Get out and enjoy our amazing community during this FREE fun weekend! You can celebrate the Mexican American Cultural Center’s anniversary, take the kids to a fun fitness festival or writing workshop, catch some outdoor live music, or stop by a community festival. And don’t forget that Sunday is Austin Museum Day, when you can visit one (or some!) of the 35+ Austin-area museums that are offering FREE admission!
Weekend Top 10 Free Events in Austin:
- 10 Year Anniversary @ Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center– Friday from 6-8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 2-10:00 p.m. Celebrate the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center’s 10th Year Anniversary of their building. The Festival will start on Friday with refreshments, guest speakers, and the Exhibit Opening of 50 Years of Art & Activism by Raul Valdez in the Sam Z. Coronado Gallery. On Saturday, beat the afternoon heat in the auditorium with a FREE performance of the dark comedy Enfrascada at 2:00 p.m., presented by Teatro Vivo. At 4:00 p.m., the interactive Open House and family activities begin, followed by the Ceremonial Grand Opening at 6:00 p.m. Enjoy food, art, and community vendors along with music, dance performances, and special guest speakers in the Zolcalo. FREE! Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St. Austin.
- Fit Kids Fest – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. This FREE event provides children and their families with information about healthy eating and activity choices within our community. Activities include kids yoga, stretching, trampolines, family workouts, a giant rock climbing wall, and even an inflatable obstacle course. There will also be coloring, cooking demonstrations, garden starter kits, plus special appearances from H-E-Buddy and Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs. Sun Radio will be onsite for a live remote. Parking will be available for $8 per car at the Palmer Events Center Garage. Admission is FREE! The Long Center, 701 W Riverside Dr, Austin.
- Oktoberfest at Easy Tiger – Saturday from 11:00 a.m – 2:00 p.m. You are invited to Easy Tiger’s official Oktoberfest celebration and the annual release of Montecore, their special Märzen-style collaboration beer with Austin Beerworks. Enjoy a live polka band, food and beverage specials, and treats for the kids. Admission is FREE! Easy Tiger, 709 E 6th St, Austin.
- Budding Writers Workshop: Lights, Camera, Characters! – Saturday from noon to 2:00 p.m. Do you know a young writer? Do you know a fan of movies? Celebrate the PBS Kids Program with a Budding Writers Workshop. Get all the tools you need to create characters and write exciting stories. There will be stations to learn about how to write action, setting, and dialogue, as well as other hands-on activities and crafts. This family-friendly event is FREE! Barrel O’Fun, 1911 Aldrich St, Ste 120, Austin.
- Literature Live Presents: Strega Nona – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The hilarious tale of a wise old woman, a magic pasta pot, and a foolish young man who learns the hard way that sometimes there really can be too much of a good thing. Based on the book by Tomi dePaola. Recommended for ages 3 and up. FREE! APL – Hampton Branch, 5125 Convict Hill Rd, Austin.
- Saturday Night Concert Series: Johnny Nicholas – Saturday from 7-9:00 p.m. Guests are welcome to lounge on the grassy lawn in the central plaza and enjoy blues music by Johnny Nicholas. Arrive early to shop and dine at Hill Country Galleria retailers and even get your meal delivered straight to your seat in the Central Plaza! Swag bags filled with fun items and discounts will be available throughout the event. Sun Radio 100.1FM will be on-site to emcee the event and introduce you to the band. FREE! Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave.
- Austin Museum Day – Sunday at various times. Austin Museum Day is here! It’s your day to enjoy FREE access to tons of fun exhibits and activities for visitors of all ages at 35+ Austin-area museums. Museum Day visitors will enjoy all variety of special programming including guided tours, hands-on activities, and more. You can even participate in the Austin Museum Day Instagram contest for a chance to win great prizes! (Just visit this page and scroll down for instructions.) FREE! Various locations in the Austin area.
- Oskar Blues Anniversary Community Day – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Oskar Blues is partnering with CAN’d Aid Foundation to do some good in celebration of their anniversary. Help build bikes for elementary students, participate in a music workshop led by Black Fret musicians, and stay for live music starting at 3:00 p.m. Family friendly and FREE! Oskar Blues Brewery, 10420 Metric Blvd, Austin.
- Community Art Sundays: Celebrate Your Creative Voice – Sunday from 2-5:00 p.m. This family-friendly event will feature live music, a Spanish immersion music class for children 0 to 5, interactive performances by Creative Action’s The Heroes/Los Héroes show, Guinean dance with an interactive drum and dance workshop, Makey Makey fruit pianos, storytime and singalong activities en español with MamaLingua, live spinning by Chulita Vinyl Club, and so much more. There will also be FREE food, drinks, KIND Snacks, Bennu Coffee, Cultivo Cafe, and Oskar Blues Brewery Austin beer (21+). Admission is FREE! Center for Creative Action, 2921 E 17th St, Bldg B, Austin.
- Austin Symphonic Band’s Fall Concert in the Park – Sunday from 7-8:30 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to picnic and spread a blanket under the pecan trees at the beautiful Hillside Theater, then watch the stars come out as the band showcases music as big as the great outdoors. Enjoy selections from landmark musicals including Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and West Side Story alongside toe-tapping marches. FREE! Zilker Hillside Theater, 206 William Barton Dr, Austin.
More Fun Beyond Austin:
- Fairytale Threads (Cedar Park) – Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Fairytale Threads is Austin’s own consignment event, held several times throughout the year, designed to turn clutter into cash and give you the opportunity to shop for new and gently loved items at great prices. Find clothes for newborns-kid’s 16, junior sizes, maternity, books, gear, and toys for kids, babies, toddlers, and teens. Hundreds of families are selling tens of thousands of items for amazing prices in a highly organized store-like setting. FREE! Austin Sports Center Cedar Park, 1420 Toro Grande Blvd, Cedar Park.
- Movies in the Park: Sing (Cedar Park)– Friday at 7:30 p.m. Bring your blankets, picnics, and lawn chairs to enjoy a movie under the stars. FREE! Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park.
- Downtown Mermaid Promenade and Aqua Faire (San Marcos) – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., the downtown parade will feature floats, marchers, music, and “all things San Marcos.” Leading the parade will be Austin Samba and Las Monas de San Antonio bringing their brand of “radical creativity, fantasy and imagination” to the parade with a sizzling combination of rhythm, dance, movement, color, joy and . . . giant mermaid puppets. After the parade, head over to San Marcos Plaza Park for the Mermaid Aqua Faire. The San Marcos River serves as the beautiful backdrop to this fun filled FREE festival that has something for Merfolk of all ages. Listen to live music throughout the day while relaxing at this family fun-filled event. Downtown San Marcos.
- Taste of East Austin (Manor) – Saturday from noon to 4:00 p.m. Hosted by new housing community Whisper Valley, this family event will feature live music by Brian Pounds, Mayeux & Broussard, and Aaron McDonnell. FREE food and drinks will be provided by Micklethwait Craft Meats, East Side King, Kona Ice, and Meridian Hive Brewery. Artists will be on-hand from Live Art Mural and Imagine Art Popup Gallery and guests will even be able to shop for the latest fresh food at a Farmer’s Market on-site. FREE! Whisper Valley Community, 9400 Petrichor Blvd, Manor.
