Me Nd Adam performing at Free Week 2024 Credit: Courtesy of Red River Cultural District/ Renee Dominguez

Free Week, the Red River Cultural District’s annual no-cost wintertime live music showcase, returns Jan. 3-4, 2025. The lineup for the two-day festival arrives next month.

An Austin tradition for over 20 years, Free Week seeks to jumpstart the local music scene during the historically slow winter months by omitting cover charges for a slew of live performances – all while guaranteeing musicians and venue workers are paid for their time. The Red River Cultural District – which oversees the strip of venues Downtown including Mohawk, Stubb’s, Empire Control Room & Garage, Cheer Up Charlies, and more – funds the program through sponsorships and city support.

After a yearlong struggle for funding, the RRCD announces Free Week 2025 after securing an immediate aid package from the city of Austin. A contract negotiated earlier this month between the city and the Red River Merchants Association secures the district up to $150,000 in a one-year term with four one-year renewals.

This article appears in November 8 • 2024.

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Carys Anderson moved from Nowhere, DFW to Austin in 2017 to study journalism at the University of Texas. She began writing for The Austin Chronicle in 2021 and joined its full-time staff in 2023, where she covers music and culture.