Art City Austin (April)
512-609-8591 • artallianceaustin.org
Reflecting Austin’s intense creative
energy, Art City Austin is a spring cele-
bration of the arts in the city’s popular
2nd Street District. Event includes lots
of art and artists, live music, local eats,
a Kid’s Block, and more.
Zilker Kite Festival (March)
Zilker Park, Austin • 512-312-4056
www.zilkerkitefestival.com
Started in 1929 by the Austin Exchange
Club, the Zilker Kite Festival is a staple
annual Austin event, which celebrates
the beauty of the homemade kite. Each
year thousands of kites take to the air,
painting the blue sky with a rainbow
of bright colors. While attendees are
encouraged to bring their own homemade kites to participate, the Festival
is for anyone who wants to attend.
Other activities include face painting,
games and contests, rock wall climbing,
moonwalks, and plenty of tasty food.
Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival
512-454-5766; austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/
Market/HotSauce
Come join this beautiful confluence of
music and hot culinary delights! This spicy
event is free with a donation of 3 non-per-ishable food items for The Capital Area
Food Bank of Texas.
Austin Ice Cream Festival
512-480-5966; www.icecreamfestival.org
The Austin Ice Cream Festival, held at
Fiesta Gardens, is an event centered on
family, fun and ice cream which harkens
back to a time when ice cream trucks
roamed the streets and running through
sprinklers was an art form. Come enjoy
contests, music and, of course, iced treats.
Admission price includes free ice cream.
Austin Bat Fest
512-441-9015; www.roadwayevents.com
This unique celebration, of one of the
region’s most interesting natural wonders,
attracts around 40,000 spectators and
features arts and crafts, music, food, bat
watching, children’s activities and educational displays. Enjoy the scenic backdrop
of Lady Bird Lake and downtown Austin
as two million Mexican free-tailed bats
emerge for their nightly flight. A general
admission fee is charged.
Tri Rock Austin
Auditorium Shores, 800 West Riverside Drive
www.trirock.competitor.com
Now part of the Land Rover TriRock
Triathlon Series, the Austin Triathlon is
an annual, world-class event that attracts
top local and international athletes and
spectators.
Pecan Street Festival
512-485-3190; www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com
The Pecan Street Festival, held in both
spring and fall, has been an Austin
tradition for more than 30 years. The
event features hundreds of local artisans
who display and sell homemade art and
craftwork. Festival attendees can find
paintings, sculpture, woodwork, candles,
jewelry, cowboy hats, clothes, home decor,
games and other useful and whimsical
household items, plus tons of performing
artists, kids activities, and more than 20
food vendors. Admission is free.
Austin Chocolate Festival
512-637-0479; www.austinchocolatefestival.com
Finally! A chocolate event that’s guilt-free! The Austin Chocolate Festival is a
nonprofit fundraiser for local charities that
consists of local chocolatiers and chocolate
experts, including restaurants, bakeries,
patisseries, authors, and catering companies. The vendors compete against each
other in several categories, as well as offer
samples and yummy products for sale.
Austin City Limits Music Festival
(ACL Fest)
Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road
512-505-4483; www.aclfestival.com
This annual musical event, which is occurs
in two consecutive weekends, brings home
the city’s nickname as the “Live Music
Capital of the World” with a huge array
of artists from local and international
stages. In all, the ACL Festival hosts more
than 130 acts playing rock, indie, country,
folk, electronic and more on Zilker Park’s
eight stages, with more than 70,000 fans
attending each day.
Austin Film Festival (AFF)
512-478-4795; www.austinfilmfestival.com
The Austin Film Festival furthers the art
and craft of filmmaking by “inspiring and
championing the work of screenwriters,
filmmakers, and all artists who use the
language of film to tell a story.” The
annual event attracts top movie executives,
producers, screenwriters, and filmmakers.
South by Southwest Eco (SXSWEco)
Austin Convention Center
512-467-7979; www.sxsweco.com
Join others who are passionate about the
earth, seeking innovative solutions to move
us beyond sustainability. Professionals
from all walks of life gather to seek solutions on how to operate and stay green.
