Austin Insider Blog

This blog, written and curated by Visit Austin staff, shares the things that visitors love and locals can't get enough of.

How to Experience Free Week 2025

Looking to shake off those post-holiday blues? Red River Cultural District’s Free Week has your cure. This year’s festivities will take place January 2025 and will feature a myriad of local bands in nearly 20 venues around the city. With so many performances to hear and venues to see, here’s an…

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2024 Austin Event Guide

Preview the fun to come in 2024 and mark your calendar with Austin's biggest festivals and events, from food to fine arts and, of course, live music. For dates and the latest updates about each event, please check visitaustin.org/events or visit the event's website. January 1/5-6/24 Free Week Red…

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Visiting Austin's Trail of Lights

The holidays are here, and one of the best ways to celebrate in Austin is by visiting the city’s Annual Trail of Lights. The December event transforms Zilker Park into a winter wonderland as it's lit up by more than 2 million lights, 90 lighted holiday trees and more than 70 other holiday displays…

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Texas Book Festival 2024

The annual Texas Book Festival (TBF) takes place November 16-17, 2024 at the Texas State Capitol grounds. Free and open to the public, the 28 th annual festival featured more than 300 authors and more than 200 sessions, including programming for adults, young adults, middle-grade readers and…

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LEVITATION Music Festival 2024

LEVITATION is bringing four packed days of music Red River Cultural District and East Austin. Originally created as a way to showcase local music and visual arts, Levitation has grown to include a record label, clothing and art, online sessions and more. Experience the best year of LEVITATION yet…

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ACL Music Festival Survival Guide

Everything You Need to Know Before Attending ACL Festival October is one of Austin’s busiest months of the year with multiple annual music festivals and large events happening. Of them all, one of the most popular is Austin City Limits Festival which derives its name from the longest running music…

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Top Local Artists to Watch at ACL Fest

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The long-awaited Austin City Limits Music Festival makes its return to Zilker Park with two full weekends of live music across nine stages on October 6-8 and October 13-15, 2023. With each passing year, ACL seems to outdo itself with its lineup of star…

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Where to Celebrate Oktoberfest in Austin

Whether you’re in town for Austin City Limits, a fall weekend getaway or just looking for some good bier and schnitzel, we’ve put together the definitive guide to all things German this October. Prost! St. Elmo Brewing Annual Oktoberfest. Courtesy St. Elmo Brewing. 9/15/23 - 10/1/23 Easy Tiger…

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Viva la Vida Festival & Parade

Each year, Mexic-Arte Museum celebrates the tradition of Día de los Muertos in Austin. During Viva la Vida Festival & Parade, the city's largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos event, visitors will experience a street festival and a parade down the iconic Congress Avenue, bringing together a…

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Texas Craft Brewers Festival

Celebrate Texas independent and small batch brewers this September at the Texas Craft Brewers Festival. There’s no better way to spend a fall afternoon in Austin than enjoying some of the city’s top fermented offerings. The event will be held at Fiesta Gardens, next to Lady Bird Lake, on Saturday…

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