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You thought SXSW was the only days-long party in town promising loud music and smelly animals? Then this must be your first rodeo! OK, this one’s slightly more wholesome: Activities include a stock show, pro rodeo, petting zoo, pig races, carnival rides, and your favorite fareground vittles, plus a fresh headliner every day, including Lukas Nelson, Los Huracanes del Norte, Wynonna Judd, and Flatland Cavalry. Too wholesome? Pull on your finest shitkickers and hit the dance hall; there’s a full bar and, Rodeo Austin teases, a “chance to dance with a real cowboy.” Runs through March 23. – Kimberley Jones

They’re dogs; they’re Australian; and they’re back by popular demand! Kids and parents alike will be barkin’ up a storm for this stage play featuring the Heeler family as incredible puppet creations – yes, that includes mom Chili, dad Bandit, and kiddos Bluey and Bingo. Wondering what these Aussie cattle dogs will get up to? “When Dad feels like a little bit of Sunday afternoon time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans! Join them as they pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean bag.” Wackadoo! – James Scott

If you caught the 2018 doc McQueen, about the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, then you’re already familiar with the talents of his nephew and protégé Gary James McQueen, who was responsible for the stunning, under-the-skin skull sculptures featured in the opening credits. Those skulls, as represented via 3D lenticular artworks, form the basis of the Gary James McQueen exhibit – his first stateside – now running at West Chelsea Contemporary through March 24. – Kimberley Jones

Close out of the Shein tab, now! And the Zara tab, and don’t think I missed you trying to open up an Amazon tab, too. Real goths forge their wardrobe from the market, swap, and thrift mines. That’s why you’d be a real poser not to drop in at our local vampire novelty shop – which, by the way, is very cool and should be supported so we can continue to have ’em around post I-35 devouring – to find new-to-you gothic apparel as well as accessories made by local lovers of the macabre. Eschew fast fashion; sustainable goth cloth forever. – James Scott

Yes, we remember when The Onion referred to St. Patrick’s Day as “The Reinforcin’ O’ the Stereotypes,” and it still makes us giggle as if tickled by a wee shillelagh. This weekend’s celebration will be less tongue-in-cheek and not at all cringe at Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, though, with a social night for all those excited to wear the green in traditional style and enjoy Éireann camaraderie at the Westside cafe alongside the shore of Lady Bird Lake. Bonus: Live performances from the fleet-footed fancies of the Irish Dance Center. – Wayne Alan Brenner

When it comes to Roller Derby in Austin, there’s plenty of action, but in the top tier lies the long-running Texas Rollergirls, who originated flat-track derby in town around 2003 and helped spread the sport around the world. Four home teams will compete over the next several months, with Honky Tonk Heartbreakers and Hotrod Honeys kicking off the 2024 season at an action-packed bout also featuring vendors, concessions, and a rollicking halftime show. Stay tuned for afterparty details, and consider picking up a season pass to support the Rollergirls all season. – Kat McNevins

Uncanny specializes in inclusive pro wrestling with a dash of drag for taste, and during SXSW they’re throwing their hat into the ring of Downtown entertainment. Except there won’t be a ring. That’s right: Action from the likes of Stud Stache and Allie Katch will be on the floor of the Highland Lounge. So close you can probably smell it, but hopefully not feel the hard-hitting body slams. Like any show during SXSW, there will also be performances, music, and general chaotic vibes. – James Renovitch

For generations of children, Arnold Lobel’s stories of amphibian best buds Frog and Toad have been a charming guide to the complexities and joys of friendship. Now the pair take to the stage for this delightful Tony-nominated musical. It’s truly a family affair, adapted by Lobel’s son-in-law Mark Linn-Baker with music by Robert Reale and book & lyrics by his brother, Willie. This new production, directed by Best of Austin winner Sara Burke, features Jillian Sainz and Victoria Brown donning the signature jackets and trousers of Frog and Toad, respectively. – Richard Whittaker

SPIN Magazine presents the legendary Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids and Die Spitz on March 16 at Stubbs from 12 to 4 pm for an epic day party! 2024 is the 30th anniversary of Sunny Day’s seminal album “Diary” and this Austin tour stop promises to be amazing! The afternoon showcase will feature a bloody mary bar, daytime fun, and more. Tickets on sale now!

A special program for visitors ages 0-3 and their families, providing caregivers and early learners the chance to experience the children's museum together. Thinkery will host two storytimes and free play that support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of the earliest learners.

When a fellow is named Tim McCool, you’ve got to hope he lives up to the moniker. We reckon that, as co-founder (with his dauntless spouse, Kira) of the right-there-in-the-garage Good Luck Have Fun Gallery off Enfield, this particular art-scene mover and shaker is as McCool as it gets. Evidence: The gallery’s newest show brings together the colorful and provocative work of four women artists – Aubree Dale, Aria Brownell, Wendy Rhode, and Barbara Miñarro – “who explore the relationships between individual identity and the collective, the process of making art and of making one’s self.” – Wayne Alan Brenner