Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment – Letter from the Director
I am proud to serve as the inaugural Director for Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (AACME), a first of its kind department at the City of Austin. Together, we are focusing on the heartbeat of Austin: the preservation of culture and the amplification of creatives. This October we join American for the Arts and cities around the country to celebrate National Arts & Humanities Month. We join the call with our colleagues around the country to highlight the incredible work in our community. Please join us for the amazing programming we are hosting at our cultural centers; take yourself on a tour of our world-class public art; take in the sounds of local music at the Red River Cultural District; attend one of our many vibrant festivals or major events taking place during the month – Austin City Limits, Texas Book Festival, Formula1; and feel the culture of Austin all around you.
Thank you to the incredible creatives who make our community a place we love to call home, and a thriving tourism destination that visitors cherish. Can’t wait to see you all out in the community, all month long.
– Angela Means, Director of Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment
Celebrate Austin Arts & Humanities Throughout October
Check out all of the amazing events happening in Austin during Arts & Humanities Month!
District |
Date |
Event |
Facility |
Location & Time |
Description |
| D1 | 1-Oct | Multiple Art Exhibits | Asian American Resource Center | 10 am-6 pm | Asian American Resource Center Exhibits | AustinTexas.gov |
| D9 | 1-Oct | Raised to Engage: Past & Present | Old Bakery & Artisan Emporium | 1006 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701; W-F: 10 am-6 pm; Sat: Noon-5 pm | Exhibition in the Art Gallery. A retrospective of life and work of Rick Hernandez. |
| D1 | 1-Oct | Wellness Wednesday Dance & Social Group | George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702; 6:30-8 pm | Looking to master precision and power on the dance floor? Join us for a dynamic series designed to elevate your physical health while embracing the artistry of drill dance. |
| D9 | 2-Oct | Glow in the Park Concert & Dinner | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park | 1111 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701; 6-11 pm | Glow in the Park at Moody Amphitheater - It is a 700 person gala dinner at Waterloo Amphitheater on October 2nd. We will have valet on Trinity St. from 112th street to 15th street. |
| D8 | 3-Oct | Austin City Limits Festival Weekend 1 | Zilker Park | 2100 Barton Spring Rd, Austin, TX 78704; Noon-10 pm | Austin City Limits Music Festival - Music stages, food vendors, art vendors, & hospitality programs. October 3-5 & 10-12, 2025 in Zilker Park. |
| D9 | 4-Oct | Exhibits | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 10 am-6 pm | Experience three new exhibitions at the Dougherty Arts Center! Meeting at the Edges by Gary Anderson, Sam Elkins, and Diane Sandlin is a multidisciplinary exploration of physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries. |
| D9 | 4-Oct | Naturalists at the Ney: Mindful Mending Workshop with the Refugee Collective | Elisabet Ney Museum | 304 E 44th St, Austin, TX 78751; 10 am-Noon | This hands-on workshop introduces you to a variety of mending techniques, from simple patching to intricate decorative stitches. Whether you're mending out of necessity or simply to breathe new life into your wardrobe, you’ll find inspiration in the art of mindful mending. |
| D7 | 4-Oct | Austin FC vs St. Louis | Q2 Stadium | 10414 Mc Kalla Pl, Austin, TX 78758; 7:30-11:59 pm | Austin FC vs St. Louis |
| D9 | 8-Oct | Mariachi Herencia De Mexico School Performance 2025 | The Long Center for the Performing Arts | 701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704; 11 am-3 pm | Mariachi show for High School Students inside Dell Hall at the Long Center. We need to close Riverside Dr. to allow safe loading/unloading of kids from busses. |
| D8 | 8-Oct | Party for the Parks | Zilker Park | 2100 Barton Spring Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 5-11 pm | Party for the Parks brings together parks people from across Austin for a night of revelry, live music and more nestled in the heart of the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park! |
