06.29.2023

Today’s Forecast

105º | Partly cloudy | 6% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:38 a.m. | Sunset 8:35 p.m.

🎉 Keep the party going

Your guide to every Austin festival taking place in 2023

Fireworks exploding over the Google building and other skyscrapers in Downtown Austin.

See fireworks light up downtown Austin from Auditorium Shores on the Fourth of July. | Photo by Varun Yadav on Unsplash

Between SXSW, Rodeo Austin, and dozens of other fests, 2023 has already been quite the year for festivals in the Capital City.

In January, we put together a list of every festival happening in Austin this year so you could mark your calendars for the best events in the city.

Now that we’re halfway through 2023, we decided it’s time for a little update of all the fun still yet to come. Here’s a taste of our guide featuring 26 festivals still coming to Austin this year.

Fourth of July Fireworks | Tuesday, July 4 | 8 p.m. | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | Free | The City of Austin’s annual fireworks show includes live music from the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

ACL Music Festival | Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 8 + Friday, Oct. 13-Sunday, Oct. 15 | Times vary | Zilker Park, 2207 Lou Neff Rd., Austin | $285-$5,500 | We can’t not mention Austin’s signature music festival — tickets are still available for both weekends.

A crowd of people under the flags at ACL Fest. — Austin’s signature music festival is a must-do event for live music lovers.
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Photo by ATXtoday

Hot Summer Nights | Thursday, July 20-Sunday, July 23 | Times vary | Multiple locations | Free | The Red River Cultural District’s summertime concert series supports charitable programs and Austin’s live music community.

Fantastic Fest | Thursday, Sept. 21-Thursday, Sept. 28 | Times vary | Alamo Drafthouse, 1120 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin | $275-$1,495 | Get ready to be shocked and awed at the largest fantasy/horror/sci-fi film festival in the US — expect world film premieres and guest appearances from celebrities and directors.

ATX_BookFestival2 — The Texas Book Festival includes book signings, panels, Q&As, and vendors.
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Photo provided by Texas Book Festival

20 more festivals

Events

Thursday, June 29

“The Art of Martyrdom” | Now-Sunday, July 9 | Times vary | The VORTEX, 2307 Manor Rd., Austin | $15-$35 | This comedy by 10th-century playwright Hrosvitha depicts the day-to-day of her convent with a touch of magical realism.
Noises Off | Thursday, June 29-Sunday, July 9 | Times vary | The Topfer at ZACH Theatre, 202 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin | $25 | A rip-roaring meta-farce about touring theatrical troupe whose performances question the age-old saying, “The show must go on."*

Friday, June 30

Azhar Usman | Friday, June 30-Saturday, July 1 | 8 p.m. | Cap City Comedy Club, 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Bldg. B, Unit 100, Austin | $20-$28 | The standup comedian is known for his work on television series, including “RAMY” and “MO.”
Chevere: Salsa, Reggaeton, Dembow, and Dancehall | Friday, June 30 | 9 p.m. | Lulu’s, 10402 Menchaca Rd., Bldg. C, Austin | Free | Dance all night at this 21+ event.

Saturday, July 1

Cancer Zodiac Party with Austin Witches Market | Saturday, July 1 | 7 p.m. | The Far Out Lounge and Stage, 8504 S. Congress Ave., Austin | $5-$10 | Celebrate the start of cancer season with live music and shopping.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Edu

UT scientists discovered bone fragments from a plesiosaur, marking the first known Jurassic vertebrate fossils found in Texas. The bones of the marine dinosaur — which frequented an ancient sea that is now Mexico and West Texas — were found in the Malone Mountains. (Austin American-Statesman)

Closing

The Mr. Natural on South Lamar Boulevard will close permanently this week, owners announced on Instagram. The business’ East Austin location will remain open from Monday-Saturday.

Cause

The Austin Justice Coalition is working with “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” to find one local family in need of assistance. The television show, which has been on the air since 2003, renovates and transforms the homes of people who have demonstrated commitment to their communities. (KVUE)

Health

A malaria case reported in southern Texas is part of the first local spread of the disease in 20 years. The CDC urges doctors and the public to remain on alert, as four other cases were identified in southwest Florida. (Austin American-Statesman)

Travel

Help Austin-Bergstrom International Airport improve its passenger experience by filling out a survey about your traveling habits. The survey closes Friday, July 7 and will inform upcoming projects and expansions. (KVUE)

State

The state of Texas will receive $3.3 billion in federal funding to expand rural broadband connectivity, more than any other state in the country. The state will have roughly six months to prepare initial proposals for the money, after which some of the funding will be released. (Austin Business Journal)

Wellness

Meet the only probiotic Halle Berry will take. It’s created by scientists and optimizes metabolism to support a healthy weight. Use code 6AMCITY for 20% off your first month.*

Drink

On a water bottle hunt? Amazon’s No. 1 bestselling insulated bottle is the Owala FreeSip — it’s thoughtfully designed, leak proof, and keeps drinks cold.*

Quiz

📰 Extra, extra, read all about it

We know when temperatures are this hot outside, it can be hard to think about anything other than guzzling ice water and jumping in the nearest pool.

But the news never sleeps, and all month long the city has been bustling with...

Development announcements
Pride celebrations
New business openings

... and more. How well do you remember the top headlines of June? Click the button below to test your knowledge by taking our monthly news quiz.

Take the quiz

Answered

We asked for your best local history fun facts. Here’s what you said.

Austin lit in the purple and pink glow of a sunset. — A violet crown, indeed.
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Photo by Erik Munoz on Unsplash.

“I love that the streets were named for trees originally, rather than numbered ... not sure why that was changed.” — Devon A.

If you want to learn more, read our guide to 30+ historic street names.

“The greatest* right-handed hitter in baseball is buried in Austin. (Highest career average)” — Scott H.

We don’t know a lot about baseball, but some quick Google sleuthing found that Rogers Hornsby, a National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, is buried off of Blue Bluff Road. Let us know if we got this one right, Scott.

“Why we call the Violet Crown Trail the Violet Crown” — James M.

Local lore says the name “Violet Crown” — which is also used to describe Austin itself — came from the colorful, violet glow of a sunset. But Austin wasn’t the first city to earn this moniker. Documents dated as far back as 550 B.C. show that Athens, Greece was also described with this nickname.

Share your favorite fact

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
London

From the editor

Since the weather turned outside into Mordor, I’ve moved all of my workouts indoors until at least September.

But don’t worry — we’re still moving forward on our series exploring local state parks. Stay tuned to find out where we visit next.

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