the Farm: The Tempest – Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m. Present Company presents Shakespeare’s classic tale of love, magic, and one helluva hurricane. Promoting the philosophy of accessible and sustainable art, Shakespeare on the Farm is a FREE event, but a suggested donation of $10-$20 helps support the event and the artists that create it. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or short chair and a picnic, although snacks and donation-based cocktails will be available. Suitable for all ages. Seating starts at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at about 7:30 p.m. RSVP here to guarantee your spot. On Halloween, there will be an audience costume contest, with prizes! This is the final weekend of the show. Rain Lily Farm, 914 Shady Ln, Austin.
- Home Depot Kid’s Workshop: Pallet Coaster – Saturday, November 1 from 9 a.m. – noon. Head to a Home Depot store near you and learn how to build a pallet coaster at this FREE hands-on workshop, designed for children ages 5 – 12. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, and a commemorative pin, while supplies last.
- Austin Nature & Science Center Fall Festival – Saturday, November 1 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Enjoy a FREE family-friendly fall festival! See live owl and bat presentations, find constellations in a planetarium, discover differences between the furs and skulls of different Central Texas animals, and go on a guided hike in the Zilker Nature Preserve. Austin Nature & Science Center, 301 Nature Center Drive, Austin.
- Dia de los Muertos at Mexican American Cultural Center – Saturday, November 1 from 2-10 p.m. Celebrate the cycle of life by remembering loved ones with respect, honor and joy. Family activities (for a small fee), food, live music and dancing for the entire family. Admission is FREE! Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St., Austin.
- Dia de los Muertos at Central Market – Saturday, November 1 from 6- 9 p.m. Bring your family to one of Austin’s cornerstone Dia de los Muertos celebrations! Enjoy Cumbia and Latin dance music plus performances by Austin Samba School. FREE! Central Market, 4001 North Lamar, Austin.
- Free Sunday Museum Fun:
- First Sunday at the Bullock Museum – Sunday, November 2 from 12-5 p.m. Enjoy FREE exhibit admission all day during Free First Sundays, held the first Sunday of every month. Families can explore the Story of Texas through three floors of exhibits that showcase artifacts from around the state. Bullock Museum, 1800 North Congress Avenue, Austin.
- Family Day at Umlauf – Sunday, November 2 from 12-4 p.m. Come explore the UMLAUF while engaging in creative activities! Schedule: 12:30 Yoga; 1:00 Story Time; 1:30 Sculpture Demo; 2:00 Inside Out Steel Band. FREE! Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, 605 Robert E. Lee Road, Austin.
- Susanna Dickinson’s 200th Birthday Celebration – Sunday, November 2 from 1-4 p.m. Live music by the Marshall Ford Swing Band, cannon firing, cake and more! FREE! Joseph and Susanna Dickinson Hannig Museum, 411 East 5th Street, Austin.
- Sunday Funday at Neill-Cochran House Museum – Sunday, November 2 from 1-4 p.m. Every first Sunday of the month the Neill-Cochran House Museum will be open to the public for FREE from 1-4 p.m. Each Sunday will include an activity highlighting a theme that embodies both the history of Texas and the Neill-Cochran House Museum. Walk-through tours of the house will also be available. Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St, Austin.
Bonus fun in the ‘burbs:
- Mall Wide Trick or Treating (Cedar Park) – Friday, October 31 from 5-8 p.m. Bring the family to Lakeline Mall for a night of safe trick-or-treating. FREE! Lakeline Mall, 11200 Lakeline Mall Dr, Cedar Park.
- Treats on East Street (Hutto) – Friday, October 31 from 5:30-8 p.m. Enjoy a safe night of trick-or-treating on the downtown streets. Local businesses will have activity and candy booths on East Street while organizations and churches will set up Trunk or Treat on Farley Street. The entire family is encouraged to dress up and head downtown Halloween night. FREE! Downtown Hutto, Corner of East St and Farley St, Hutto.
- Fable Fest (Cedar Park) – Saturday, November 1 from 12-6 p.m. This one-day event offers a showcase of drama, music, art, and storytelling. Funds raised from the event’s sponsors, vendors and activities will benefit the Cedar Park Public Library. Admission to Fable Fest is FREE, but various activities at the event have fees associated with them. Free entertainment will include musical performances, jousting, archery and fencing demonstrations, and more. Costumes are encouraged! Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd, Cedar Park.
You may also be interested in:
- Halloween $3 Booritos at Chipotle
- This Week’s Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and Fall Fun
- Free Fun in Austin: Date Night Edition
- 2014 Halloween Candy Buy Back Program
- Fairytale Threads Consignment Sale
- Free City of Austin November Events
- Free Fun at Home: Top 10 Pinterest Wins
- Farmer’s Market Roundup 2014
- Celebrate Halloween at The Dinosaur Park
- Free Fun Calendar
Chances to win:
Don’t forget to change your clocks before you go to bed on Saturday night! Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 2 at 2 a.m.
