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  Events

  The Traitors Watch Party

  Ever the contrarian, I prefer The Traitors UK’s cast of normies versus the U.S.’s bench of backstabbing reality TV all-stars pulled from Survivor, Big Brother, and the Real Housewives franchise, but whichever flavor you choose of this reality competition show (there are about 20 international versions in rotation), you’re bound to get addicted. The biggest barrier to entry – who the heck has a Peacock subscription? Vacancy Brewing does! Enjoy new episodes with other faithful on Thursdays at 8pm. The nearness of beer could occasion a drinking game – maybe every time somebody wears a truly ridonk hat? That’ll get you plastered … and possibly drunk-buying a plane ticket to the scenic Scottish Highlands, the real star of the show. – Kimberley Jones

  Thursdays at 8pm

  Vacancy Brewing

• Qmmunity

  Community

  ATX Trans Pride

  Real heads know this ol’ Bat City is nothing without the transgender kings, queens, and creators who make it gleam. Celebrate Austin’s incredible trans community at this splashy shindig featuring music, drag, vendors, and much more.

  Sat., June 7

  Cheer Up Charlies

• Arts

  Visual Arts

  “The Everyman”

  I’ve been having a lot of “girl who’s going to be okay” moments as I reconnect with my earnest, optimistic side, so I’m excited for “The Everyman,” a group show curated by visual artist and musician Lisa Alley that celebrates the beauty in the small things – from commonplace occurrences to the working-class heroes that give this exhibit its name. Alley – who plays in local acts the Well, Mugger, and TV’s Daniel – shows her paintings alongside a slew of familiar names, including Parquet Courts’ A. Savage, Never’s Emily No Good, and photographer Pooneh Ghana. Everyone has the ability to create something exceptional, this Bolm Arts project assures us. – Carys Anderson

  Through June 7

  Bolm Studios Gallery

• Community

  Events

  Bat City Bingo

  Mamma mia: Did you know the game we call bingo originated in Italy? Descended from the Italian lotto game, bingo has been delighting young and old – okay, mostly old – since the 1500s. Enjoy boffo bingo from your friends at Bat City Bingo, who bring free “beano” to patios all over town, every Tuesday at Long Play Lounge. – James Scott

  Tuesdays

  Long Play Lounge

• Community

  Events

  Bat City Bingo

  I love the Bat City Bingo ladies. They’re always up to give you a prize from their incredible collection whether your victory is real or simply deserved. My friend once got a book that was just artistic depictions of Satan! Anyway, those who missed their presence on North Loop after they departed from Tuesday at Dub Trub can now rest easy. BCB sets up in the cozy cocktail quarters of Tigress, where you can enjoy delicious drinks and dot your bingo sheet indoors. Good way to beat the Monday blues, baby. – James Scott

  Mondays

  The Tigress Pub

• Music

  Betty Who, Rozzi [outside]

  Sun., June 29, 8pm  

  get tickets

  Mohawk

• Community

  Events

  Buddhist Meditation

  Asenath Avinash, who has over a decade of experience practicing both Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, leads an hourlong meditation session. Drop-ins welcome; no registration required.

  Wednesdays, noon. Donations appreciated.  

  more info

  Ceremony Social Spa

• Arts

  Comedy

  ColdTowne Theater

  ColdTowne's new brick-and-mortar place is totally open, and who knows what they'll shake this city with next? But one truth remains: ColdTowne is a designated den of gold, baby, sweet comedy gold.

  ColdTowne Theater

• Arts

  Comedy

  Come @ Me: Improv Comedy Inspired by Your Instagram

  Why are there so many different social media apps you have to be on? And where are my slippers? Are you my grandson? I’m joking about being old, which is something they might make fun of me for when they do the improv comedy inspired by my Instagram. If you can’t laugh at yourself, you won’t make it far in this world! So come be the butt of the joke at this weekly show created by Isaac Garza, Amy Knop, and Kyle Irion, and starring Natalie O’Sullivan Hamilton, Juese Cutler, Sunny Huang, Xander Noland, Lisa Jackson, Colton Matocha, Jenn Rosario, Kevin Anderson, Jamie Meeks, and special guests, who will all endeavor to finally use social media for something good. – Kat McNevins

  Saturdays

  Fallout Theater

• Arts

  Theatre

  Deaf Austin Theatre’s A Strange Loop

  Founded on the idea of ensuring deaf inclusion on the stage and in the crowd, Deaf Austin Theatre brings a “blisteringly funny” musical tale of Usher, a young artist who grapples with identity and sexuality. The promo materials sell it the best, calling it a “big, Black and queer-ass Great American Musical for all.”

  Aug. 29-Sept. 14

• Music

  DJ Who Izzy

  Sat., June 21, 9pm

  Austin Proper Hotel

• Qmmunity

  Nightlife & Parties

  Drama Club

  Hostess Mascara Rivers and Summer Clearance pay tribute to the weird and queer theatre. Featured guests every month bring the anything-goes drama-rama: drag, burlesque, interpretative dancing – who knows!

