Pumpkin Nights
Through October 31, Pioneer Farms
September is the start of Halloween season, at least in my head. While it might not feel like fall yet, I’m cozied up with a candle and a sweater, even in the 95 degree heat. Pumpkin Nights invites families to trek a half-mile trail lit by more than 7,500(!) carved pumpkins. Additionally food and games aimed at getting you in the Halloween spirit will be on site. Perfect for those looking for something a little less gory and a bit more wholesome. – Gianna Ivy
Alluvius
Thursday 18 – Saturday 27, East Side Performing Arts Center
What could make the music of TOOL even more complex? Setting choreography to those 13/8 time signatures, creating intricate ballet moves to the heavy riffs and rhythms of not just TOOL, but Metallica and Korn and even local metal bands. Ventana Ballet’s AJ Garcia-Rameau and Ty Graynor dreamt up Alluvius after improvising to TOOL in the studio, and discovered that nothing, not even the loudest and roughest music, can resist the rebellious nature of dance. Experience ballet like you’ve never seen it before: dark, heavy, and pure hardcore. – Cat McCarrey
National Cheeseburger Day
Thursday 18, Hotel Vegas
Every day is National Cheeseburger Day if you know how to live your life right, but this Thursday is as fine a time as any to try a live-fired wagyu smash burger by Georgetown-based pop-up company Lace Burger, enjoy some free live music by Chicago Latin psych rocker Gabacho, and shop a vintage market curated by Decades in Retro. DJs Hair of the Dog and Da Beatnik provide additional sounds on the Vegas patio, and the bar also promises something called “cheeseburger shots.” We’re not guaranteeing success there, but everything else sounds pretty incredible. – Carys Anderson
Austin International Drag Festival
Thursday 18 – Sunday 21, Holiday Inn Midtown, Elysium & Valhalla
Ten years of wigs, padding, makeup, and more continue this weekend at the returning Austin International Drag Festival. Despite taking a funding hit earlier this year thanks to the federal government’s continued attacks on diverse arts orgs, the festival welcomes tons of top-tier talent to their stages including headliners like Mistah Aphrodite, Ricky Rose, Buck Wylde, and May May Graves; featured performers like Dr. Fatty Acid and Dotte Com; oodles of drag-centric vendors slinging their wares like Rose Dynasty; and plenty more fabo names and faces that just don’t fit in my word count limit. Support local, national, and international drag this weekend in the most fun way possible. – James Scott
The Wizard of DOgZ
Through September 28, the Vortex
Disappointed at the lack of canine performers onstage these days? The folks at the Vortex feel the same way. Luckily, they’ve been keeping a treat in their pocket for this exact moment. The Wizard of DOgZ features puppets, aerial art, juggling, circus acts, and original music alongside a cast of four-legged performers trotting the yellow brick road to Oz. Rescue mutts turned onstage sensations Coyote, Dragonfly, Firefly, and their newest canine companion, Butterfly, reimagine the classic journey of Dorothy and Toto, with more emphasis on the Toto. – Caroline Drew
Blue Lapis Light Presents: Urban Dreaming
Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 & Thursday 25 – Sunday 28, RBJ Residential Buildings
Multiple award-winning ensemble Blue Lapis Light has always taken artistic leaps in their mission to create innovative site-specific dance works that incorporate the surrounding environment. For immersive movement opera Urban Dreaming, the company’s skilled aerial dancers will leap from Downtown building RBJ Residences, a 16-story senior living complex that sits just east of I-35 near the shore of Lady Bird Lake. Viewers will perch atop an adjacent parking garage for a unique experience of what Blue Lapis Light says is “a call to awaken, to remember our sacred interconnectedness, and to imagine a universe where we move as one.” – Kat McNevins
Subculture Swap Screens Basket Case
Friday 19, Double Trouble
Frank Henenlotter tops the freak charts with his feature debut, a 1982 body-horror beau ideal about separated conjoined twins out for revenge against the doctors who split them up. If you’ve never caught the bloody tale of Duane and Belial Bradley before, few places are more suited for a first watch than the vintage, VHS, vinyl and oddities market that runs out of the Dub Trub patio. Here, you’ll find the perfect weird whatsit to decorate your haunted mansion for the Halloween season – while also enjoying what’s sure to be a new favorite freaky feature. – James Scott
Fear Fair
Through November 2, Sign Bar
Take a darker trip into Austin’s design history as the haven for old displays, Sign Bar, becomes a Halloween haunt for the scary season. Created by ALT, the design team behind post-nuclear zoological escapade Critter Coral, the decor promises creepy clowns and shocks around every corner, as well as a new spooky season menu – but only if you make it out alive, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! – Richard Whittaker
