The Round Rock Public Library officially opened last month. | Photo courtesy City of Round Rock

It may have snuck up on you, but next week is spring break for AISD, Round Rock ISD, UT Austin, and other local school districts.

If you’re searching for ways to keep the kiddos busy, look no further. Here are seven family-friendly events taking place in Austin next week.

Pippi Longstocking | Saturday, March 11-Sunday, March 12 | Times vary | Austin Scottish Rite Theatre, 207 W. 18th St., Austin | $15-$20 | Catch up with 9-year-old Pippi’s antics at this kid-friendly show.

Family Day | Sunday, March 12 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | UMLAUF Sculpture Garden, 605 Azie Morton Rd., Austin | Free | Stop by for a “sculpture search,” crafts, live music, and locally made treats.

Mad Science at the Library | Monday, March 13 | 3-4 p.m. | Round Rock Public Library, 200 E. Liberty Ave., Round Rock | Free | Tune into two science shows catered toward children age 5 and older.

A field of wildflowers at Zilker Botanical Garden — Is there anything more beautiful than Zilker Botanical Garden in the spring?

Dino Days | Tuesday, March 14 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | Free | Little ones can find fossils, participate in a scavenger hunt, go on a “bug safari,” and learn from experts at the garden.

Third Thursdays | Thursday, March 16 | 4:30-8:30 p.m. | Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave., Austin | Free with admission | This Women’s History Month-themed event includes a James Webb telescope simulation and a panel with NASA employees.

Field of Light Silent Disco | Friday, March 17 | Times vary | Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin | $20-$140 | Meander through 28,000 glowing orbs to the sound of curated playlist or a guided audio tour.

Garden Party | Sunday, March 19 | 2-5 p.m. | The VORTEX, 2307 Manor Rd., Austin | Free | Help community members replant a nationally certified butterfly sanctuary, and stay later for live music, a petting zoo, and butterfly-inspired arts and crafts.

EVENTS

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Thursday, March 9

SZA: “S.O.S. North American Tour” | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 8 p.m. | Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $355-$2,556 | SZA and special guest Omar Apollo will leave stars in your eyes.
A Song For You: The Austin City Limits Story | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 8-11 p.m. | Central Machine Works, 4824 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin | Free | Journey through 40 years of ACL history at this screening and Q+A with former ACL manager Tom Gimbel.

Friday, March 10

Rebelión | Friday, Mar. 10 | 5 p.m. | Stateside at the Paramount, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $25 | Peek into the life of musician Joe Arroyo.
Los Temerarios | Friday, Mar. 10 | 8 p.m. | The Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $53-$504 | The Mexican Grupera band has been performing since 1978.
Steel Magnolias | Friday, March 10-Sunday, March 26 | Times vary | Genesis Fellowship Hall, 1507 Wilshire Blvd., Austin | $15-$25 | This southern comedy comes to life on stage.

Saturday, March 11

Love & Death: World Premiere | Saturday, Mar. 11 | 12 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $25 | Cast members Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons will attend the premiere of their new horror film set in Texas.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

83º | Mostly cloudy | 24% chance of rain

Civic

Well, yee haw. The Historic Landmark Commission voted this week to move forward with a historic zoning designation at The Broken Spoke. If approved, the venue would benefit from property tax exemption and additional preservation tools. (Austin Monitor)

Environment

Lady Bird Lake is showing signs of overcrowding, a recent Parks and Recreation Board study found. Researchers found the lake is exceeding its capacity on weekends, which could impact water quality. (Austin Monitor)
Horseshoe Bay Nature Park, an 11-acre conservancy ~60 miles outside of Austin, will add improvements and new wildlife for its second year of operation. Visitors can soon expect to see new signage, honey bee boxes, and screech owls at the public park. 🦉 (CultureMap Austin)

Closing

Austin Eastciders announced it will close its Barton Springs location, after three years of operations. The business’s East Austin tasting room will remain open.

Coming Soon

Bill’s Oyster, a specialty seafood restaurant, will open in downtown’s 2nd Street District in April. The restaurant’s seasonal menu will offer seafood, a raw bar, and daily specials. 🦪

Award

Burnt orange is looking a little golder these days. UT took home three wins in the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Awards, including one for head coach Vic Schaefer as coach of the year. 🏆

Travel

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is gearing up for a busy month, as several festivals and sporting events take place in the Capital City. Last March, a record-breaking 1.8+ million passengers traveled through the airport. 🧳

Wellness

What’s in: red light therapy. What’s out: forms of treatment that are painful and invasive. Red light therapy is non-invasive and painless, and evidence suggests it may be able to ease body aches, heal sun damage, and build collagen. Brb — we’re adding this easy-to-prop light and this facial massager to our Amazon cart. *

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FESTIVAL

SXSW for free

City Editors London and Figi standing in front of a SXSW mural.

We’ll catch you at SXSW, Austin. | Photo by ATXtoday

Let’s be honest — SXSW badges can be pricey.

That said, we’ve got good news for you. Come mid-March, the city erupts with dozens of free events for people to enjoy the festival without a ticket. Here are 31 ways to do SXSW for free this year.

Live music

Community Concerts at Lady Bird Lake | Thursday, March 16-Sunday, March 18 | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin

Thursday: Smith & Yarn, SaulPaul, Thao
Friday: Baba Kuboye, AJ Smith, The Zombies
Sunday: Blowcomotion, Minor Mishap Marching Band

Expos, Exhibitions, and Lounges

Panels

26 MORE FREE EVENTS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by London.

Editor’s pick: HBO’s new miniseries “Love & Death” — which is premiering this Saturday at the Paramount Theatre — was filmed all over Central Texas. Filming locations include: Austin, Kyle, Hutto, Coupland, Kerrville, San Marcos, Seguin, Killeen, Smithville, and La Grange. See if the show’s crew shot in your neighborhood.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Take note of these tips before heading downtown for SXSW.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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