Home Events
-
Sponsored Listing
Affordable Art Fair Austin
After a hugely successful first edition, Affordable Art Fair Austin returns May 15-18, 2025 at the Palmer Events Center, showcasing thousands of original contemporary artworks ranging between $100 to $10,000. Welcoming 55 local, national and international exhibitors, the second edition will be unmissable.May 15-18, 2025Palmer Events Center -
Sponsored Listing
The Juilliard String Quartet with pianist Anna Petrova
With unparalleled artistry and enduring vigor, the Juilliard String Quartet (JSQ) continues to inspire audiences around the world. Founded in 1946 and hailed by The Boston Globe as “the most important American quartet in history,” the ensemble draws on a deep and vital engagement to the classics, while embracing the mission of championing new works, a vibrant combination of the familiar and the daring.Sat. May 17, 7:30pmRiverbend Centre
Recommended
-
Community
Events
The Front Market
For the next five weeks, everyone is on shopping duty – although if you’re a real deals-head like me, you’ve been doing the pop-up market rounds for months. Hitting a pre-Thanksgiving sweet spot for thoughtful gifters is the Front Market, autumn edition. Creative organizers Future Front TX curate over 150 vendors to take over Waterloo with homemade, vintage, edible, sustainable, etc. products you’ll just love. Not only are there day-specific sellers as well as full-weekender vendors, but FFTX goes the extra mile in providing activities to keep even the stubborn anti-shoppers engaged, like a Queer Vinyl Collective platter swap, Drag N Draw and Silly Still-Lifes art classes from Sketchers Drawing Club, clay creations and demos by Anga Haus, and multiple local menus slinging their delicious wares. – James ScottNov. 23-24 -
Arts
Classical Music
Root Beerthoven
Forget polished symphony halls with gilded staircases and velvet chairs. Experience classical music and more the way it was meant to be heard – outdoors, with a pint of something dark and delicious in hand. This November, string quartet Invoke explores the intersection of classical and folk music. They’ve arranged a presentation riffing on the idea of “roots music,” with selections ranging from Haydn to Copland to Florence Price, the first African American woman whose music was performed by an American symphony orchestra. Partake of musical history while snacking on pastries and beer. It’s the right thing to do. – Cat McCarreyNov. 22-24Location Provided With Ticket -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
A Night of 1,000 p1nkstars
She’s back! Electronica princess p1nkstar celebrates her 30th birthday with drag, a costume contest, and – no duh – hot DJ sets. Come to tribute a true Texas icon; stay for a special Lone Star appearance from NYC’s House of Bushwig.Sat., Nov. 23 -
Qmmunity
Nightlife & Parties
Butch County Farewell Extravaganza
A fond farewell to local queer rock group includes alineup featuring prior members' new projects.Sat., Nov. 23 -
Music
Dayglow, Teenage Dads
“I don’t like when art feels rushed,” Sloan Struble told us at the start of the pandemic. Dayglow, his fourth full-length, doesn’t sound underserved, but it does bounce and BPM far sprightlier and most pop in relation to the rest of his effervescent oeuvre. “I was just 18 with the Fuzzybrain,” recalls the onetime UT bedroom dream-weaver on opener “Mindless Creatures,” making us suddenly nostalgic by name-dropping his 2019 viral breakout. “Nothing Ever Does!!!” similarly recalls that initiating ether, then finishes spastically Devo-esque, while “This Feeling” admits, “I wish I could relax a bit, but then I have no time.”– Raoul HernandezSat., Nov. 23, 8pm -
Qmmunity
Community
Drag Queen Story Half-Hour
Extragrams hosts a sweet reading time with Lawrie Bird reading a classic tale from the Hundred Acre Wood. Kiddos will hear Winnie-the-Pooh: Pooh Goes Visiting with original music accompaniment written by Alex Molina Shawver and performed by Cover to Cover Quintet. Plus: kid-friendly drag performances.Sat., Nov. 23 -
Film
Special Screenings
Felidae
It seems that in nearly every country the animated-cat-film canon goes irrationally hard. The U.S. kicked off with silent film star Felix the Cat in the 1920s and led to the family classic Aristocats; France gave us a cat burglar in A Cat in Paris; and even Hayao Miyazaki blessed the world with Animorph-esque adventure The Cat Returns – and those are just off the dome. This weekend, AFS serves up a hidden feline classic from Germany in Felidae, a neo-noir animated feature that shares its title with the scientific name for cats. With a theme song by Boy George, this adaptation of Turkish author Akif Pirinçci’s 1989 novel follows Francis, the pet of a romance writer who discovers a cat death cult living in his owner’s attic, leading him down a sordid path riddled with cat sex, murder, and mad scientists. Imagine the classic Nineties 2D animation style of Don Bluth (Anastasia, Thumbelina) set to a Cronenberg plot. Purr! – Lina FisherNov. 22-24 -
