Art thrives in Austin. It's apparent in our world-class museums, rocking music scene and growing film presence. Whether you are looking to view a curated collection or marvel at the stories behind street murals, Austin is a destination for creators and art lovers alike. With arts events happening almost monthly in the capital city, you'll likely have a chance to experience some of Austin's creative soul and spirit while you're in town. Plan your next trip around one of these top art fairs and festivals.
Courtesy of Austin Blues Festival.
Spring
March
SXSW® Music, Film and Interactive Conference and Festival
Downtown Austin
Every spring, crowds descend on downtown Austin to experience the world-renowned SXSW Conference & Festivals. Consisting of four main components, Innovation, Music, Comedy and Film, each track brings top creatives and global professionals together to collaborate during this exciting 7-day event.
sxsw.com
April
Austin Blues Festival
Moody Amphitheater
Presented by Austin institution Antone's Nightclub and Waterloo Greenway, jam out to a full weekend of Blues tunes at the Annual Austin Blues Festival. Listen to music from blues legends, try delicious food, and browse the curated collection of vinyl at Big Henry's Pop-up.
austinbluesfestival.com
Austin Reggae Fest
Auditorium Shores
The Austin Reggae Festival raises money for the Capital Area Food Bank through three days of fun-filled reggae music from around the world. The fest also features more than 50 vendors selling food and art, and that's a great reason to plan a weekend road trip.
austinreggaefest.com
Eeyore's Birthday Party
Pease Park
Live music, local beer, food, acrobats and costume contests surround this annual gathering of Austin's most eclectic locals. Eeyore's Birthday serves as a fundraiser to benefit many local non-profits.
eeyores.org
Fusebox Festival
Various Locations
Fusebox is a hybrid arts festival that champions adventurous works of art in theater, dance, film, music, literature, visual and culinary arts. The festival takes place over 5 days in venues and locations all over the city. Hundreds of local, national, and international artists across all disciplines converge for one of the most unique cultural events in the country.
fuseboxfestival.com
May
Austin Fashion Week
The Domain
The annual Austin Fashion Week, hosted by Fashion by Texas, returns this spring with special showcases featuring emerging designers, black designers, local student designers, and more.
atxfashionweek.com
Austin Psych Fest
The Far Out Lounge & Stage
This long-running music fest evolved into LEVITATION in 2014, but the team behind LEVITATION restored the beloved event in 2023. Austin Psych Fest features a lineup of psych-rock, dream pop, and indie rock bands with local visual artists and a Mad Alchemy Light Show.
levitation.fm
ATX Television Festival
Various Locations
ATX Television Festival is a celebration of all things TV with a weekend of panels, screenings, and parties. Hang out with your favorite past and present sitcom heroes at this star-studded festival.
atxfestival.com
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
Various Locations
The Cine Las Americas International Film Festival focuses on contemporary film and video from Latin America (North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean) and the Iberian Peninsula. Documentaries, films, and videos are made by and about Latinos living in the U.S. and around the world. The festival also features several films and videos about the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
cinelasamericas.org
Illfest
Travis County Expo Center
ILLfest features masters of their craft in electronic music and visual arts. This two-day festival is Austin's largest electronic dance festival showcasing over 50 artists and the largest collection of murals and street art in the state.
illfest.com
Spring Pecan Street Festival
Hill Country Galleria
The Pecan Street Festival is a free two-day arts festival held twice yearly at the Hill Country Galleria. Taking place the first Saturday & Sunday in May and the last Saturday & Sunday in September, the juried festival attracts local and national artisans offering original handcrafted creations in a variety of mediums, from metal, wood, fiber, clay, leather, glass and stone to repurposed materials of all kinds.
pecanstreetfestival.org
Summer
June
African American Book Festival
George Washington Carver Center
This free literary event showcases new works by and about African Americans. Notable speakers and authors will discuss their works and facilitate conversations.
aaabookfest.com
Austin Asian American Film Festival
AFS Cinema
The Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) celebrated feature filmmakers’ unique voices and created a forum where viewers can come together to experience the wide array of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) perspectives.
aaafilmfest.org
July
Zilker Summer Musical
Zilker Hillside Theater
Pack a picnic and come enjoy the free, annual musical at the Zilker Hillside Theater. The outdoor theatre troupe will host live performances Thursdays through Sundays, beginning around 8:15 p.m.
zilker.org
August
Sketch Fest
ColdTowne Theater
Austin Sketch Fest showcases the best-scripted comedy from Austin and the wilderness beyond. Produced, booked, and organized by ColdTowne Theater, this year's festival features over 20 headliners from all around the US.
atxsketchfest.com
Zilker Summer Musical
Zilker Hillside Theater
Pack a picnic and come enjoy the free, annual musical at the Zilker Hillside Theater. The outdoor theatre troupe will host live performances Thursdays through Sundays, beginning around 8:15 p.m.
zilker.org
Fall
September
Austin Museum Day
Museums Across Austin
Organized by the Austin Museum Partnership, this special day features free exhibitions and activities at participating Austin-area museums and cultural sites.
austinmuseums.org
Pecan Street Festival. Credit Manya Pandya Photography.
