This weekend in Austin, enjoy dancing and drumming, Shakespeare under the stars, a chalk festival, a book festival, free museum admission, and more!
Weekend Top 10 Free Events in Austin:
- American Indian Heritage Day – Friday from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Celebrate the traditional and contemporary arts of Texas’s American Indian groups. This FREE public program will honor American Indians of yesterday and today with dancing and drumming performances. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, Austin.
- Shakespeare at the Market: Twelfth Night (RSVP) – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. This is the last weekend to catch Present Company’s third annual Shakespeare at the Market on the rooftop of the downtown Austin Whole Foods Market. Seating begins at 6:30 for a 7:00 p.m. performance. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or short chair, and grab picnic goodies before the show. Promoting the philosophy of “accessible & sustainable art,” Shakespeare at the Market is a FREE event, however a $20 donation is suggested for guests able to support. Reserve your tickets here. Bus Routes: 4, 21, 22, 338 will get you there! Plan your trip online or on your smartphone. Whole Foods, 525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
- Movie Night at Community Cinema: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Friday at 7:00 p.m. Grab chairs and a blanket, bring family and friends, and enjoy a special screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Arrive early to explore Community First! Village, pick your spot, and enjoy an 80s favorite on the big screen. Candy, popcorn, water, and sodas will be available for purchase (cash only). Concession sales and tips help Community First! friends who will be serving you to earn a modest living income. Movie begins at sundown. Read about Emily’s experience at Community Cinema here. Reserve your FREE tickets here. Rated PG-13. Community First! Village, 9301 Hog Eye Rd, Austin.
- Texas Teen Book Festival – Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. This FREE one-day event celebrates the teen reading experience by inviting fans to visit with some of the most popular and critically acclaimed young adult authors in the country. View the full event schedule here. St. Edward’s University, 3001 S Congress Ave, Austin.
- Domain NORTHSIDE Debut Celebration – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Celebrate the opening of many Domain NORTHSIDE benchmark brands, including Nordstrom, with fun for the whole family. Enjoy children’s activities at the NORTHSIDE Lawn, including a sidewalk chalk artist, balloon twisters, kite building, children’s storytelling, and puppet shows. FREE! Domain NORTHSIDE, Palm Way and Rock Rose, Austin.
- Southpark After Dark Fall Concert Series – Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The second show in the series features Clockwork, a San Antonio cover band, playing an assortment of ’80s pop and rock music. This is a family friendly event with live music, a play area, and restaurant patios with a view. FREE! The Grove at Southpark Meadows, 9600 S IH 35, Austin.
- Landmarks Public Art Dog Walk with Blue Dog Rescue – Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Fetch your pooch and head to campus for a docent-led public art dog walk. Dogs and owners will take a leisurely one-hour stroll around The University of Texas at Austin to appreciate some of its most stunning works of outdoor sculpture. Bring your dog, a leash, and plenty of waste bags. Don’t have a four-legged friend? Meet and greet some of Blue Dog Rescue’s most eligible canines. FREE! Meet at 24th Street and Speedway, Austin.
- H-E-B Free First Sunday: Butterflies at the Bullock – Sunday from Noon to 3:00 p.m. Learn about butterflies through demonstrations and art-making activities, then take part in the Butterfly Project and celebrate butterflies as representatives of hope and life. Create a butterfly, listen to a story about their life cycle, learn about their migratory behaviors, and more. FREE! Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, Austin.
- Sunday Funday: Simple Fabric Dyeing – Sunday from 1-4:00 p.m. Printed, dyed, woven, spun, embroidered–the list goes on: what you wear depends on what you can do to turn cotton, wool, silk, linen, and synthetics into finished fabric. But what is life like when dyed and patterned fabric is scarce or even unavailable? This Sunday, tackle the project of turning ordinary cloth into something more interesting using simple techniques and materials. FREE! Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St, Austin.
- Family Fun at the Art Garage – Sunday from 2-4:00 p.m. Have a ghoulishly good time making Halloween crafts. All Halloween pottery will be on special in the studio and there will be carnival games, too. FREE! The Art Garage, 11190 Circle Dr, Ste 202, Austin.
More Events Beyond Austin
- Chalk Walk and Arts Festival (Round Rock) – Friday from 5-10:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Enjoy chalk artists creating artwork on the streets, festival groups, musicians, vocal groups, theatrical performances, food and drinks, and children’s performances by local organizations and schools. Admission is FREE! Centennial Plaza, 301 W Bagdad, Round Rock.
- Star Party (Cedar Park) – Friday at 8:00 p.m. (Please note new start time.) 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.
- Pfamily Pfestival & Expo (Pflugerville) – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. More than 80 merchant booths, door prizes, children’s activities, performers, demonstrations, and public safety displays will be part of the Expo. Admission is FREE! Stone Hill Town Center, 18820 Hill Top Commercial Dr, Pflugerville.
- Harvest Fest (Pflugerville) – Sunday from 1-4:00 p.m. Enjoy food, games, live music, and a tour of the historic Heritage House Museum. Admission is FREE! Heritage House Museum, 901 Old Austin Hutto Rd, Pflugerville.