Qmmunity
Community
Friendsgiving
Queer Black event organizers ATX Choclit LGBT hosts a feast of friendship, where attendees must bring their fave T-Day side to share and wear their silkiest pajamas. Meats are covered by the host, and ATX Choclit promises that “A feast and a time will be had!”Sat., Nov. 23RSVP for location -
Arts
Comedy
How to Drive Yourself Crazy
One of the (hopefully) least-Googled phrases, but something that is all too easy to accomplish. Maybe you’ve managed to drive yourself crazy without even trying! This stage show by the hilarious Mimi Meier and Holly Hart Raiborn illustrates just how easy it can be thanks to the mixed messages of womanhood, with music and dance, sketches, and a Cosmo-esque “quiz that will tell you who is your Celebrity Eyebrow Twin Flame.” Explore the absurdities, have a few laughs, and take notes because they will finally (finally!) be revealing the secret to perfect abs in 10 days. – Kat McNevinsSat., Nov. 23 -
Arts
Books
Matty Matheson: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches
Leave it to affable Canadian Matty Matheson to boldly cover the lunch trifecta: so basic, so taken for granted, yet so ripe with opportunity. For his latest cookbook, the chef/restaurateur/TV and internet personality (The Bear, VICE’s Munchies) focused on these key items to create satisfying sustenance like a giant meatball soup in tomato broth, griddled salami panzanella salad, and banana bread French toast with a fried egg, peameal bacon, and maple syrup. Hungry yet? Grab a copy of the book, meet the chef, and be home in time for supper. – Kat McNevinsSat., Nov. 23 -
Qmmunity
Community
Pride on the Preserve: Gay for Trees
Local Queer ATX partners up with Travis County Balcones Canyonlands Preserve for an event that’ll grow your green thumb. Attendees will learn tree-planting basics, take an off-trail walk, and get plenty of hands-on involvement with our local flora.Sat., Nov. 23 -
Film
Special Screenings
Something Wild (1986)
The most dangerous car in 1980s movies was Christine’s 1957 Plymouth Fury, but the second most dangerous was the green 1967 Pontiac GTO driven by Lulu (Melanie Griffith) that barrels into the life of yuppie Charlie (Jeff Daniels) to kidnap him for a weekend of life-wrecking fun. In a decade of rebellious cinema where every hip movie kid was trying to be John Waters, David Lynch, or Alex Cox, Jonathan Demme flipped the script in this crazy East Coast road movie by having the normies try to navigate rebellion in a corporate world. Is it actually hip to be square? Find out in this delirious screwball rom-com. – Richard WhittakerNov. 23-24 -
Arts
Dance
Spanksgiving
Local burlesque performers take the stage to bring, in their own words, “local, free range, and gluten-free breasts and thighs to your holiday table.” Bring your appetite for the erotic and, oh yeah, cash for tipping.Sat., Nov. 23 -
Music
The Azmaris (10:00, 8:00)
Inspired by Ethiopian bandleader Mulatu Astatke, who folded jazz and Latin music into his country’s native sounds to broker the style known as “Ethio-jazz,” the Azmaris – derived from Austin Afrofunk standard-bearers Hard Proof – started out with a similar focus before, like their forefathers, evolving into a beast unique unto themselves. Led by HP saxophonist Jason Frey, the quartet mixes acoustic jazz and electronic psych into an atmospheric groove unlike anyone else in Austin. Frey’s compadres for this distinctive trip include vibraphonist Carolyn Trowbridge (Coke/Michel Sextet, Adrian Quesada), drummer Andy Beaudoin (Nori), and double bassist Mario Castellanos (Suzanna Choffel). – Michael TolandSat., Nov. 23 -
Film
Special Screenings
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
Ever looked at Ben Stiller and thought, “Yeah, he’s funny. But he’s no Charles Grodin”? Well, Stiller’s 2007 remake of this 1972 anti-rom-com proves your point. Luckily, AFS is screening the original to remind you that no one comedically captured suburban rage and ennui like Grodin. Adapted by Neil Simon from Bruce Jay Friedman’s 1966 short story “A Change of Plan” and directed by Elaine May, it ruthlessly attacks the nebbish Lenny (Grodin) for dumping his Jewish wife (Jeannie Berlin) in pursuit of a shiksa (Cybill Shepherd). Where the Stiller version traded on gross-out comedy, May, Grodin, and the Oscar-nominated Berlin center Jewish identity in WASPy America in a fashion that remains acerbic and hysterical. – Richard WhittakerNov. 22-23 -
Arts
Theatre
The Market at ZACH
When you think of a Victorian Christmas, what comes to mind? Snow, Scrooge, and street markets. Well, Zach Theatre can’t guarantee a flurry in Austin’s fake winter, but with the 10th anniversary of their signature seasonal production of A Christmas Carol, now they’re adding their own version of an outdoor market with this gathering of local vendors and food stalls, a petting zoo for the youngest ones, specialty cocktails and, of course, caroling. – Richard WhittakerSat., Nov. 23 -
Arts
Visual Arts