| D9 | 8-Oct | Artist Reception | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 7-9 pm | Experience What Lingers in Our Bones by Vy Ngo, a powerful exploration of intergenerational trauma and healing through painting, sculpture, and installation. Discover Meeting at the Edges, a collaborative exhibition by Gary Anderson, Sam Elkins, and Diane Sandlin that brings together mixed media, weaving, and painting in dialogue around boundaries and shared experience. |
| D1 | 9-Oct | Artist Access Showcase Performance - Boreggo Red | George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702; 6-9 pm | Part of the Artist Access Program which allows local artists free rehearsal space and low-cost performance space in our cultural centers. Boreggo Red presents a short play written by Boreggo's own Norma. In Spanish, but English captions will be available. |
| D9 | 8-Oct | Sunset Kayaking |
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center / Austin Rowing Club |
74 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78701; 6-7:30 pm | Join us on Lady Bird Lake and paddle through the heart of Downtown Austin. Choose a single or double kayak or paddleboard. |
| D8 | 10-Oct | Austin City Limits Festival Weekend 2 | Zilker Park | 2100 Barton Spring Rd, Austin, TX 78704; Noon-10 pm | Austin City Limits Music Festival - Music stages, food vendors, art vendors, & hospitality programs. October 3-5 & 10-12, 2025 in Zilker Park. |
| D9 | 11-Oct | Sabados en Familia |
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center / Twin Oaks Library |
1800 S 5th St, Austin, TX 78704; Noon-2 pm | Sábados en Familia is a free kids’ cultural arts and crafts program delivered by the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican-American Cultural Center. |
| D9 | 14-Oct | Waterloo Greenway-Concert-Turnstile | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park | 1111 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701; 6-10 pm | Live music! |
| D9 | 14-Oct | Youth Education Lending Library | Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center | 3:30-5:30 pm | Join instructors from the MACC in an exploration of the arts and crafts of Mexico and other parts of Latin America. In each class, students will learn about a different art-making tradition, from movement or theater to painting or sculpture, and let their creativity run wild. |
| D2 | 15-Oct | Chair Yoga Doves Springs Rec Center |
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center / Dove Springs Recreation Center |
5801 Ainez Dr, Austin, TX 78744; 10 am | A gentle form of yoga that can be done seated in a chair. These modifications make yoga accessible to people with various physical abilities. |
| D1 | 16-Oct | Hyphenated Book Club - Isha Unscripted | Asian American Resource Center | 8401 Cameron Rd, Austin, TX 78754; 6-7:30 pm | Join fellow book lovers in the community to dive into works by Asian American authors. From new releases by emerging voices to beloved community favorites, fiction to non-fiction and everything in-between, explore the diversity of American literature from an Asian American lens. |
| D1 | 16-Oct | Artist Access Showcase Performance - Boreggo Red | George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702; 6-9 pm | Part of the Artist Access Program which allows local artists free rehearsal space and low-cost performance space in our cultural centers. Boreggo Red presents a short play written by Boreggo's own Norma. In Spanish, but English captions will be available. |
| D2 | 17-Oct | Formula 1 United States Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas | 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd Del Valle, TX 78617; Noon-Midnight |
The world's greatest sports and entertainment spectacle returns to COTA! Experience an F1 Sprint as well as unforgettable performances on the Germania Insurance Super Stage by world-famous musical performers. Children 3 and under receive complimentary Grounds. |
| D9 | 18-Oct | Chair Yoga Windsor Park Library Branch |
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center / Windsor Park Library |
5833 Westminster Dr, Austin, TX 78723; 10:30 am | A gentle form of yoga that can be done seated in a chair. These modifications make yoga accessible to people with various physical abilities. |
| D1 | 18-Oct | Sigma Big Pink Bus | George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702; 11 am-3 pm | Join us for a day of inspiration, community, and empowerment at the SIGMA BLUE Turns Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Festival! |
