Kites, wiener dogs, bluegrass and more—the spring festival season is here, and it stretches well beyond Austin city limits. Here’s a rundown of 20 Central Texas events.
Austin
Vendors and attendees pack the pavilion at Texas VegFest, now in its 11th year at Fiesta Gardens in Austin. (Courtesy Texas VegFest)Texas VegFest
Now in its 11th year, this festival will promote veganism through food vendors, live music, raffles and swag bags. The event aims to advance health, environmental sustainability and animal welfare through plant-based education and programming.
A comedian works the crowd at show during the Moontower Comedy Festival, one of the largest comedy events in the country. (Courtesy Rachel Parker/Moontower Comedy Festival)Moontower Comedy Festival
More than 150 comedians will perform across two weeks of headlining shows, intimate club performances, podcast tapings and late-night parties. The festival ranks among the largest comedy events in the country. Single tickets and club badges are available.
ABC Kite Fest
Nearly a century old, this Zilker Park tradition will pull more than 10,000 kites into the Austin sky. Handmade and commercial kites will compete side-by-side while live music, children’s activities, a pet zone and a mini market populate the park.
Dancers perform on a basketball court during a Fusebox Festival event, which uses unconventional venues across Austin as its stages. (Courtesy Julie Folly/Fusebox Festival)Fusebox Festival
Now in its 22nd year and shifting to a biennial format, this performing arts festival will span theater, dance, film, music, visual arts and culinary programming. Performances will take place across unconventional venues from parking garages to basketball courts.
April 15-19, times varyPrices vary by performanceLocations vary by performancewww.fuseboxlive.com
A face painter works at Eeyore’s Birthday Party, an Austin tradition since 1964. (Courtesy Jason Deckman/Eeyore’s Birthday Party)Eeyore’s Birthday Party
A UT student threw the first Eeyore-themed party in 1964, and the tradition, which includes music, costumes, food and games, has held ever since. Run entirely by volunteers, the annual event has donated over $273,000 to the Austin community.
A brass band winds through the crowd at Moody Amphitheater during the Austin Blues Festival, which returns to Waterloo Park this spring. (Courtesy Salihah Saadiq/Giant Noise)Austin Blues Festival
Antone’s founder launched the first event in 1999 as a way to put his favorite blues artists on stage together. The annual two-day outdoor event will return this spring, co-presented by Waterloo Greenway.
North: Cedar Park, Georgetown, Liberty Hill and Round RockMainly Art
Fifteen local visual artists will take over Main Street for an afternoon of work and conversation. The annual event aims to connect residents, families and visitors with the local arts scene.
Cedar Fest
This annual festival includes local vendors, food trucks, kids activities, pony rides, bounce houses, live music and more.
Round Rock Earth Day
The annual event aims to connect the community while promoting environmental awareness. The celebration will feature a variety of hands-on activities, with online registration encouraged.
Crowd members dance in front of the stage at Two Step Inn, one of the nation’s largest outdoor country music festivals. (Courtesy Charles Reagan/C3 Press)Two Step Inn
This two-day country music festival will bring a national lineup and a honky-tonk atmosphere to Georgetown. The event, presented by Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation, has grown into one of the nation’s largest outdoor country music gatherings.
Red Poppy Festival
Georgetown’s downtown square will transform over three days with a mix of artisan markets, live music, food vendors and parades celebrating the event’s namesake flower.
Whimsy and Wonder
Seven live bands, interactive art demos, street performers, artisan vendors and wine tastings will take over downtown Liberty Hill for an evening. A children’s imagination garden will give younger attendees a chance to work alongside artists directly.
West: Bee Cave, Dripping Springs and Lago Vista
A young attendee at the Books and Bees Festival at Bee Cave Public Library, where literacy programming meets live bee education. (Courtesy Bee Cave Public Library)Books and Bees Festival
The Bee Cave Public Library’s annual festival will pair literacy programming with live bee education. Attendees can browse local authors and book vendors, take part in hands-on nature activities, and enter a honey-tasting contest.
Volunteers hand out swag to crowds lining the parade route at Dripping Springs Founders Day, a three-day celebration of the town’s founding in 1850. (Courtesy Goodjay Design/city of Dripping Springs)Dripping Springs Founders Day
A walking-only parade will kick off three days of carnival rides, a cook-off, street dances, live music and more than 150 vendor booths celebrating the town’s founding in 1850. Proceeds will go to local nonprofits, churches, schools and youth programs.
Lago Fest
Lago Vista’s annual waterfront festival will feature live music, local vendors, food trucks and family activities. The event will mark the return of the Turnback Canyon Regatta, a historic sailboat race organized by Austin Yacht Club that dates to the early 1950s.
April 25, 1-8 p.m.Free (admission)6608 Bar K Clubhouse Court, Lago Vistawww.lagofest.comPecan Street Spring Arts Festival
Hundreds of artists will converge for one of the country’s longest-running outdoor arts fairs. The nonprofit Pecan Street Association will channel proceeds toward preservation efforts along historic Sixth Street.
South: Buda, Driftwood
A band performs on the main stage at Old Settler’s Music Festival, which has been bringing acoustic jazz, blues and bluegrass to Camp Ben McCulloch in Driftwood since 1987. (Courtesy Alejandra Gutierrez/Old Settler’s Music Festival)Old Settler’s Music Festival
Established in 1987, this three-day event will feature acoustic jazz, blues and bluegrass from Grammy-winning artists and genre favorites. The weekend will also include camping and local vendors as well as arts and crafts.
Buda Wiener Dog Races
Buda, the self-proclaimed Wiener Dog Capital of Texas, will host dachshund races across multiple heats with awards for speed and costumes. The two-day event aims to bring families together for food, vendors and community celebration.
East: Bastrop, McDade
Springfest
The Children’s Advocacy Center and CASA will mark National Child Abuse Prevention Month with food trucks, live music, games and a kids play zone. The event aims to educate on the signs of child abuse and help children identify trusted adults in their community.
Sherwood Forest Faire
This renaissance festival aims to recreate medieval England with full-contact jousting, falconry, swordplay and archery demonstrations. The event will feature artisan markets with live craft demonstrations and more than 150 daily performances as well as food and entertainment for all ages.