Ready to see Austin in bloom? From comedy festivals and art showcases to whiskey tastings and music awards, spring is when our city starts to thrive.
Get ready to experience the natural beauty of Bat City and all spring has to offer with this guide featuring 33 spring events happening in April and May.
For foodies
Texas VegFest | Saturday, April 6 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St., Austin | Free | Thousands of Austinites can enjoy all things vegan at this springtime fest.
The Bloody Mary Festival | Saturday, April 6 | 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. | Fair Market, 1100 E. 5th St., Austin | $50-$68 | Your ticket to this bloody good time includes unlimited Bloody Marys + bites to taste from local vendors.
Live Fire! | Thursday, April 11 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Camp Mabry, 2200 W. 35th St., Austin | $125-$175 | Chefs from local restaurants like Lenoir, Poeta, and El Raval will join dozens of others from across Texas for a foodie’s dream party.
ATX Asian Food Fest | Saturday, April 13 | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | Mueller Branch Park Pavilion, 2006 Philomena St., Austin | Free | Take in performances and shop for delicious bites from local Asian food vendors.
Field Guide Festival | Saturday, April 20 | 1-5 p.m. | Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St., Austin | $120 | Celebrate local farmers and the food they make at this event featuring live talks, kid-friendly programming, artisan vendors, and — of course — lots of food.
Austin Whiskey Riot | Saturday, April 27 | 3 p.m. | Fair Market, 1100 E. 5th St., Austin | $90-$120 | Try hundreds of types of whiskey at this 21+ event for lovers of the spirit.
Hot Luck Festival | Thursday, May 23-Sunday, May 26 | Times vary | Multiple locations | $495 | Dig into bites from some of the best chefs in the country at this fest led by Aaron Franklin, James Moody, and Mike Thelin.
For art aficionados
The Austin Pancakes & Booze Art Show | Saturday, April 20 | 8 p.m. | The Far Out Lounge & Stage, 8504 S. Congress Ave., Austin | $10-$20 | More than 75 artists will exhibit their work at this showcase also featuring live body painting, two stages of live music, and yes, pancakes.
Sunset Valley ARTFEST | Saturday, April 27 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Toney Burger Center, 4713 S. Lamar Blvd., Sunset Valley | Free | Browse ~100 vendors offering unique, handmade art at this fest with live music, kids activities, and food trucks.
The Front Market’s Big, Spring Showcase | Saturday, April 27-Sunday, April 28 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Distribution Hall, 1500 E. 4th St., Austin | Cost of donation | The woman- and LGBTQ-centered market will feature 175+ vendors, DJ sets, and other surprises.
Pecan Street Spring Arts Festival | Saturday, May 4 + Sunday, May 5 | Times vary | 6th Street, Austin | Free | This event featuring hundreds of vendors is one of the nation’s largest and longest-running arts fests.
Affordable Art Fair | Thursday, May 16-Sunday, May 19 | Times vary | Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | $14-$50 | The massive art-for-purchase showcase will stop in Austin for the first time, and feature works priced as low as $100.
ABC Kite Fest | Sunday, April 14 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | Free | Art takes to the skies in the form of kites at this annual Austin tradition.
For film fans
Indie Meme Film Festival | Wednesday, April 17-Sunday, April 21 | Times vary | Austin Film Society, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin | $100-$200 | Tune into South Asian cinema and Q+As at five days of screenings and events.
Fusebox Festival | Monday, April 8-Sunday, April 14 | Times vary | Multiple locations | Price varies by event | Explore a variety of shows from local artists working in film, theater, music, literature, and more.
ATX Short Film Showcase | Monday, May 13 | 8 p.m. | The Ballroom @ Spider House, 2906 Fruth St., Austin | $12-$75 | See locally produced short films at this monthly event.
ATX TV Festival | Thursday, May 30-Sunday, June 2 | Times vary | Multiple locations | $150-$535 | Advertised as “TV camp for grown-ups,” this festival features panels, pitch competitions, and cameos from major shows including “Suits.”
For music lovers
CMT Music Awards | Sunday, April 7 | 7 p.m. | Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $154-$404 | Celebrate the best of country with host Kelsea Ballerini and performers including Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, and Sam Hunt.
Austin Reggae Fest | Friday, April 19-Sunday, April 21 | Times vary | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | $20-$170 | Check out Mellow Mood and The Human Rights at this event, which began as a Bob Marley tribute in 1994.
Austin Psych Fest | Friday, April 26-Sunday, April 28 | Times vary | The Far Out Lounge & Stage, 8504 S. Congress Ave., Austin | $75-$475 | Don’t miss headliners Courtney Barnett, The Black Angels, and Alvvays at this south Austin weekend event.
Austin Blues Festival | Saturday, April 27-Sunday, April 28 | 12 p.m. | Moody Amphitheater, 1401 Trinity St., Austin | $80-$500 | See Brittany Howard, Big Freedia, Jimmie Vaughan, and several others at this outdoor music fest.
Inversion at the Library | Saturday, April 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Austin Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St., Austin | $30 | Music from around the world will be performed together at the flagship library Downtown.
Eeyore’s Birthday Party | Saturday, April 27 | All day | Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St., Austin | Free | One of Austin’s weirdest and loveliest traditions will return for its 59th year, complete with live music, kids games, and face painting.
iHeart Country Festival | Saturday, May 4 | 7 p.m. | Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $304-$444 | See top country stars including Jason Aldean, Ashley McBryde, and Walker Hayes at this event hosted by Bobby Bones.
For lifelong learners
Books and Bees Festival | Saturday, April 6 | 1-5 p.m. | Bee Cave Public Library, 4000 Galleria Pkwy., Bee Cave | Free | Check out the buzz at Bee Cave’s book festival.
“The City We Built: Black Leaders of Austin” | Saturday, April 13 | 4 p.m. | BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin | Free | Join Terry P. Mitchell, Carre Adams, and Sadé Channell Lawson to learn about the book and the collaborations behind it.
Driftwood Heritage Festival | Sunday, April 12 | 12-6 p.m. | Vista Brewing, 13551 FM 150 W., Driftwood | Free | Learn about the history of the Hill Country town from several local educators — don’t miss the vendors, face painting, yard game, live music, and silent auction, either.
O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships | Saturday, May 11 | 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. | Brush Square Courtyard, 409 E. 5th St., Austin | Free | Socialize with other punsters, compete in pun improv, plus, take in live music + the Punniest of Show competition.
The Future of Downtown | Wednesday, May 15 | 5-8 p.m. | ACL Live, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin | $100-$900 | The launch for this year’s State of Downtown report will be paired with a complimentary happy hour, live music, art, and Downtown Austin swag.
For comedy cats
Moontower Just for Laughs | Wednesday, April 10-Sunday, April 21 | Times vary | Multiple locations | $150-$275 | See performances from Andrew Schulz, Amy Sedaris, Joe Pera, and dozens of others… need we say more?
The G.O.A.T. Comedy Show | Saturday, April 13 | 7:30-10 p.m. | Civil Goat, 704 Cuernavaca Dr. North, Austin | $15-$95 | Local comics and special drop-in guests will have you laughing all night long.
Nate Bargatze | Sunday, April 21-Monday, April 22 | Times vary | Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $40-$95 | The comedian is known for his comedy special “Hello World.”
Randy Rainbow For President | Sunday, May 5 | 7:30 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $51-$170 | The award-winning, best-selling author and comedian has built a career on musical parodies with a political edge.