| D1 | 18-Oct | Yamin Li Art Workshop | Asian American Resource Center | 8401 Cameron Rd, Austin, TX 78754; 11 am-1 pm | Neon sign art workshop, in collaboration with artist Yamin Li |
| D9 | 18-Oct | Club Media Network presents Javier Ceriana en Antes que me maten (Rental) | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 8-9:30 pm | In Before they kill me, Javier Ceriani, the number one entertainment journalist in the USA, faces an unexpected sentence: being tried for gossiping. In this comedy, Ceriani is caught in a web of misinformation and false accusations and is sentenced to death. |
| D1 | 19-Oct | Texana at Twilight: Elizabeth Crook | Joseph and Susanna Dickinson-Hannig House Museum | 411 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78701; 5:30-7:30 pm | Hosted at the French Legation State Historic Site, the Susanna Dickinson Museum presents an evening with novelist Elizabeth Crook. Crook will speak about the marriage of Sam Houston and Eliza Allen, the topic upon which she based her 1991 novel The Raven's Bride. |
| D9 | 22-Oct | Sunset Kayaking |
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center / Austin Rowing Club |
74 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78701; 6-7:30 pm | Join us on Lady Bird Lake and paddle through the heart of Downtown Austin. Choose a single or double kayak or paddleboard. |
| D9 | 22-Oct | DAC Nights October: Sew You Want to Make a Pillow | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 7-9 pm | Construct your own character pillows using hand-sewing techniques. Whether you want a spooky ghost friend befitting the season or a cuddly goat buddy, DAC Staff will be there with templates and walkthroughs to help you construct your pillow. |
| D9 | 22-Oct | Waterloo Greenway-Concerts -Renee' Rapp | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park | 1111 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701; 6:30-10 pm | Waterloo Greenway-Concerts -Renee' Rapp |
| 23-Oct | Austin Film Festival | Various Locations | 5-11:59 pm | The Austin Film Festival is an 8-day Film Festival and Writer's Conference featuring 8 consecutive days of film screenings at historic venues such as the Paramount and State Theatres. | |
| D9 | 23-Oct | Artist Talk | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 6-8 pm | Join artist Vy Ngo and guest speaker Dr. Han Ren for an intimate conversation exploring themes of intergenerational trauma, cultural identity, and healing. Together, they will offer insight into the intersections of art, lived experience, and mental health, inviting the audience to reflect on the power of vulnerability and connection. |
| D9 | 24-Oct | DAC Afternoon of Music with guest Justin Garrett | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 3:30-5:30 pm | In celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month, the Dougherty Arts Center is pleased to welcome Justin Garrett. Patrons will be invited to experience the exhibits with a lovely soundtrack for a Friday afternoon. |
| D3 | 24-Oct | Tecovas Turns 10! | Tecovas | 100 Block of W Elizabeth St, Austin, TX 78704; 9 am-11:59 pm | Tecovas is turning 10 in October 2025 and we would like to throw a block party style event on Elizabeth street next to our flagship store. We are looking to shut down Elizabeth Street between South Congress and Eva St. This event would be RSVP only. |
| D1 | 10/24-10/25 | AAP Showcase - Re-Claim! Cultural Extravaganza! | George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702; 7-9:15 pm | A showcase of West African and African American drum, dance, music, and storytelling coordinated by Imani Aanu. |
| D3 | 25-Oct | Head of the Colorado Regatta | Festival Beach | 2100 Jesse Segovia, Austin, TX 78704; 8 am-6 pm | ARC has been hosting this regatta since the mid-1980s. This 5,000-meter head race on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, offers events for the following: Junior, Collegiate, Open, Adaptive, and Masters rowers. |
| D9 | 25-Oct | Royal International Miss Texas Pageant (Rental) | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 10 am- 9 pm | The Royal International Miss State Pageant will celebrate the vibrant “Spirit of the Sunlands”, crowning Texas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico queens who will compete at the international pageant in 2026 |
