Whether you’re an animal lover, an artsy type, a natural mentor, or a healthcare enthusiast — there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you.
Texas CASA | Helping local children in need find a safe place to live takes just 10-15 hours per month.
PFLAG Austin | Volunteering at this support group organization for LGBTQ+ Austinites can be as simple as setting up chairs for a meeting or as intensive as helping with social media management.
Austin Farm Sanctuary | Volunteer your construction, marketing, or technology skills at this rehabilitation center, or pitch in to help complete daily chores. Pro tip: You can also sponsor a rescued farm animal here.
Central Texas Trail Tamers | Help beautify hiking trails around Central Texas by registering to dig, weed, and clear brush at an upcoming trail rehabilitation project.
Honey, I Shrunk the Orchids | 6:30-9 p.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden | Free with admission | After an expert teaches you about miniature orchids, peruse plants for sale to bring home and nurture — be sure to RSVP.
An Evening with Olivie Blake | 7 p.m. | BookPeople | $30 | Join the New York Times bestselling author for a conversation and book signing to celebrate the release of “Gifted & Talented.”
Conductor Cues: “Madame Butterfly” | 7-9 p.m. | KMFA Draylen Mason Music Studio | $25 | Opera fans won’t want to miss this evening featuring special guest stars, live performances, and exclusive insights.
Thursday, April 3
Ladysmith Black Mambazo | 8 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $20+ | Experience a one-of-a-kind show from this GRAMMY Award-winning musical group of nine performers.
Friday, April 4
“Wicked” | 7-10 p.m. | Community First! Village | Free with RSVP | Bring your picnic blankets and stop by the concession stand for popcorn + candy before watching the 2024 film.
The Longhorns beat the TCU Horned Frogs yesterday and will advance to the women’s NCAA Tournament Final Four. Tune in to watch Texas take on No. 1 seed South Carolina on Friday, April 4, and keep your horns up. (Austin American-Statesman)
Closing
Royal Blue Grocery’s location on Congress Avenue will permanently close on Friday, June 13. Annabelle LeBlanc, the building’s owner, said they did not renew the Austin-based bodega’s lease because they were “presented with a business concept from (New York) that we couldn’t refuse.” (Austin Business Journal)
Civic
Thursday, April 3 is the deadline to register to vote in the May 3 election, when voters will decide on ballot items from various cities and school districts. Check your voter registration status and view a Travis County sample ballot.
Announced
Get your head in the game. The Austin Spurs will host a Western Conference Semifinal game for the 2025 NBA G League Playoffs at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park. Join the fan club for access to ticket offers for the game at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 3.
Try This
Are you looking for a new roommate? What about a room available for rent? You might find what you’re looking for at SpeedRoommating, a mixer for people to discover new living situations. RSVP to attend the free event from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 3 at Higbie’s Cocktail Lounge.
The Texans just signed linebacker E.J. Speed — what does this move mean for the team? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Houston Texans with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Announced
We crunched the numbers and compiled your official ATXtoday’s Best nominees. Now comes the fun part: voting. Now through Friday, April 25 you can vote for your favorites in each category. Winners will be announced Monday, May 5.
Category
City
Austin tourism reimagined
Share your favorite memory from the Austin Convention Center and you may be featured in an upcoming newsletter. | Photo by ATXtoday
Austin’s largest event venue will soon be demolished, but the city plans to keep tourism booming during its absence.
The Austin Convention Center brought ~$468 million to the local economy annually. The new facility — projected to generate $750 million yearly — won’t open until spring 2029.
Enter: the new Austin Tourism Public Improvement District. Launched at the beginning of 2025, the initiative aims to retain and attract conferences and sporting events to increase hotel demand over the next 10 years.
Beginning Tuesday, April 1, a new 2% nightly fee on most hotel rooms will fund these efforts.
The ATPID is expected to generate $29.7 million in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Here’s how it will be spent:
60% for marketing + additional sales outreach
20% for convention center sales + group business incentives
Funny story. I walked past Local Foods on Saturday, thought I saw Will Ferrell at the coffee pick-up window, did a double take, and then said, “Wow, that guy sure does look a lot like Will Ferrell.”
Now, I’m fairly certain it really was him. Nomadic Beerworks posted an Instagram story of the actor visiting its taproom over the weekend. He ordered the South Swell West Coast IPA.
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