Austin Events and Festivals 2023
Welcome
Austin has many great events and festivals every year, and 2023 is no exception. If you are planning a trip to Austin, plan around an Austin event and make it special. Want an Austin music festival? How about South by Southwest or the Austin City Limits Music Festival? Want a more unusual Austin event? Try Eeyore’s Birthday Party. There are great film festivals in Austin, too. Try the Austin Film Festival or Fantastic Fest. Want a running event in Austin? Try the Cap 10K or the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K. Here’s just a sample of things going on. I suggest you get the 12-month wall calendar that has even more Austin events included. (If you don’t want to buy it, you can still see all the events on the Big Weekend Calendars website for free.)
The biggest music, film, and interactive event of the year. Parties, bands, and free stuff galore!
Head to Zilker Park for Austin’s most extravagant celebration of the holiday season. Participate in the Fun Run, which happens before the Trail of Lights opens to the general public, for a sneak peek at the light displays and the Zilker Tree.
This run opens up the spring season in Austin! The entire family can enjoy this 10K, which is the largest in Texas and one of the Top 10 in the nation.
Eeyore’s Birthday Party is a fun event for all ages. Be sure to dress in a costume, as prizes are awarded for the best costumes. This event is a fundraiser for nonprofit organizations in the Austin area.
Looking for a free family event? Visit the ABC Kite Fest, and the whole family can have fun looking at various designs of kites. Don’t forget to bring your kites to fly and maybe even enter the contest!
Wanna experience the Brasileiro style without traveling to Brazil? Carnaval is the place to do it. With costumes, music, and samba, this is a fun and exciting experience.
Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival
Get in free by donating three cans of nonperishable food items to the Capital Area Food Bank, and try the different varieties of excellent (and some not-so-excellent) hot sauce while enjoying great local music!
See the 2023 Austin Events Wall Calendar
No matter what kind of weather comes to Austin, this event will still happen. Expect musical acts, celebrity bike builders, and a parade of motorcycles.
Looking for great entertainment and live music? Admission to the O. Henry Pun-Off is free, and you will be amazed by the incredible wordplay.
Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K
This is Austin’s major annual running event. Participation is open to all ages.
At the Pecan Street Festival, you’ll experience live music and entertainment while finding clothing, jewelry, candles, etc., in the middle of the Sixth Street Entertainment District.
Austin City Limits Music Festival
More than 100 bands across eight stages, ACL has extended to two weekends in order to accommodate more fans. Great music, delicious local food, and Porta-Potties everywhere!
Run up an appetite on Thanksgiving morning. All proceeds go to Caritas of Austin.
If you want to give back to your community, It’s My Park Day can be a fun and good way to do so. On this day, many volunteers help restore the beauty and vitality of Austin-area parks by cleaning, installing upgrades, and making repairs.
See the Austin Events Wall Calendar 2023
The Austin Film Festival is the event to attend if you are looking to meet and speak with top-notch movie executives and producers – even screenwriters and filmmakers! They want to help you sell and promote your work!
Step into the studios of hundreds of artists. Watch them work, while supporting the local arts scene.
Rain or shine, the run goes on! Starting at sunset, participants begin walking, jogging, or running to end up at a moonlight festival where everyone can enjoy Tex-Mex food and music!
Looking to celebrate the Celtic tradition? The Austin Celtic Festival is full of live music and dancing among many other activities to celebrate the traditions of the Irish, Scots, and others!
Have you always wanted to try yoga but just weren’t sure it’s right for you? Well, on this particular day in Austin, it’s free of charge. So give it a try!
In the Austin area and looking for a fun and exciting way to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Then check out Austin’s New Year. Held at Auditorium Shores, this events provides families with a fun, non-alcoholic celebration. Fireworks included.
The Urban Music Festival lasts for two days and includes nonstop live concerts from some of the hottest bands of hip-hop, R&B, and Reggaeton music! It’s a music festival you won’t want to miss.
Nature Nights at the Wildflower Center
This can be a fun event for anyone in the family. Explore the wonders of the ancient times with a fossil scavenger hunt, and even make your own fossils!
This festival takes place every year in the fall and is a fun event for all ages. Speak with hundreds of well-known authors while allowing your children to be amazed with the activities designed just for them.
Enjoy live music, arts & crafts, food, bat-watching, and much more at Bat Fest!
This summer concert series offers live music for everyone to enjoy. And it’s free!
See the Austin Events Wall Calendar 2023
Take your family and enjoy the continuous music for 18 days in a row.
Watch bareback riding, steer wrestling, rodeo clowns, and much more! There is something for everyone to enjoy.
Tax-Free Weekend happens right before school starts in order for students (or parents) to purchase clothing, shoes, and other items without paying sales tax.
At this three-day music festival, not only will you have an amazing time and be able to listen to great bluegrass and roots music, but you can also camp.
Come have an amazing time at the Austin Reggae Festival, and enjoy live music, great food, and even arts & crafts. It’s a festival full of fun for the whole family.