"Native America: In Translation"
One thing I’ve loved about newer theatre or museums is the space given for land acknowledgement – statements about the ancestral roots of the space being used. Space that was not always ours, but taken. The Blanton’s latest exhibit tackles that question, but pushes the boundaries. It’s not just about what Native America was, but what it can be. Curator and lauded artist Wendy Red Star has assembled nine other Native artists to create a rich exploration of what life in America is today. Shown through a variety of mediums, something is guaranteed to resonate with the audience. Whether it’s the photos, paintings, videos, or multimedia works is up to you. – Cat McCarreyAug. 4-Jan.5 -
Music
21st Street Co-Op's 50th anniversary J'cuuzi, Pussy Gillette, Modern Form, KindKeith
Sat., Nov. 23, 9pm. $10 suggested donation. -
Community
Events
A Christmas Affair
Junior League of Austin helps you get holiday shopping started early at its market featuring hundreds of vendors and benefiting its community-serving mission.Nov. 20-24 -
Arts
Theatre
A Christmas Carol
It’s a timeless story, but revisiting A Christmas Carol now seems especially timely, what with billionaires running roughshod as income inequality rises with no sign of relief. Dickens wrote the story while under financial pressure, and the story was intended to touch the hearts of the rich and powerful. It was a nice idea, and the fact it’s been adapted countless times is testament to its broad appeal, but some of the real Scrooges may just be beyond its reach. We’ll keep trying though! Zach brings its production back for a 10th year, with fresh songs and special extras like commemorative tickets and experiences. – Kat McNevinsNov. 20-Jan. 1 -
Music
-
Music
-
Music
-
Music
-
Music
-
Arts
Visual Arts
Ashley Swarts: “Waiting for a Sign”
Ashley Swarts’ “Waiting for a Sign” debuted at Do Right Hall during Chinati Weekend in Marfa and will now have a more permanent showing at McLennon Pen Co.’s space next to Nixta Taqueria. It’s a fitting journey, seeing as Swarts lived in Marfa for seven years before moving to Austin to open Slowpoke, a hand-poke tattoo studio that she owns and works out of in East Austin. Swarts grew up in Las Vegas, and all three locales figure heavily in her show, which focuses on commercial signage in each city. Southwestern street art found in vintage light box and neon signs to painstakingly hand-painted typography is an aesthetic that fascinates Swarts, whose process involved collecting magazines and fitting cutouts into sign stencils layered into clear resin and suspended “like rare bugs under glass,” she writes. The opening reception is Thursday, November 21, from 6-9pm. – Lina FisherThrough Dec. 7 -
Music
-
Arts
Visual Arts
“And the valley froze over”
When describing his six-film saga, director George Lucas described the multi-generational history of the Star Wars world as being “like poetry. They rhyme.” Much mocked, I actually find this a nice way to explain the repetition history tends to have – exemplified even better, TBH, in artist Enrique Figueredo’s woodcut pieces on view at Flatbed. These pieces utilize images of historical Spanish missions to convey timeless themes: economic struggles, religious turmoil, war. Figueredo also unveils three new altarpieces from his Federación Venezolana de Bobsleigh. series that takes inspiration from, as the show copy states, “the artist’s childhood fantasy of piloting a make-believe bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics.” – James ScottThrough Nov. 30 -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Caustic Room”
Audio art mixes with light at this new show from Vermont-born “musician, artist, bookbinder, juggler, woodworker, and dungeon master” Cooper McBean. Through a series of tones bounced off resonating panels as well as into an illuminated pool at the center of Recspec’s shipping-container venue, McBean’s work creates reflections that light up the space. These – the titular “caustics” – can be manipulated by the gallery’s audience through adding their own little hums and hahs into its atmosphere. Check out this mix of water, light, and sound on its opening night, Nov. 8, or during the second week of the Austin Studio Tour. – James ScottFridays-Sundays. Through Nov. 23 -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Collective Tales in a Concrete Garden”
Presented in collaboration with Mexican contemporary art project guadalajara90210, Co-Lab presents a conglomeration of artists playing with ideas of urban nature. Walk amongst the organically industrial forms at the opening reception this Saturday. Expect unique uses of form and texture, metals and fibers used with a distinct viewpoint. As part of the “sculptural garden,” art rises from bases of industrial gravel, an ultimate symbol of growth from unexpected sources. Expand your ideas of structure. Expand your ideas of nature. Expand your ideas of what urban art can entail. – Cat McCarreyThrough Dec. 14
All Events