Quixotic States
Friday 19 – Sunday 21, Zilker Hillside Theater
The Morgan Mackay Teel-founded nonprofit Dance Waterloo ponders the beauty in the natural via this outdoor performance set during “golden hour.” Here, choreography blends with the Zilker venue’s landscape and the dancers move “like a living mirage – balancing the dreamy with the grounded, the fleeting with the felt.” Accompanying this movement will be a grounding sound bath performed by Andrea Chiba, as well as a post-performance Q&A with the artists. – James Scott
A Bigger Splash
Friday 19, Hyperreal Film Club
One of my favorite things about Luca Guadagnino’s movies is how they’re utterly, unapologetically horny. Tennis rackets lewdly signal sexual conquests. Cannibalism embodies the ultimate romantic gesture. And peaches … well, you know. In 2015 masterpiece A Bigger Splash, characters are incited to sweaty madness under the potent rays of the Sicilian sun. Tilda Swinton’s silent pop star and her lover Matthias Schoenaerts find their idyllic getaway promptly crashed by tempestuous ex Ralph Fiennes, with his surprise daughter Dakota Johnson in tow. Watch emotions flare as they work through a lusty melee. – Cat McCarrey
The Importance of Being Earnest
Through October 19, Austin Playhouse West Campus
First performed in 1895, Oscar Wilde’s fleet drawing-room farce endures in part because it can bend to whatever the audience or era is looking to get out of it: a straightforward comedy of manners; queer-coded camp classic; Victorian Catfish; anticipator of snark and social media exhaustion (“I am sick to death of cleverness. … The thing has become an absolute public nuisance”). Whatever the spin, it’s a reliably funny romp about two men living double lives to avoid responsibility, then trying to back out of dead-ends of their own making in pursuit of love. A reception follows Friday’s opening night performance, or celebrate Pride Night at the following Friday night performance. – Kimberley Jones
VIBE Downtown
Friday 19 – Saturday 20, East Sixth Street
With Austin’s physical expansion in addition to the expansion of cultural opportunities beyond our city’s center, it’s easy to forget that there are scads of things to do Downtown. To help remind you, VIBE Downtown offers two days filled with meetups like community party Where Y’all At Though?!; drag variety show Con Mucho Amor inspired by Texas quinceañeras and curated by Bobby Pudrido; arts and crafts like the Mosaic Workshop’s collaborative mural; a clothing swap and mending workshops by Slow Fashion Festival; dance classes and performances by Shake It Africa; and much more. Look at it as a new way to enjoy Sixth Street, minus the drunken antics. – Laura Rivera
Fear City
Friday 19, We Luv Video
After socio-psychological gore masterpiece The Driller Killer and feminist revenge drama Ms .45, Abel Ferrera attempted to go mainstream through a slightly more conventional but equally sleazy thriller about sex, death, and scum in Manhattan. It’s a race against time as a strip club booker (Tom Berenger) and a vice cop (Billy Dee Williams) join forces to take down a serial killer who’s been targeting exotic dancers. This being the Eighties, there’s a surprising amount of martial arts happening on these neon-sizzled rain-drenched streets, but no one has ever loved New York’s grimier side quite like Ferrera. – Richard Whittaker
Summer’s Gone Fest
Saturday 20, Sunny’s Backyard
Many of us are still in denial that summer is over. (Or coming to a close? Um, the autumnal equinox isn’t until Sept. 22.) Anyway, it feels functionally over, and that seems cause for mourning or celebration, depending on your seasonal preference. The indoor/outdoor Eastside bar is throwing a vinyl release party of “Good Timin’” for Thanks Light…, and the Loveshakers will go on at 8pm. Vending of vintage clothing will take place along with food pop-ups. Doors at 7pm, and it’s free. – Sammie Seamon
Velvet Nox Presents: Android Dreams 2025
Friday 19 – Saturday 20, Sterling Stage Austin
If the description “cyber erotica” gets your gears going, Android Dreams is not to be missed. Set in the aftermath of an all-too-realistic eco apocalypse, the bio-mech remainders are left to pick up the pieces and try to survive in whatever world they can. Showcasing earnest connections through burlesque and pole, Velvet Nox reaches toward a shockingly hopeful cybernetic resolution. Who knows if androids dream of electric sheep, but here, they’re definitely dreaming of a more connected future. – Cat McCarrey
Bring It On
Friday 19 – Saturday 20 & Tuesday 23, Alamo Village, Slaughter, Lakeline & Mueller
Roll call! This infinitely rewatchable 2000s cheerleading classic heads back to theatres this week for its 25th anniversary. Bring It On blends romance with a dash of cringe while also managing to tackle issues of social privilege. The story follows Torrance (Kirsten Dunst), a new cheer captain, leading her team to the national championships. It’s got total Clueless and Mean Girls vibes with ridiculous characters and endlessly quotable bits – except with some front handspring step out, round off, back handsprings. – Flora Belle Farr
