Pride Abounds, Cats Pop, and Nuns Get Weird in These Events

Garage

Thursday 1, Fallout Theater

Picture this: You are giggling and guffawing, perhaps even rolling upon the ground. How could this be your reality, Reader? By attending improvised comedy show Garage, where women and non-binary comics create on-the-spot comedy from audience song suggestions. These peeps will make your cheeks ache from smiling after an hour of their high-octane hilarity hosted by local stand-ups – and all for like eight bucks pre-show, and $10 at the door. Like, sheesh. What more could you want? Maybe, like, an in-venue bar or something? Oh, wait: Fallout Theater freakin’ has that, too. No more excuses, Reader. Seize your ROFL reality.   – James Scott

Testify Presents: The Last Time

Thursday 1, Barrel O’ Fun

Don’t worry: This isn’t the final installment of Testify’s live storytelling series despite what the theme might imply. Instead, brave individuals get on stage and share stories of all manner of final moments. Sometimes you see the end coming and other times you only realize the finality of the moment in hindsight. Endings can be sad or hopeful. They can also be planned or a total shock. Come out and feel all the feels and then use what you learned when the show comes to a close.   – James Renovitch

Queer Trivia: SpongeBob SquarePants

Thursday 1, Wanderlust Wine Co.

Is SpongeBob SquarePants queer? Conservative parents and mischievous pre-teens have long thought so. Never mind the animated sea sponge’s sexuality, though. You know what makes SpongeBob queer? The bitchy little comments the background characters in Bikini Bottom always have ready to go. Only a diva could come up with a read like “Hey pal, you just blown in from stupid town?” – and that’s why this Nickelodeon classic is an appropriate theme for Aira Juliet and the Little Gay Shop’s bimonthly trivia game. Head to Wanderlust’s Shady Lane location if nautical nonsense be something you wish.   – Carys Anderson

Austin Tattoo Festival

Friday 2-Sunday 4, Austin Convention Center

More than 200 skin artists from around the world converge on the heart of Austin to celebrate the centuries-old art form. Book an appointment with a local or traveling artist to get a new tat or find an artist taking walk-ups. You might even walk away with the Tattoo of the Day award. The needle-averse can observe the pros practicing their craft and appreciate the varied styles and finished products. Day passes cost $30, or pay $65 for a three-day weekend pass.   – Aaron Sullivan

Quarters Pop-Up Gallery Opening

Friday 2, Civil Goat Coffee

One of the best places to view up-and- coming artists is actually on the walls of local coffee shops, if you’re able to look up from the laptop. Luckily, Civil Goat Coffee on Guadalupe is actively highlighting its wall art, from 6-9 on Friday as it holds an art raffle complete with beer and wine. Kicking off a residency at Civil Goat, Quarters is a new organization curating group show pop-ups at different participating spaces “designed to bridge the gap between resources,” they write on the flier. “We offer residencies and local partnering businesses and public spaces, providing artists the opportunity to showcase and list their work. Think of us as a pop-up gallery!” This opening highlights local artists Danielle Iemola-Devereux, ZARA, and Tegan Milan.   – Lina Fisher

Ventana Ballet and The Cathedral Present: Night Birds, an Intimate Celebration of Art + Dance

Friday 2-4, the Cathedral

The organizers at the Cathedral ATX implore you to “fly again” with the fourth iteration of their Night Birds ballet experience. Described as “an avian-themed, 360-degree performance featuring nine dancers, three cellists, and vibrant art from the atxGALS collective,” Night Birds allows the freaky and fanciful of Austin to fully immerse themselves, becoming one with the birds with themed cocktails and bites. A pleasant surprise for the event, this year includes two children’s interactive matinee performances – giving kids fantastical visions before being tucked in for the night – as well as a youth art show, featuring select works from kids under 18.   – Cy White

The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, and I Know Where I’m Going!

Friday 2-Thursday 8, AFS Cinema

Timed to the release of new documentary Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger, AFS Cinema revisits three of the duo's very best. They're all consumed with crazy, in their own bewitching ways: 1948's The Red Shoes, about a ballerina torn between art and love; 1947's Black Narcissus, about a sect of nuns in Nepal going a little mad (from the isolation? the altitude? their suppressed sexual urges?); and 1945's perfectly wonderful romance I Know Where I’m Going!, about a pragmatic woman in danger of derailing her best laid plans when bad weather puts her in the path of a charming naval officer. Catch one or all of 'em – you can't go wrong.   – Kimberley Jones

Manifest the Future Festival Workshop

Saturday 3, ACC Highland

Does your youngster have a flair for writing and the dramatic – a creative talent that cannot be tamed? This might be the ticket: Them’s aged 5-18 are invited to showcase their creativity at the youth new works festival Manifest the Future, with entries inspired by Xavier Alvarado’s painting I Was Given a Tree by a Wizard. While the festival isn’t until fall, entries are due Aug. 12, and professional artists are available to coach prospective entrants this Saturday. Get all the details at newmanifest.org.   – Kat McNevins