Fall Pecan Street Festival
Historic Sixth Street
The Pecan Street Festival is a free two-day arts festival held twice yearly in downtown Austin’s Sixth Street Historic District. Taking place the first Saturday & Sunday in May and the last Saturday & Sunday in September, the juried festival attracts hundreds of local and national artisans offering original handcrafted creations in a variety of mediums, from metal, wood, fiber, clay, leather, glass and stone to repurposed materials of all kinds.
pecanstreetfestival.org
Fantastic Fest
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action, and just plain fantastic movies from around the world.
fantasticfest.com
October
aGLIFF Prism Film Festival
Various Locations
aGLIFF is the oldest and largest gay and lesbian film fest in the Southwest and the largest LGBTQI+ cultural event in Austin. The event will offer features and short films showcasing the wide-ranging experiences of Queer people.
agliff.org
Austin Film Festival
Various Locations
Recognized as one of the top film festivals in the country, the Austin Film Festival shines the spotlight on top-billed films and indies, along with a renowned conference that focuses on screenwriting.
austinfilmfestival.com
LEVITATION
Various Venues across Austin
This independent psychedelic music and art festival has grown from a small word-of-mouth event to an internationally acclaimed, full weekend that attracts bands and attendees from all over the world. This four-day event comes to many diverse venues and art spaces across the Red River Cultural District and east side venues.
levitation-austin.com
Viva La Vida Fest
Downtown Austin
Hosted by the Mexic-Arte Museum, the long-running annual Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibition pays tribute to the tradition that celebrates the return of the dead by their families and friends.
mexic-artemuseum.org
November
Austin Powwow
Travis County Expo Center
For more than 25 years the Austin Powwow has been the largest of its kind in Texas, featuring American Indian dancing, singing, arts & crafts, and food.
austinpowwow.net
Austin Studio Tour
Studios Across Austin
The Austin Studio Tour is a free, self-guided art event that combines the West Austin Studio Tour and East Austin Studio Tour to provide opportunities for artists all over Austin to connect with each other and for the public to experience art safely both in person and virtually.
atxstudiotour.com
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
The Blue Genie Art Bazaar is a fixture of the Austin holiday season. With in-person and virtual shopping alternatives, shoppers can browse thousands of original works ranging from serious art to fun and kitschy items from November through December. A great way to buy hassle-free holiday gifts and support local artists.
bluegenieartbazaar.com
Texas Book Festival
Texas State Capitol
The Texas Book Festival has evolved into one of the premier literary events in the country and hosts about 250 authors each year. More than 40,000 book lovers of all ages attend the Festival annually, enjoying readings, panel discussions, signings, cooking demonstrations, live music, local food, YA authors, children's activities, and exhibiting vendors from across the state.
texasbookfestival.org
Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Credit Jennifer M Ramos.
Winter
December
Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
Palmer Events Center
This holiday shopping bazaar is a fun, authentic Austin experience – for 11 days leading to Christmas, visitors can shop national and local art, handmade gifts, stocking stuffers, and more while enjoying live music from the Armadillo stage and sips from a full bar. This annual tradition and cultural icon is one of Austin’s longest-running art and music festivals, attracting around 40,000 shoppers each year.
armadillobazaar.com
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
The Blue Genie Art Bazaar is a fixture of the Austin holiday season. With in-person and virtual shopping alternatives, shoppers can browse thousands of original works ranging from serious art to fun and kitschy items from November through December. A great way to buy hassle-free holiday gifts and support local artists.
bluegenieartbazaar.com
German-Texan Heritage Society Christmas Market
German Free School of Austin
The German-Texan Heritage Society's annual market offers shoppers handmade, imported crafts, decorations, ornaments, and more. Browse the market, listen to traditional German Christmas music, and take home Christmas Stollen made by the New World Bakery and German cookies from Silke’s German Gourmet Cookies.
germantexans.org
January
February
Carnaval Brasileiro
Speakeasy
Carnaval in Austin is one of the biggest Brazilian Carnaval celebrations outside Brazil. Brasileiro-style samba, costumes, and wild abandon can all be seen in the heart of Texas.
sambaparty.com
OUTsider Fest
Various Locations
OUTsider is an Austin-based transmedia nonprofit that celebrates the bold originality and creative nonconformity of the LGBTQ+ communities through the presentation of provocative, overlooked, and out-of-the-box film, dance, theater, performance art, music, writing, and visual art.
outsiderfest.org
Check out our events calendar for more events happening in Austin while you're in town.