Art Erotica
Saturday 20, Distribution Hall
Ah: The perverted nature of art finally pays off! This art auction put on by volunteer org the Octopus Club features sensual works from multiple different artists in multiple different styles and utilizing multiple different mediums, all of which you can bid on. That money you lay down for these sexy pieces directly helps Vivent Health’s Paul Kirby Emergency Fund, which allows the sexual health clinic to assist their clients in dire straits. Buying a big erotic artwork and knowing it’ll help someone in need get their groceries, pay their utilities or rent, and refill their prescriptions? Now that’s just the kind of care I like my freaky creative communities to facilitate. – James Scott
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
Saturday 20, We Luv Video
A New Nightmare was a meta commentary on the franchise and Freddy vs Jason doesn’t count, so 1991’s The Final Nightmare counts as the very last of the “real” A Nightmare on Elm Street series. That sounded like a good thing at the time, since the child-murdering dream demon and bastard son of a hundred maniacs had become a comedic shell of his former terrifying self. But the script by future Texas Film Hall of Fame inductee Michael De Luca added new twists and some of the franchise’s best kills, while director Rachel Talalay (the first woman to direct an Elm Street film) made the ingenious and memorable decision to film the closing act – and Freddy’s final death – in glorious 3D. So don your red/green viewers in celebration of both this wild slice of early Nineties horror and We Luv Video’s giant 3D glasses front-window display created by the evening’s host, artist Liz Tyson. – Richard Whittaker
Oita Japan Festival
Saturday 20, The Long Center
Has there ever been a better time to celebrate our city’s international links and the joys that come from sharing music, food, and culture? The Austin-Oita Sister City Committee once again shows the bonds between our city and its Japanese companion on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. The fusion finds tuneful union in the Japanese bluegrass of the Bamboo Boys, but for those of you who want to truly experience Japanese culture without a 20-hour flight, there will be traditional dances from Okinawa, idol performances from A-Wake, Galaxy Girl PAiDA, and Love Notes, and sumo battles. You can observe all this while delighting in freshly crafted bluefin tuna temaki from Komé Sushi head chef Takehiro Asazu, as well as other Japanese snacks and treats. – Richard Whittaker
The Limey
Saturday 20 – Sunday 21, AFS Cinema
“Tell ’im I’m coming.” Who could have expected that the great Great British actor Terrence Stamp’s last truly great performance would come in an American movie? Yet by transplanting the last of the Angry Young Men to California, Steven Soderbergh gave him a new context in which to stand out. Stamp’s masterful as the enraged London gangster seeking revenge against the L.A. crime boss who killed his daughter, his performance given extra poignancy through the use of clips from his career-defining early role in Poor Cow. His final showdown with the evil Valentine is a clash of crime cultures played out between two of the best, most fascinating performers of their generation, as Stamp and Peter Fonda circle each other like tigers. – Richard Whittaker
Cinema Touching Disability
Saturday 20, Long Center
Celebrate disability representation on the big screen at this film fest’s 22nd year with a slate of short films by independent artists aimed at changing the portrayal of disabled people in cinema and the world at large. From slapstick comedies to nail-biting thrillers, the lineup runs the gamut of genres and life experiences. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, and open captions, ASL interpretation, and live audio description devices are available. – Riley Walsh
Yoga & Sound
Saturday 20, EastVillage
The weather should be just right for an outdoor morning of rejuvenation this Saturday, and EastVillage will have an abundance of treats for the mind, body, and spirit. Enjoy a free, relaxing yoga and sound bath session on the Center Stage lawn, open to all levels. Come early to partake in complimentary Project Sunrise coffee, juice, and muffins from First Watch, and the first 25 folks get a swag bag with goodies from Sage Blossom Massage, First Watch, and Peoples Rx. Donations for Austin Pets Alive! will be accepted if you want to keep the good vibes going. – Kat McNevins
FronteraFest 101 Workshop
Saturday 20, Hyde Park Theatre
