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May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander heritage month, wherein we take the time to appreciate the culture and contributions of generations of AANHPI folks. Our lovely library will celebrate with family-friendly activities from noon to 5pm. Little ones will enjoy a storytelling activity about Asian dragons at 12:30pm, and older kids can try a portrait workshop at 2 or take in Hideout’s Bollywood improv show at 3:30. All ages are welcome for a classical Indian violin performance at 1, and there’ll be plenty of other fun all afternoon: mochi donuts from OMG Squee, book displays, paper lei making, coloring pages, and more await. – Kat McNevins

From across the stars comes a tale of familial bonds, cosmic wonder, and donuts. Austin’s own DIY theatre Bottle Alley Theatre Company presents Aurora, written by Chris Fontanes, directed by Trace Turner, and featuring the acting talents of Rosemary McGraw, Cassandra DeFreitas, and Bonnie Lambert. This “transcendent theatrical experience” follows the titular Aurora as she celebrates her 30th birthday by attempting to trek back to her home planet – with inspiration taken from the real 1897 UFO crash in Aurora, Texas. Grab your ticket to this celestial journey, and consider adding on the $20 concessions package: a themed cocktail/mocktail, one Lunchable (pizza or ham & cheddar), and one jelly donut cupcake (GF options available). – James Scott

Thanks to Seventies funk band War, the word “lowrider” often calls to mind the unforgettable sax riff of the band’s 1975 No. 1 single. But lowrider can mean a snazzy customized car with hydraulics or a person who works on such a vehicle, and the culture around these cars has strengthened Mexican American communities in the Southwest since the Forties. Learn more about them at this exhibit featuring an interactive touchscreen mural, cars and bikes on display, and stories about the people who make lowriding a community. A member reception takes place May 18. – Kat McNevins

Jacob Guzman’s art takes up SPACE. It’s got the scale and scope that needs to be seen in person, so rush to take in the last week of his work filling the walls of Ivester Contemporary. Guzman depicts BIPOC characters in a world full of the mundane, the joyful, the soul-crushing. So, you know, our world. Building on traditions from contemporary artists to Harlem Renaissance masters, Guzman’s blocky giants play with the absurd and beautiful parts of life.: – Cat McCarrey

Vessel: a container that holds things. Vessel: a person infused with a quality. What quality? Any. Feel free to interpret it yourself when basking in Diane Chiyon Hong’s exhibit “Vessels – Handle with Care.” Her architectural sketches, part function, part form, part object, part person, part humor but all thought-provoking, currently grace the halls of the Asian American Resource Center. It’s Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Month, so why not pay the AARC a visit. I mean, if not now, when? – Cat McCarrey

The showcase for filmmaking from around the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world may host year-round screenings, but its heart is still the annual festival. Its 26th year brings dramas from Peru and comedies from Mexico, as well as a reminder that the Hispanic world includes the United States. The Strike looks at the prisoner protests in California’s notorious Pelican Bay State Prison, while opening night film (and South by Southwest 2023 selection) Going Varsity in Mariachi takes a musical trip to South Texas. Plus: Don’t miss a rare big-screen showing of La Frontera, Austin filmmaker Iliana Sosa’s episode for the HBO anthology documentary series God Save Texas. – Richard Whittaker

It used to be called the City-Wide Garage Sale back when it started in 1977, and it was actually created as a way to save gas during a massive shortage: Why drive all over town to poke through garages when you could bring all the sales to one place? While times have changed along with the name, the spirit remains. Find tables of treasures filling the Palmer Events Center, including vintage clothing and housewares, collectibles of all kinds, and antiques galore – even more of a rarity now that Austin Antique Mall has gone the way of the dodo. – Kat McNevins

