Austin festival in 2023

January

2023 Austin Martin Luther King Jr. March, Rally, and Festival | Monday, Jan. 16 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Multiple locations | Free | Stop by early for a rally and march to Huston-Tillotson University, where organizers have vendors, live music, and other activities planned.

February

Austin Oyster Festival | Saturday, Feb. 25 | 12-6 p.m. | Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe St., Austin | $70-$125 | Dive into raw, grilled, roasted, and fried oysters, alongside live music and drink vendors.

Carnaval Brasilieiro | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 8 p.m. | Speakeasy, 412 Congress Ave., Austin | $35-$200 | Celebrate Mardi Gras with samba, live Brazilian dance music, and a live body painter.

OUTsider Festival | Wednesday, Feb. 15-Sunday, Feb. 19 | Times TBD | Location TBD | Prices TBD | This celebration of LGBTQ+ artists’ theme of the year is “Shapeshifting Underbellies.”

FUSEBASH 2023 | Saturday, Feb. 23 | 6-10 p.m. | Distribution Hall, 1500 E. 4th St., Austin | $3,500-$5,000 per table | Drink cocktails from mixologists behind Tiki Tatsu-ya, take in musical performances, and compete in a live auction at this event benefiting Fuzebox.

March

Rodeo Austin | Friday, March 10-Saturday, March 25 | Times vary | 9100 Decker Lake Rd., Austin | Price TBD | Watch bull riding, take in carnival rides, and see late-night shows at this weeks-long festival — the music lineup will be announced next week.

St. Patrick’s Day Festival | Friday, March 17 | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | Celebrate this Irish holiday with live Celtic music.

SXSW | Friday, March 10-Sunday, March 19 | Times vary | Multiple locations | $595-$1,595 | This internationally recognized film, music, and culture festival brings tens of thousands of visitors to Austin annually.

April

Urban Cultural Festival | Saturday, April 1 | 12 p.m. | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | $75-$150 | Headliners Stokley, Zapp, and Lyfe Jennings will perform at this family-friendly music festival.

ABC Kite Fest | Saturday, April 1 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Zilker Park, 2207 Lou Neff Rd., Austin | Free | Show off your flashiest kites for this day in the sun.

Fusebox Festival | Wednesday, April 12-Sunday, April 16 | Times TBD | Location TBD | Prices TBD | The lineup for this music fest is dropping soon.

Moontower Comedy Festival | Wednesday, April 12-Sunday, April 23 | Times vary | Multiple locations | $150-$257 | Laugh out loud to sets from national headliners like Seth Meyers, Maria Bamford, and Trevor Noah.

Old Settler’s Music Festival | Thursday, April 20-Sunday, April 23 | Times TBD | 1616 FM 3158, Dale | $35-$850 | Settle in for camping and music by Yola, Shinyribs, and Melissa Carper at this Americana-styled fest.

Austin Reggae Fest | Friday, April 21-Sunday, April 23 | Times TBD | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | Price TBD | This outdoor concert brings together some of the best artists in the genre.

Lonestar Round Up | Friday, April 21-Saturday, April 22 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Ln., Austin | $20 | Vintage hot rods and custom cars line up alongside barbecue and live music at this fest.

May

Hot Luck Festival | Thursday, May 25-Sunday, May 28 | Times vary | Locations TBD | $75-$900 | Save room for trying bites from dozens of Austin’s best chefs at Aaron Franklin’s annual food festival.

Pecan Street Spring Arts Festival | Saturday, May 6-Sunday, May 7 | Times TBD | 6th Street, Austin | Free | Shop for items from local creators while snacking on concessions and listening to live music.

June

Cine Las Americas International Film Festival | Wednesday, June 7-Sunday, June 11 | Times TBD | Location TBD | Prices TBD | This year marks anniversary No. 25 for this international film festival.

African American Book Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | George Washington Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina St., Austin | Free | Award-winners, scholars, and book lovers convene at this annual event.