  Second Monday of every month, 9pm. No cover.  

  Facebook

  The Iron Bear

• Arts

  Comedy

  Fallout Comedy

  This hotbed of local performance is carrying on even more than usual, with an eclectic mix of live, mind-rocking comedy from some of Austin's best, all week long. Hey! The place is our cover story, as reported by Valerie Lopez! And, srsly, who would ever disagree with the sentiment of Monday night's Fuck This Week show? Check the website for details.

   

  Click It For Tickets & Details

  Fallout Theater

• Community

  Events

  First Wednesday Dark Sky Place Coaching

  Are you helping your local community, park, reserve, sanctuary or urban park apply as an International Dark Sky Place? Or are you starting to think about it? Gather to connect with others doing the same thing and be coached by DarkSky Texas volunteers who have experience with IDSP applications.

  First Wednesdays, 5pm. Free.

  Virtual

• Community

  Sports

  Free Women's Self-Defense Class

  Anyone who identifies as a woman and is interested in learning some hands-on self-defense techniques is welcome to join.

  First Wednesday of every month, 7:30-8:30pm. Free.

  Krav Maga

• Qmmunity

  Community

  Geeks Who Drink at the Iron Bear

  Join this un-fur-getable pub quiz at Austin's fave bear bar

  Every other Thursday, 8-10pm

  The Iron Bear

• Community

  Events

  Geeks Who Drink Trivia

  The masters of minutiae present trivia games for prizes, covering everything from Hungary to The Hunger Games, science to sports, the Billboard Hot 100 to Better Call Saul. Find them at watering holes all over town each week.

  Ongoing

• Community

  Events

  GoldenGaia Vendor Market + Holistic Fair

  Explore a diverse selection of vendors, including artisans, psychic readers, and holistic practitioners who can help heal mind, body, and spirit.

  Sat.-Sun., 11am-5pm. Free.

  Casa de Luz

• Community

  Events

  Guided Breathwork & Journaling

  Weekly guided breathwork sessions incorporate lunar and solar cycles, card readings, Kundalini, journaling, and more, and are led by Margaret, who has studied around the world and is a trained midwife, birth & postpartum doula, Reiki master, registered yoga teacher, and kinesiologist.

  Sundays, 7:30pm. Donations appreciated.  

  more info

  Ceremony Social Spa

• Music

  JoJo Siwa

  Nothing’s off the table for this “confident and gleefully unrestrained” artist who grew up on TV with Dance Moms and recently faced off with Mickey Rourke on Celebrity Big Brother.

  Fri., July 11, 8pm  

  get tickets

  Emo's

• Arts

  Visual Arts

  Laguna Gloria

  This local treasure of a venue, run by those Contemporary Austin folks who also bring us the Jones Center shows Downtown, is all about the outdoors – which is perfect for these trickily navigated times of ours, n'est-ce pas? Recommended: Stop by and breathe in the air, enjoy the lawns and gardens and the many examples of world-class sculpture arrayed across the property, and (as Frankie used to say) r-e-l-a-x.

  Thu.-Fri., 9am-noon; Sat.-Sun., 9am-3pm

  Laguna Gloria Amphitheater

• Arts

  Comedy

  Last Voyage of the Voyagers

  Austin’s comedy scene is synonymous with improv, but it’s not all about the “yes, and.” Sketch comedy troupe the Voyagers goes on stage with a lot more than a wing, a prayer, and hopes that the audience has some good prompts. Promising live sketch comedy from the bottom of the barrel of their hearts, these laughs from the end times come from writer/director John Gholson, who is set to become the toast of this year’s Tribeca Festival as star of the new Austin-made horror, Man Finds Tape. But before he terrorizes the Big Apple, catch him and the rest of the Voyagers as they find humor in these dumpster fire days each Saturday night through May. – Richard Whittaker

  Saturdays

  Fallout Theater

• Qmmunity

  Nightlife & Parties

  Play! With Chique Fil-Atio

  Gamers unite at this gathering featuring tournament style Switch games, card and board games, darts, retro gaming, and more, all while Chique Fil-Atio DJs. Sign up after Geeks Who Drink.