Total DOMination: Broadway

Saturday 3, Come & Take It Live

Drag? Yes, good. Wrestling? Oh, hell yes. Musicals? ... wait. Well, I’m no enjoyer of the staged song-and-dance, but I trust the folks of Total DOMination to bring the pain, the pleasure, and the pathos of all the best Broadway hits. Enjoy lip-synch battles to show tunes from drag artists like Arinna Dior Heys, Bobby Pudrido, Diamond Dior Davenport, Sinful Purchase, and ring girl Baldie Loxx; stand-up comedy by the hilarious and Best-of-Austin winning Aira Juliet; and the guiding hand of host Lucy Fur keeping it all going smoothly. Will these girlies end up “defying gravity”? Will they end up on the heaviside layer? Answers await just a curtain call away.   – James Scott

KUTX and the Breakfast Boogie Present: Pride Family Rainbow Party

Saturday 3, the Far Out Lounge

Dominic Toretto once said, “Family,” and that really meant a lot to me. So much so that I’m telling all y’all about this family-friendly Pride celebration kicked off by our trusty local radio station KUTX. Join their series the Breakfast Boogie for a morning mashup of local musicians: Mama Duke, Caleb De Casper, Charlie Faye, and the Strawbitty Yops. Music’s not the only fun on offer, though. Parents and kids alike can take part in drag storytime with Brigitte Bandit, Pride puppet making, a family dance party, giant bubbles, and plenty of heat-beating popsicles. Plus, this event wraps up at noon – just enough time to get the young ones to a sink so’s you can wash the popsicle residue off before naptime.   – James Scott

Community Teach-In Art Workshops

Saturday 3, the Future Front House

An element of adulthood that’s under-discussed is that, at some point after 25 years old, you will be overcome by a desire to *shiver* learn again. That’s where cool folks like Future Front come in: Inspired by their currently running Community Clubs – just, like, check out futurefronttexas.org for more on that - this is an all-day hands-on series of art workshops taught by local creatives. You wanna learn block printing? Figure drawing? Zine making? Clay-ing? Drop $10 to take just one workshop, or plunk down a whole $40 to attend all four workshops. Oh! The joy of being an adult and learning new biz...   – James Scott

ATX Pride Market

Saturday 3, Distribution Hall

Psh: Just when you thought your wallet was safe post-June. Think a-f*cking-gain, girly pop. The Little Gay Shop returns with another massive mega market featuring over 70 queer-owned businesses, makers, and artists all within Distro’s slightly air-conditioned walls – and outside of ’em too. But you won’t just be browsing. There’ll also be local author book signings and a drag dunk tank with proceeds benefiting Equality Texas. Ease off the credit card by enjoying free biz, too, like a gallery wall decorated with art from Out Youth participants, and free bevies of both spirited and non- varieties.   – James Scott

CatVideoFest 2024

Saturday 3-Sunday 4, Violet Crown Cinema & Flix Brewhouse

Yes, you could stay home alone and mindlessly scroll Reels in the hopes that the Algorithm Gods serve you cat content. Or you could leave the house for the CatVideoFest’s guaranteed 75 minutes of feline filmic action – everything from home videos, animated shorts, music videos, and classic memes. That’s a lotta lulz to enjoy in the company of other cat fans. Even better, a portion of ticket proceeds are pledged to local shelters and other animal welfare orgs.   – Kimberley Jones

Pop Cats

Saturday 3 - Sunday 4, Palmer Events Center

For one of my earlier birthdays, I insisted on a cat theme and required attendees to bring me a cat-themed gift or don’t bother showing up. These poor souls would’ve been wise to shop for me at Pop Cats, an immersive feline festival offering unique cat merch galore as well as adoption catios, cattoos, art, workshops, vintage video games, arts & crafts, and so much more for fans of the four-legged furballs that have captured our hearts. You can bring your tiny tiger or house panther if they meet the guidelines for cattendance, and cosplay is more than welcome. Come watch the fur fly at Paw-mer.   – Kat McNevins

Bee Cave Farmers Market

Sunday 4, Hill Country Galleria

Every Sunday from 10-2, rain or shine, the Bee Cave Farmers Market showcases over 35 local purveyors of delicious produce, meats, and artisanal goods at the central plaza of the Hill Country Galleria. Browsing local farmers’, ranchers’, and artisans’ wares is a great reminder of how much talent and natural bounty the Central Texas region has to offer. And even if you can’t afford to make it your grocery haul, a farmers’ market brunch trip is never a bad idea. Vendors include Goodie Dumplings, grass fed Wagyu purveyors Linzer Ranch, Farmer Dave’s heirloom tomatoes, peaches, corn, and other produce, Bee Delightful CBD honey, and Blanco Booch raw kombucha.   – Lina Fisher

H-E-B Free First Sunday

Sunday 4, Bullock Museum

Anyone who’s feeling the pinch in the ol’ wallet (all of us?) will appreciate all that’s on offer at Bullock for the grand total of zero dollars! From 10am to 2pm, explore the cool educational exhibits at the Texas history center and a full slate of back-to-school activities. Austin ISD brings reps to help with school registration as well as a new electric bus from its fleet for kids to check out; UT Children’s Research Center brings a fun craft; Girlstart offers interactive STEM activities; All Things Lowrider helps kids get bikes in gear; STEMSign teaches sign language; ACC brings the Riverbat mascot to help educate visitors about college, ESL, GED programs, and more.   – Kat McNevins

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Want to see all of our listings broken down by day? Go to austinchronicle.com/calendar and see what's happening now or in the coming week.