Austin's Annual Events Calendar, Month by Month
Date Published
The best-known annual events in Austin are SXSW (South by Southwest) and Rodeo Austin in March, the ABC Kite Fest at Zilker Park in April, the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in October, and the Austin Trail of Lights in December. Around them sits a steady run of smaller traditions, from free club shows in January to a book festival at the Texas State Capitol in November. Here is the calendar month by month, with the usual timing and the official site for each.
Austin's year has two peak seasons, March and October. Everything in between is how locals get ready for the next one.
How we chose
Every event on this list happens every year, and each one is confirmed on its own official website with a current or upcoming edition. We give the month an event usually falls in, not exact dates, because dates move from year to year. Months with nothing we could verify are left out instead of padded. For what is on right now, see our Austin events calendar and things to do this weekend.
January
January in Austin opens with free live music in the Red River Cultural District.
Free Week in the Red River Cultural District
Free Week is an admission-free music festival held across the clubs of the Red River Cultural District in downtown Austin, usually over the first weekend of the year. The Red River Cultural District says Free Week started in 2003 at Emo's, near Sixth and Red River Streets, as a one-venue, one-day event meant to keep clubs busy through the slow winter months. It now fills stages such as Mohawk, Stubb's and Swan Dive, and the district notes that the performers get paid gigs even though you get in free. Do this: pick two venues a block apart and drift between them all night. Dates and lineups go up on the Red River Cultural District site.
February
February is marathon month in Austin.
Ascension Seton Austin Marathon
The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon is run every February in central Austin, with a marathon, a half marathon and a 5K. The organizers say the race began in 1992 with 605 registered runners and now draws more than 30,000. The course passes South Congress, Zilker Park, the UT Tower, Hyde Park and Lady Bird Lake, and the finish line sits on Congress Avenue in front of the Texas State Capitol. Do this: not running? Stake out a spot on South Congress with a coffee and cheer. Registration and race-weekend details are on the Austin Marathon site.
March
March is the busiest month on the Austin calendar, with SXSW and Rodeo Austin running in the same weeks.
SXSW (South by Southwest)
SXSW (South by Southwest) takes over Austin every March with conferences and festivals covering innovation, film and TV, music and comedy. SXSW says it has been running since 1987. Most of the action is downtown, in venues and hotels across the city center. Badges are paid and tiered by track, but plenty of the city's energy spills into free daytime shows and parties during the week. Do this: book any March hotel or restaurant early, and plan for heavier downtown traffic. Badges, schedules and dates are on the SXSW site.
Rodeo Austin
Rodeo Austin runs for about two weeks each March at the Travis County Expo Center, combining a professional rodeo with concerts, a carnival, fairground food, shopping and a youth livestock show. Kids can try mutton bustin', and Rodeo Austin also hosts Xtreme Bulls nights and a horse show. Rodeo Austin's roots go back to a small stock show in 1938, and its scholarship program for Texas students has been running since 1981. Admission is ticketed. Do this: go on a weeknight, eat something fried, and stay for the concert. The schedule, venue details and tickets are on the Rodeo Austin site.
April
April brings a kite festival that has been flying since 1929 back to Zilker Park.
ABC Kite Fest at Zilker Park
The ABC Kite Fest fills the sky over Zilker Park in South Austin on a spring Saturday, usually in April, and admission is free. The Exchange Club of Austin founded it in 1929, and the festival describes itself as the longest-running festival of its kind in the nation. Here is the fun part: the festival started at Lamar Park, near today's Congress Avenue and East Cesar Chavez Street, and the ABC Kite Fest says it became the first festival at Zilker Park in 1936. That makes the kite fest older than Zilker Park itself, which became a city park in 1934. Expect a kite-flying competition, a children's concert, a pet zone and a small market. Do this: bring your own kite, a blanket and sunscreen, and arrive early. The current date is on the ABC Kite Fest site.
July
July in Austin means the Fourth on Lady Bird Lake's south shore.
Austin Symphony Orchestra July 4th Concert & Fireworks
The Austin Symphony Orchestra July 4th Concert & Fireworks, presented by H-E-B, takes place on Independence Day at Auditorium Shores and the Long Center, 800 West Riverside Drive. General admission on most of Auditorium Shores is free, with paid VIP upgrades such as cabanas and reserved tables. Food trucks and vendors sell food and drinks, and organizers ban outside alcohol, glass, grills and personal fireworks. Do this: arrive by late afternoon with water, a blanket and a hat, because July evenings in Austin stay hot. Details are on the Star-Spangled Fest site. Check our Austin weather page before you go.
September
September belongs to genre film fans in South Austin.
Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is an eight-day genre film festival held each September at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in South Lamar. It bills itself as the largest genre film festival in the US, and its history page lists world premieres such as Zombieland and John Wick. Badges are paid and can sell out. Do this: buy early, and if you miss out, catch the after-festival buzz at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar bar. Information is on the Fantastic Fest site.
October
October is Austin's second peak season, with two weekends of ACL Fest, a Formula 1 race, a film festival and the Mexic-Arte Museum's Día de los Muertos parade.