  Every other Thursday, 10pm

  The Iron Bear

• Qmmunity

  Community

  Queer Black Women Alliance Presents: First Wednesday

  Having fun and meeting new people is harder than TV makes it seem. Good thing there’s orgs like Queer Black Women Alliance, who’ve got another event series starting this month with First Wednesday. These’ll be open to the full breadth of Black LGBTQIA+ Austinites as a way to “connect after work or just after a long day,” says their Insta. Self-described writer, tarot reader, and “catalyst” Anraje hosts the event at Southern hospitality hot spot the Dogwood’s Domain locale. Bring your troubles, your joys, and your open heart, and create a little connective tissue with your local Black queer community. – James Scott

  First Wednesdays

  The Dogwood

• Qmmunity

  Arts & Culture

  Queer Craft Night

  In August 2022, hosts Ashley and Bernadette decided to bring together their two loves: crafting and hanging out with friends. Thus, Queer Craft Night was born! One venue change later and this DIY delight takes over queer-owned vino/espresso spot the Violet Crown every other Wednesday. Bring a project or start one on-site – according to QCN’s Insta, there’s been folks who’ve brought everything from embroidery to leather work, macrame to Lego-building. While the hosts always have a little extra supplies, you’re responsible for your own materials. Pro-tip: Violet Crown neighbors Little Deli, so arrive early and chow on a little brain food before startin’ in with the scissors. – James Scott

  Every other Tuesday, 6-9pm

  The Violet Crown Wine Bar & Coffee Shop, 7100 Woodrow Ave. Ste. 100

• Film

  Special Screenings

  Saving Face (2005)

  I’m a sucker for intergenerational stories, particularly if they’re about parents and kids dealing with romance. There’s a real fun chaos to the idea: parents having to commiserate with their kid over dating troubles, forcing a new equality of situation into a historically uneven power dynamic. In director Alice Wu’s debut feature, protag Wil (Michelle Krusiec, Duplex) must take in her pregnant mother (Joan Chen, Twin Peaks), whose unwed status has her on the outs with her father. While Wil’s in the closet with her mom, she becomes enamored with her boss’ daughter (Lynn Chen, a five-episode recurring doctor on Grey’s Anatomy), who butts heads with her own father over choosing modern dance over ballet. Social expectations get broken; love comes from unexpected places; and hearts do change, even if it takes a little while. – James Scott

  June 2 & 4

  AFS Cinema

• Qmmunity

  Nightlife & Parties

  Sir Rat Kink Bingo

  Gear up for a kinky little time with the Sir Rat fam slinging sweet prizes to those who bingo best.

  First Sunday of every month

  The Austin Eagle

• Film

  Special Screenings

  Streets of Fire (1984)

  Willem Dafoe is perhaps the best role-picker in Hollywood, with countless iconic characters from Robert Pattinson’s deranged mentor in The Lighthouse, to Emma Stone’s kooky mad scientist dad in Poor Things. But back in his younger days the roles skewed a little sexier – albeit with his singular brand of toothy sleaze. None fit the brand more so perhaps than in this 1984 camped-out neo-noir rock opera, wherein he plays Raven, an evil biker gang leader who kidnaps rock star Ellen Aim (Diane Lane). Her former soldier beau Cody (Michael Paré) is hired to rescue her and an urban chase ensues. Dafoe’s widow’s peak goes hard in this glam rock West Side Story that’s worth a watch on the big screen.– Lina Fisher

  June 4-5 & 7-8

  AFS Cinema

• Arts

  Visual Arts

  Valerie Fowler’s “Entanglements” & Benné Rockett’s “Grown in Darkness”

  It’s a pleasure to see Austin’s bevy of talented working artists grow and change over the years, exploring new material and thematic fixations. Valerie Fowler is one such mainstay of the scene, and her new summer show at Lydia Street Gallery finds her meditating on the interconnectedness of nature and humanity with signature meticulous attention to detail. In “Entanglements: You Too Are Part of This,” she renders birds’ nests and vines in dazzling Technicolor. Under the same roof, Benné Rockett, an Austin art therapist who’s spent the better part of a decade between Mérida, Yucatan, and her hometown of New Orleans, offers mixed-media encaustic works that render flora and fauna in three dimensions. Watch these works interact with one another starting Saturday, May 24, through to August 10. – Lina Fisher

  Through August 10

  Lydia Street Gallery

• Community

  Events

  Write Club

  As Amy Poehler’s character Susie advises about musical theatre in Wet Hot American Summer, “Your craft is a muscle; you have to exercise it.” If your craft is writing, consider Write Club your gym sesh. At this monthly meetup, participants are given a prompt or exercise, then everyone will write and share. Don’t be shy; this is a supportive environment filled with folks who are also writers, aka some of the most insecure people on the planet. Have a stretch, crick your neck, and get those writing muscles absolutely ripped. – Kat McNevins

  Third Tuesday of every month

  Central Library

• Arts

  Books

  Writers’ League of Texas Third Thursdays

  Y’all: Writing is so hard. Imagine a crying emoji attached to that statement, and you’ll understand how my chosen career field affects me. Take heart, though, as I have done when learning about our local Writers’ League and their many workshops. Every third Thursday of the month, WLT brings you discussions by skilled panelists on myriad subjects pertaining to the written word. October’s topic concerns characters: How do you write ’em good? Authors Sherri L. Smith, Alex Temblador, and Meg Vondriska – who WLT assures us have experience in the area – bring their advice. – James Scott

  Third Thursday of every month

  Virtual