ATX Television Festival | Thursday, June 1-Sunday, June 4 | Times TBD | Location TBD | $50-$535 | Hear from director James Burrows and tune into retrospectives on “Homeland” and “Cheers” at this festival featuring dozens of other panels and screenings.

Austin Asian American Film Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | This annual festival screens new and emerging works by Asian and Asian American artists.

July

Fourth of July Fireworks | Tuesday, July 4 | Time TBD | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | Free | The City of Austin’s annual fireworks show includes live music from the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

August

PRISM Film Fest | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | This festival dedicated to LGBTQ+ creators has run for more than three decades.

Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | Since 1990, the Chronicle has been ranking hundreds of hot sauces at this fest also featuring live music, food trucks, and cookbooks for sale.

Austin Pride Parade | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | Get ready to march alongside the ~400,000 other attendees at this Pride festival and parade.

Bat Fest | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | Celebrate Austin’s unofficial mascot, the Mexican free-tailed bat, at this event with craft booths, live music, and a bat costume contest.

Hot Summer Nights | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Location TBD | Free | The Red River Cultural District’s summertime concert series supports charitable programs and Austin’s live music community.

September

Fantastic Fest | Thursday, Sept. 21-Thursday, Sept. 28 | Times TBD | Alamo Drafthouse, 1120 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin | $275-$1,495 | Get ready to be shocked and awed at the largest fantasy/horror/sci-fi film festival in the US — expect world film premieres and guest appearances from celebrities and directors.

Pecan Street Fall Arts Festival | Saturday, Sept. 16-Sunday, Sept. 17 | Times TBD | 6th Street, Austin | Free | This market and festival for local creators takes place twice annually.

Texas Tribune Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Multiple locations | Price TBD | This politics-centered festival brings together the country’s most influential leaders for 180+ panels, discussions, and interviews.

October

ACL Music Festival | Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 8 + Friday, Oct. 13-Sunday, Oct. 15 | Times vary | Zilker Park, 2207 Lou Neff Rd., Austin | $285-$5500 | Austin’s signature music festival is back with hundreds of live performances and dozens of local food vendors.

Austin Film Festival | Thursday, Oct. 26-Thursday, Nov. 2 | Times TBD | Multiple locations | $60-$5,750 | Film fans will “feel like an eight-year-old at an Amy’s Ice Cream counter” at this festival filled with screenings, premieres, competition films, and Q&As.

Formula 1 United States Grand Prix | Friday, Oct. 20-Sunday, Oct. 22 | Times TBD | Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $540-$2,250 | Tickets are already selling out for this action-packed Formula 1 race.

LEVITATION | Thursday, Oct. 26-Monday, Oct. 29 | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | Dance for four days straight at this music festival founded in honor of psychedelic rock.

Texas Book Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Congress Avenue, Austin | Free | This festival featuring vendors, signings, and dozens of author panels and Q&As is a book lover’s dream.

Texas Craft Brewers Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St., Austin | Price TBD | This event is the largest annual festival for small and independent Texas breweries.

November

Austin Celtic Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr., Austin | Price TBD | Expect traditional Irish music, Celtic sports, and local vendors at this annual festival.

Austin Food + Wine Festival | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | Price TBD | Austin’s best chefs and vintners come together for one of the top food events of the year.

Texas Monthly BBQ Festival | Saturday, Nov. 4-Sunday, Nov. 5 | Times TBD | Location TBD | Price TBD | The top pitmasters in Texas come together for this meaty showdown.

Austin Studio Tour | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Multiple locations | Free | Hundreds of local artists will display their work for free at this city-wide show.

December

Armadillo Christmas Bazaar | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | Price TBD | Get in Christmas shopping to the sound of local live music at this holiday bazaar.

Austin’s New Year | Sunday, Dec. 31 | Time TBD | Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | Free | Send off 2023 with Austin’s annual New Year celebration.

Trail of Lights | Dates TBD | Times TBD | Zilker Park, 2207 Lou Neff Rd., Austin | Price TBD | Austin’s signature holiday event features dazzling displays and carnival rides.