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival, known as ACL Fest, runs over two weekends in early October at Zilker Park in South Austin. The festival lists more than 100 performances across nine stages, plus Austin Kiddie Limits for families. Tickets are paid, with premium tiers. Do this: pick the weekend first, then the lineup, since many headliners play both. The next dates go up on the ACL Fest site.
Formula 1 United States Grand Prix
The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix is held each October at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), 9201 Circuit of The Americas Boulevard in far southeastern Austin. Race weekend includes headline concerts, and tickets range from general admission to hospitality, RV and camping packages. Do this: plan your ride to the track before you buy, since getting there takes as much planning as the race. Tickets and dates are on the Circuit of The Americas site.
Austin Film Festival
The Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference takes place each October, sometimes running into early November, at theaters in downtown Austin and on the University of Texas campus. The nonprofit started in 1994 and is known for its screenwriting focus, with more than 200 panelists, screenings and competitions. Badges and film passes are paid. Do this: even without a badge, you can often buy single tickets to screenings. Details are on the Austin Film Festival site.
Viva la Vida Festival
The Viva la Vida Festival & Parade is the Mexic-Arte Museum's annual Día de los Muertos celebration, usually held on a Saturday in late October or early November in downtown Austin. It is free, and the museum calls it Austin's largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos event. Expect a grand procession, art activities, traditional food, local artists and a lowrider exhibition. Do this: come for the noon procession and then visit the Mexic-Arte Museum at 419 Congress Avenue. Details are on the Mexic-Arte Museum site.
November
November brings readers to the Texas State Capitol.
Texas Book Festival
The Texas Book Festival is a free weekend festival held in downtown Austin each fall, usually in November, at the Texas State Capitol, in nearby churches, in tents outside the Capitol grounds and at other central venues. It brings in more than 250 authors for readings, panels, signings and family activities. Do this: bring a tote bag and set a book budget before you walk the tents. Details are on the Texas Book Festival site.
December
December in Austin is lights at Zilker Park and artist shopping next door.
Austin Trail of Lights
The Austin Trail of Lights lights up Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road in South Austin, each December. It began in 1965 as Yule Fest, a gift to the city from the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, and is now hosted by the Trail of Lights Foundation. The trail counts more than 2 million lights, 90 lighted trees and more than 70 displays and tunnels, plus food trucks along the way. Every night uses a timed ticket, and general admission is free on some nights and a few dollars on others. Do this: buy timed tickets ahead and go early in the season, when crowds are lighter. Dates and ticket types are on the Austin Trail of Lights site.
Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar fills the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, for about ten days each December. It has run since 1976 and calls itself Austin's winter arts fest, with work from nearly 200 artists and live bands every day. Admission is paid, young kids get in free, and a season ticket lets you come back as often as you like. Do this: pair it with the Trail of Lights, which is just down Barton Springs Road. Tickets are on the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar site.
Austin's annual events at a glance
- January: Free Week, Red River Cultural District (free)
- February: Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, finish at the Texas State Capitol
- March: SXSW (South by Southwest), downtown, and Rodeo Austin
- April: ABC Kite Fest, Zilker Park (free)
- July: Austin Symphony Orchestra July 4th Concert & Fireworks, Auditorium Shores (free general admission)
- September: Fantastic Fest, Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar
- October: ACL Fest at Zilker Park, Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, Austin Film Festival, Viva la Vida Festival (free)
- November: Texas Book Festival, Texas State Capitol (free)
- December: Austin Trail of Lights and Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, both on Barton Springs Road
When should you book ahead?
Book hotels and restaurants early for March and October, when SXSW, ACL Fest and the Formula 1 weekend fill the city. For the free events, the only thing to plan is arriving early enough to find a good spot. Always confirm dates on the official site before you go, because they shift from year to year.
Last verified: November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best-known annual events in Austin?
The best-known annual events in Austin are SXSW (South by Southwest) in March, Rodeo Austin in March, the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October and the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas in October. The ABC Kite Fest in April and the Austin Trail of Lights in December are major family traditions.
When is SXSW in Austin?
SXSW (South by Southwest) takes place in Austin every March. Exact dates change each year and are posted on sxsw.com.
When is ACL Fest?
The Austin City Limits Music Festival runs over two weekends in early October at Zilker Park in South Austin. Dates for the next festival are announced on aclfestival.com.
What annual events in Austin are free?
Free annual events in Austin include Free Week in the Red River Cultural District in January, the ABC Kite Fest at Zilker Park in spring, the Austin Symphony Orchestra July 4th Concert & Fireworks at Auditorium Shores, the Viva la Vida Festival in late October and the Texas Book Festival in November. Some offer paid VIP upgrades.
Is the Formula 1 race in Austin?
The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix is held each October at Circuit of The Americas, 9201 Circuit of The Americas Boulevard in far southeastern Austin. Tickets and dates are on circuitoftheamericas.com.
When is the Austin Trail of Lights?
The Austin Trail of Lights runs in Zilker Park each December. Every night uses a timed ticket, general admission is free on some nights, and dates are posted on austintrailoflights.org.
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