Festivals in Austin
Austin is a 24-hour town populated by an upstart mix of musicians, techies, film pros, athletes and foodies - and our yearly events calendar shows it. The Austin Marathon draws 20,000 runners from around the world. The inaugural Austin Food + Wine Festival is slated to welcome visitors from across the nation and showcase the best innovative cuisine. Fun Fun Fun Fest is known as the nation's best underground punk and alternative music festival; and Fantastic Fest, which features sci-fi, horror, fantasy and other genre films, has become a favorite of film buffs and celebrities alike. SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Conferences and Festivals expand every year and the Austin City Limits Music Festival will once again welcome 70,000 fans per day to Zilker Park for performances by more than 100 bands.
JANUARY
Martin Luther King Jr. March and Festival
Huston-Tillotson University
The outdoor festival celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with performances by some of the city's finest jazz, blues and gospel musicians. www.mlkcelebration.com
FEBRUARY
Carnaval Brasileiro
Palmer Events Center
Flamboyant costumes, Brazilian samba music, and the uninhibited, spirited atmosphere make Austin's Carnaval one of the biggest such festivals outside of Brazil. www.sambaparty.com
Austin Marathon
Downtown Austin
One of the country's premier races attracts 20,000 participants from around the world. youraustinmarathon.com
MARCH
Rodeo Austin
Travis County Exposition Center
Austin goes cowboy as PCRA competitors hit the arena and area-students exhibit prize livestock. Headline entertainers perform in concert nightly. www.rodeoaustin.com
SXSW
Austin Convention Center and more than 50 venues
Noted filmmakers, musicians and multimedia artists from around the world converge to showcase music, film and interactive media during this internationally-recognized event. Keep an eye out this year for StyleX, the free-and-open-to-the-public fashion marketplace that's giving the event a new, chic edge. www.sxsw.com
Capitol 10,000
Congress Avenue to Auditorium Shores
Texas' largest 10K race and one of the nation's top runs draws some 10,000 serious and not-so-serious runners. www.statesman.com/cap10k
Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and Urban Music Festival
Mike A. Myers Stadium, UT campus
The premier track & field event brings together the best high school, college and professional athletes from Texas, the U.S. and the world. The weekend wraps up with the Urban Music Festival on Saturday, which features soul, R&B and hip hop artists. www.texassports.com, www.urbanmusicfest.com
APRIL
Art City Austin
Downtown Austin
Nearly 200 national artists, top local restaurants, two music stages and hands-on art activities make this one of the city's favorite festivals. www.artallianceaustin.org
Austin Food + Wine Festival
Across Austin
Formerly the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, the Austin Food + Wine Festival, produced by C3 Presents, will welcome top chefs from across the nation. Food + Wine Magazine is on board as a sponsor, and proceeds benefit the Austin Food + Wine Alliance. www.austinfoodandwinefestival.com
MAY
Latino Music Month
Various Venues
The many Latino music genres are showcased during performances on the Plaza at Austin City Hall each Friday at noon as well as other special events throughout the month. www.austinlatinomusic.com
Old Pecan Street Spring Arts Festival
East Sixth Street
Musicians, food vendors, artists and craftspeople turn Sixth Street, originally named Pecan Street, into a lively street fair. www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com
JUNE
Austin PRIDE
Fiesta Gardens
Austin's GLBT community comes together with live music performances, film screenings, a 5K run, parades and more. www.austinpride.org
Night of the Bat
Paramount Theatre and Congress Avenue Bridge
This annual event celebrates Austin's most unique attraction and includes a film screening of "Batman," a 5K Bat Run/Walk, a free live music performance, and the chance to see the world's largest urban bat colony take flight at dusk. www.ci.austin.tx.us
Republic of Texas Biker Rally
Travis County Exposition Center and Sixth Street
The state's largest motorcycle gathering attracts thousands of bikers for rides, parades and music.
www.rotrally.com
JULY
Fourth of July Fireworks & Symphony
Auditorium Shores
The Austin Symphony hosts an annual concert of patriotic music that culminates in a spectacular fireworks display over Lady Bird Lake. www.austinsymphony.org
AUGUST
Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival
Waterloo Park
Join amateurs and pros alike as they offer their hottest sauces in a taste-off. www.austinchronicle.com
SEPTEMBER
Fantastic Fest
Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar and various venues
The nation's premier genre film festival showcases the best in anime, horror, sci-fi and adventure movies. www.fantasticfest.com
OCTOBER
Austin City Limits Music Festival
Zilker Park
One of the country's largest celebrations of music, the three-day festival brings the magic of the famed public TV series Austin City Limits outside the studio and into Austin's most beloved park with more than 130 musical acts on 8 stages. www.aclfestival.com
Texas Book Festival
Texas State Capitol
Hear readings and attend signings with some of your favorite authors, visit the children's chapter tent, and enjoy live music and poetry readings. www.texasbookfestival.org
Austin Film Festival
Paramount Theatre and various locations
Recognized as one of the top film festivals in the country, this cinematic event shines the spotlight on top-billed films and Indies alike. www.austinfilmfestival.com
NOVEMBER
Fun Fun Fun Fest
Auditorium Shores
National touring indie rock, hip hop, punk, electronica and metal bands converge on Austin's urban park for two days of music. There is also a comedy stage, as well as on-site screen printing, shopping and food. www.funfunfunfest.com
Formula 1
Formula One with its ultra-fast cars and flair brings the United States Grand Prix to Austin. circuitoftheamericas.com/
Chuy's Christmas Parade
Congress Avenue
A procession of giant balloons, marching bands, vintage cars, celebrities and floats usher in the season of giving. www.chuysparade.com
DECEMBER
Austin Holiday Sing-a-long and Downtown Stroll
Texas Capitol and Congress Avenue
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Following a traditional Christmas carol sing-a-long on the south steps of the Texas Capitol, stroll down Congress Avenue and enjoy live entertainment, shopping and holiday spirit. The Avenue's shops, restaurants, galleries and museums will be open late and feature specials. www.downtownaustin.com/holidays
Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
Palmer Event Center
Shades of old Austin are reflected at this market of eclectic gift items and local entertainment.
512-447-1605, www.armadillobazaar.com
Austin's New Year
Auditorium Shores
This alcohol-free, family-friendly event celebrates the diversity and creativity of the city with visual art installations, actors, jugglers, storytellers, dancers, fire dancers, face painters, elaborate costumes, and other festive performances. www.ci.austin.tx.us/holidays/any.htm