I’m a bona fide sandwich lover and a staunch believer in prison reform, so Clyde’s sounds just delectable. Ground Floor presents the story of a truck stop shop that employs former prisoners in the kitchen. The owner might not believe in them, but will they find a way to believe in themselves? First, anything set around food is guaranteed to be aces in my book. But finding a way to integrate human kindness with edible delicacies? Irresistible. Check it out, and discover just how delicious hope can be. – Cat McCarrey

Bring something old, something new, and something blue to this actual sapphic ceremony, featuring the nuptials of qmmunity members Bobby and Mimi Pudrido “on the same dance floor where they met 7 years ago.” Yes, there’ll be much cutting of cake and consuming of queso at this celebration: DJ sets by La Morena, Chorizo Funk, and Lavender Thug; drag by Sir Beau Elliot, Papi Culo, Azúcar, Jasmania, Travis Randy Travis, Adrienne Anemone, Coach Bunz B, and Lynn Metcalf; and a performance by Austin’s premier Le Tigre cover/clown band Deceptaclown. Many well-wishes to the happy couple! – James Scott

One of the best ways to spend a weekend is wandering through art galleries. Add in a cold beverage and a friend to help ponder artistic meaning, and it’s just like heaven. Bolm Arts, Almost Real Things, Good Dad Studios, Tin Whistle Art Gallery, ArtUsCo, and Something Cool Studios are opening their doors to just that sort of visceral, visual pleasure. With an open studio day, this event offers a chance to bask in local style and purchase original fine arts pieces for $500 or less. It’s Austin’s even more affordable art extravaganza. – Cat McCarrey

Anyone who’s lost a loved one can testify to the unfamiliar pain of fresh grief. It really is an emotional roller coaster, full of shocking joy and debilitating sorrow, always appearing at unexpected moments. After losing her grandfather, artist Monica Martinez-Diaz channeled her pain into art. Her latest exhibit covers her journey using photography, books, and video work. It tackles the opposing forces of grief through bold colors and small details. Its loving appreciation of the people who travel through our lives is guaranteed to resonate. – Cat McCarrey

Since Robyn and John Ludwick took over the nearly century-old Devil’s Backbone Tavern in 2018, they’ve created a haven for fellow songwriters at the Fischer outpost about an hour southwest of Austin. Case in point: Nick Garza’s Songwriter Get Along, which convenes some of Central Texas’ best artists for a Sunday night song swap. For the third installment, Garza gathers another powerhouse lineup with Jonathan Terrell, Kelley Mickwee, Paige Plaisance, and Garrett Capps, along with acoustic offerings from Chaparelle’s Jesse Woods, Harvest Thieves’ Cory Reinisch, and Rattlesnake Milk’s Lou Lewis. Expect surprise invites up on stage from the crowd as well. – Doug Freeman

Now, if you asked the late great Buckwheat Zydeco, the path to crustacean feasting requires at least three steps: “You’ll get a line and I’ll get a pole/As we go down to the crawfish hole.” Lucky for you, ATX Food Truck Festival has you skipping steps 1-3 and arriving directly at “insert crawfish in pie hole.” Organizers have so far kept mum about vendors at Sunday’s Seafood & Crawfish Festival, but if you’re cray-cray for crawdads, the $50 VIP pass is an option: It gets you in an hour before opening and guarantees you a pound of crawfish and a 10% discount at participating food trucks and bar bevs. – Kimberley Jones

Between gallery installations, ICOSA Collective utilizes their window space facing the Canopy thoroughfare to showcase short-running art shows. These artists often experiment with the limits of their window framings while their work remains displayed 24/7. ICOSA Collective is proud to present this week the latest multimedia work from visual artist/curator Rebecca Marino, “DOGSBODY IS DEAD.” The Austinite takes inspiration from author Kathrine Dunn’s semi-autobiographical work Attic, which delves into life as a young woman incarcerated in the 1960s Midwest. The displayed art, ICOSA Collective promises, will unpack “the emotional/ behavioral standards placed upon women and the often tragic results that ensue.” – James Scott