Musical happenings and outdoor exploration top this weekend’s list of the best things to do in Austin. Get wild during Levitation Music Festival, taking place at various Austin venues, or get lost at Waterloo Greenway Conservancy's Creek Show, back for another year of illuminating inspiration. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.
Thursday, November 7
Levitation
Artists from around the world descend on Austin for the Levitation music festival. The four-day event is hosted at several local venues and features headliners The Flaming Lips, John Cale, The Black Angels, and Kurt Vile & The Violators, among several others on the packed roster. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, go to the Levitation website.
Waterloo Greenway Conservancy presents Creek Show
Light-based art and installations illuminate Waller Creek during the 6th Annual Creek Show. This year’s showcase will include works like “Aurora” by 1909B, “Downstream Upcycle” by Design Workshop, and “Light House” by Norma + Sunny, among many others. Visitors can also enjoy nightly live musical performances, family-friendly activities, and Insta-worthy photo ops. Following opening night, Creek Show is on display through November 17. Admission is free.
Friday, November 8
Darrell K Royal Research Fund For Alzheimer’s Disease presents 4th & Goal Gala
Celebrate legendary University of Texas football coach Darrell K Royal during this philanthropic event at ACL Live. After a casual cocktail party, take part in a live auction and dinner party, and enjoy performance by special guests The Doobie Brothers — all in support of neurological injury research. Attendees are encouraged to don their most Texan ensembles in honor of the Lone Star State. Select tickets are still available on the gala website.
Saturday, November 9
Austin Opera presents Rigoletto
Famed opera composer Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic story of the Duke of Mantua, his hunch-backed court jester Rigoletto, and Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda comes to life on The Long Center for the Performing Arts stage. This operatic masterpiece features an instantly recognizable score and one of the most famous arias in the genre, the Duke’s “La donna è mobile.” Performances through November 17.
Sunday, November 10
Flower Hill Urban Homestead Museum Grand Opening Garden Party
The former home the Smoots, once of Austin's most influential families, invites the public to celebrate the site’s new transformation into a museum. Guests to the garden party can view and purchase works from Flower Hill’s first artist-in-residence, Valerie Fowler, and enjoy light refreshments as they learn more about the reimagined space. Visit the Flower Hill website to purchase tickets.
The Flaming Lips take the stage as headliners for this year's Levitation fest.