| D1 | 25-Oct | Pumpkin Carver | George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702; Noon-3 pm | This free, family-friendly event is jam packed with fall fun. The Carver will supply free pumpkins (2 pumpkins per family, while supplies last), carving kits to use on site, goodie bags, food, and drinks! There will be a costume contest, a pumpkin carving contest (for prizes), live goats, fun activities, music, and more! |
| 25-Oct | Viva La Vida Festival and Parade | Congress Avenue | Noon-6 pm | Mexic-Arte Museum's 42nd Annual Viva La Vida Festival and Parade is Austin's largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event. Co-presented by the Austin Convention Center and the City of Austin. | |
| D9 | 25-Oct | The 2025 SEED Grand Tasting Village | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park | 1111 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701; Noon-6 pm | The Grand Tasting Village will be the pinnacle of festival week. It will be a day full of samples and products at a day-long smorgasbord of incredible food, drinks, speakers, demos, wellness, shopping, and much, much more! |
| D1 | 25-Oct | APH HEU Breast Cancer Awareness | African American Cultural and Heritage Facility | 912 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702; 11 am-3 pm | The Health Equity Unit (HEU) provides community-based programs and services to ensure all our residents have the opportunity to reach their full health potential. |
| D9 | 26-Oct | Strawfest | Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum | 605 Azie Morton Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 11 am-4 pm | Put on your best costume and join the UMLAUF for a FREE family day of games, fall crafts, a costume parade, straw pit, spider web maze, face painting, character performances, caricatures, educational activities, pumpkin decorating, goodies from H-E-B and more! |
| D9 | 26-Oct | Viva La Vida Parade | Mexic-Arte Museum | 419 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701; 9 am-6 pm | Viva la Vida is Mexic-Arte's annual celebration of Day of the Dead. There is a parade in the morning, then a festival that takes over the blocks outside Mexic-Arte and on 4th street. Family friendly, plenty of activities and vendors. The MACC staff will be marching in the parade. |
| D9 | 10/26-11/8 | Cap City Community Concert | 600 Block W 2nd St Austin, TX 78701; 3-7 pm |
Free community concert! | |
| D1 | 28-Oct | Being and Belonging: AAPI History Series | Asian American Resource Center | 8401 Cameron Rd, Austin, TX 78754; 6-8 pm | Being and Belonging is an educational pop-up series about Asian American history, culture, and arts. During each pop up, we will explore a different topic related to Asian American history through facilitated activities, guest speakers, and/or Asian American media. Participants do not need to attend all pop ups. |
| D9 | 28-Oct | Try It: Pottery Wheel | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 6-9 pm | Learn the basics of the potter's wheel with centering, pulling, and shaping during this one-time class. Get your hands dirty and create two finished pieces. |
| D9 | 30-Oct | Oakwood Cemetery Day of the Dead Event |
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center / Oakwood Cemetery |
1601 Navasota St, Austin, TX 78702; 6-9 pm | An intimate, family- oriented celebration of Dia de los Muertos with local families whose ancestors are buried at Oakwood cemetery. With Hermelinda Zamarripa and members of the Limon, Herrera families. |
| D9 | 31-Oct | Waterloo Greenway-Concerts- Kevin Gates | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park | 1111 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701; 7-10 pm | Live music! |
| D1 | 31-Oct | Live Music! | Millennium Youth Entertainment Center | 1156 Hargrave St, Austin, TX 78702 | “A local synth music group called Montopolis will be performing a live score to clips of (public domain) horror films. |
| D9 | 31-Oct | DAC Afternoon of Music with guest Caitlin King | Dougherty Arts Center | 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704; 3:30-5:30 pm | The Dougherty Arts Center is pleased to welcome Caitlin King for an afternoon performance in the Julia C. Butridge Gallery. Patrons will be invited to experience the exhibits with a lovely soundtrack for a Friday afternoon. |
Stay Involved with Austin ACME
Get your updates on all Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment news and opportunities! Follow us on social media and subscribe to the AACME newsletter!