Avant-garde and experimental theatre appear to be under threat, but that’s why FronteraFest is so important. The yearly gathering of open-minded audiences supporting stage-changing works continues next February, so if you’re hoping to get your work on next year’s calendar, now’s the time to start writing. But where to begin? Well, maybe by attending this special seminar by Scriptworks executive artistic director and FronteraFest co-producer Christina J. Moore as she walks you through what the festival is looking for, and how to be truly ready for this incredible time in the theatre community. – Richard Whittaker
“CONNECTION”
Through November 3, Golden Mean
This group art show explores the idea of connection using various media: sculpture, watercolor, calligraphy, and more. The South First art gallery and vintage shop brings together five artists with unique takes on how and why one finds a link to other people, ideas, or even more abstract concepts like color and smells. Come by the opening party starting at noon on Saturday and see if you feel any connection. – Catharine Li
Pints & Pugs
Saturday 20, Celis Taproom
Celis Taproom joins the Austin Pug Rescue to raise funds from their signature Belgian brews. And did we mention there will be pugs on the premises? Two dollars from every Pug Lager pint (Helles) and $1 from every Peche or Late Lunch sip goes to APR. Can you really say no to those wrinkly faces, especially after a pint or two? Kick back in the beer garden, meet some adorable pups, and support a great cause. – Felicity Guajardo
Reuse on the Runway
Saturday 20, Branch Park Pavilion
One of the coolest places in town is Austin Creative Reuse, which has been on the forefront of sustainable arts and crafting for over 10 years. For the center’s innovative Reuse on the Runway fashion show, designers are tasked with creating high-fashion looks with all reused materials, and the results are stunning! Start off the evening with a visit to the Glam Station to prep for photos, and bid on something from the silent auction or try the Cash to Treasure game as DJ Hip Stir sets the mood. Then settle in for a showcase of over 50 looks from 30 designers, emceed by Amy Everett with ASL interpretation. Afterward, get an up-close look at some of the designs and marvel at the miracles they make happen with materials otherwise destined for the landfill. – Kat McNevins
Dude Bro Party Massacre III
Saturday 20, Hyperreal Film Club
What do you get when you cross the desperate energy of a third slasher franchise installment with the comedic talents of 2010s internet icons 5-Second Films? Well, you get this fictional horror trilogy ender, a “lost film” telling the story of frat bros haunted by a masked killer called Motherface. Bloody, boorish, and totally bro-tastic, the 2015 feature screens this weekend at HFC with co-director Jon Salmon and actor/creative muse Patton Oswalt providing a post-movie Q&A to satisfy all your burning questions like “How many ounces of fake blood did y’all use?” and “What’s your favorite scary movie?” – James Scott
Austin Museum Day
Sunday 21, museums around Austin
Educate and entertain your cultural, creative, and scientific sensibilities on what’s the 28th edition of Bat City’s free museum tour day. Over 30 homes to art, culture, history, music, nature, and science programming open their doors gratis for you and yours, celebrating the whole dang reason museums exist: to make information available to everyone. Happy browsing! – James Scott
There’s a Poem in That Benefit
Sunday 21, RSVP for Location
Emmy-winning poet Todd Boss uses his lyricism to produce works inspired by personal anecdotes people send to him. The result is There’s a Poem in That, a podcast that shares the subject’s original story and the poem based on it. Celebrating and announcing plans for the project’s second phase, this laid-back benefit features readings of Boss’ poetry and music from Hila Plitmann and Joshua Friedman. Purchase art from the host gallery or peruse Boss’ work to keep his work going. – Flora Belle Farr
The Austin Flea
Sunday 21, Meanwhile Brewing
The always family- and dog-friendly Eastside brewery will be hosting local artists and creators to fill what can be mid-Sunday slump hours. Peruse their craft beer selection and take the kids to lunch at one of the several top-tier food trucks. You’re likely to find a quite happily surprising myriad of one-of-a-kind art, textiles, jewelry, soaps, ceramics, homewares, vintage clothes, and more. No need to get a ticket; the market is free to enter. – Sammie Seamon
Lucky Neighbors Brunch Market
Sunday 21, Old Thousand and Electric Gravy
It’s not every day that a big function shows up on East 11th, but that’s exactly what Old Thousand and Electric Gravy aim to deliver this Sunday in partnership with Lucky Market Festival. Taking up space in this neck of the Austin woods will be a whole afternoon of fun, with tickets benefitting DAWA. Find a gallery and open mic by TexPop; a local BIPOC vendor market; mahjong tables from Mahjong Mafia; live music; and plenty more activities throughout. Oh, yeah, and of course there’ll be delicious dining options thanks to our food-related hosts. – James Scott
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.
This article appears in September 19 • 2025.
