Weekend Roundup

Here are the top 9 things to do in Austin this weekend

Kick off the long weekend with an agenda of awesome happenings around town. Grab the family or a few friends and explore all Austin has to offer this holiday weekend. Check out our events calendar for a full list of events and more information.

Cirque du Soleil presents Kooza
Come one, come all to Circuit of the Americas for a magical night under the big top. World-renowned production company Cirque du Soleil allows guests to experience the circus in a whole new way through acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. Get lost in the dazzling show. Tickets are $42 to $85.
Thursday, September 3 at 8 pm; Friday, September 4 at 4:30 and 8 pm; Saturday, September 5 at 4:30 and 8 pm; Sunday, September 6 at 1:30 and 5 pm

2015 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival at The Hideout
Laugh your way into the weekend at Austin’s longest-running comedy festival. Head to The Hideout Theatre and watch some of the world’s best and funniest comedians perform improv, sketch, theatrical, and stand-up comedy. Tickets start at $10.
Thursday, September 3 at 8 pm; Friday, September 4 at 7 pm; Saturday, September 5 at 7 pm; Sunday, September 6 at 7 pm; Monday, September 7 at 8 pm

Indieroke
Muster up your stage presence and head to The Mohawk for the return of Indieroke. The all-indie karaoke event is perfect for the alternative music lover in all of us. Bonus: Participants can win tickets to Mohawk shows. Tickets are $3 at the door.
Thursday, September 3 at 9 pm

UTOPiAfest
The sweet outdoor festival returns to Utopia, Texas for three days of music, camping, and fun. This year's lineup includes Explosions in the Sky, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Of Montreal, RJD2, and more. If that's not enough to convince you to check it out, the festival is also BYOB and has capped attendance to avoid overcrowding. Passes range from $54-$199.
Friday, September 4 at 8:30 pm; Saturday, September 5 at 1:45 pm; Sunday, September 6 at 2:30 pm

Lego KidsFest
Round up the whole gang and head to the Austin Convention Center for a weekend in a Lego wonderland. KidsFest brings together the creative fun of Lego building and Lego worlds in one entertainment-packed family event everyone will love. Tickets are $19.50 to $22.50.
Friday, September 4 at 4 pm; Saturday, September 5 at 9 am; Sunday, September 6 at 9 am

AIDS Services of Austin presents Freddie for a Day
What's better than doing good and feeling good? The international event Freddie for a Day is coming to The ABGB. Celebrate Freddie Mercury's birthday in the name of AIDS Services of Austin with good beer and good vibes. Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. Guests who donate $15 or more receive a Freddie shirt.
Friday, September 4 at 9 pm

Fun Fun Fun Fest presents Family Funday
Fun Fun Fun Fest takes over Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex for a day of epic proportions. Family Funday attendees can bowl, roller-skate, watch a flick, and more. Admission is free.
Saturday, September 5 at 4 pm

Pluckers Wing Bar 20th anniversary celebration featuring Bleachers and Passion Pit
Help Pluckers celebrate 20 years of business at the anniversary celebration this Saturday. Pluckers Club members can enjoy a free concert in honor of the wing bar, featuring Bleachers and Passion Pit at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. Not a Pluckers Club member? No problem! Head over to Pluckers’ social-media accounts to see how you can snag tickets.
Saturday, September 5 at 5 pm

Austin Aztex vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2
Root on the Austin Aztex as they take on Seattle Sounders 2 for the final home game of the season. This weekend’s game is set to be especially great, as the team will participate in Youth Sports Appreciation Night. Athletes 18 and under who RSVP and wear their sports jersey will receive a free general admission ticket to the match. Tickets start at $15 and can be reserved here.
Saturday, September 5 at 7:30 pm

Join AIDS Services of Austin at The ABGB in celebrating the legendary Freddie Mercury at Freddie for a Day.

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Hearing Voices

Austin's Ray Benson revives San Antonio series with Willie Nelson podcaster

Ray Benson Asleep at the Wheel Briscoe Western Art Museum The Alamo Voices of the West

Courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum

Ray Benson, seen here with his Austin band Asleep at the Wheel, will help reboot a collaborative series between The Alamo and Briscoe Western Art Museum.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum in downtown San Antonio is partnering with the Alamo to bring back a past series of activities meant to reflect the cultural diversity and pioneering spirit that built the American West.

Voices of the West: Living Legends will kick off September 11 with country music singer, songwriter, actor, and nine-time Grammy Award-winner Ray Benson, who is known for his Austin-based band, Asleep at the Wheel.

Asleep at the Wheel has been part of the American roots music landscape for more than 50 years. The band is inspired by Western swing and honky-tonk country, and while the lineup has changed throughout the years, Benson has been a constant. (So has their omnipresence at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.)

Benson also played a key role in helping to create the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame. He also sits on the board for the Texas Dance Hall Preservation, and voices the Alamo’s “Victory or Death” audio tour.

John Spong, host of the One by Willie podcast — where in each episode he speaks at length with a notable Willie Nelson fan — will moderate the first Voices of the West conversation with Benson. That first event will include a VIP experience with an open bar, light appetizers, as well as a meet-and-greet with Benson before the show. General admission will be $25; VIP admission will be $100. There will be discounts for Friends of the Alamo members, Briscoe members, military, first responders and seniors.

Voices of the West first ran at the Briscoe from 2014 through 2017, and featured icons such as country music singer Robert Earl Keen, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, and artist Billy Schenck.

The new series will be have events presented biannually through 2026, starring acclaimed storytellers from Texas Monthly, covering famed singers, scholars, and more to share tales that form the fabric of Texas and the American West. Proceeds from each event will benefit both the Alamo and the Briscoe.

Liz Jackson, president and CEO of the Briscoe Museum, said in a release that the story of Texas is very much a core part of the evolution of the American West.

“Partnering with the Alamo to share this series and give modern voice to the spirit that’s rooted in the history of Texas is an honor,” said Jackson.

Tickets to the reboot event with Ray Benson are available at thealamo.org.

briscoe western art museum the alamo ray benson music history country music voices of the west