Your Weekend Guide
Enjoy these top event picks for Memorial Day Weekend and start summer right
Congratulations, everyone! You’ve made it to your first summer holiday weekend. Memorial Day weekend honors the sacrifices made by the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and it allows everyone the chance to take breather from our hectic lives.
The upcoming three days offer plenty of fun choices for revelers. Whether you're out in the sun, indoors, out-of-town or within the city limits, here are the top picks to get the most out of three days with no work.
Kerrville Folk Festival
You might feel burned out by music festivals in Austin, but it’s important to take some time to savor music outside of Austin’s city limits. The Kerrville Folk Festival goes beyond the one-weekend formula; it devotes 18 full days to musicians and songwriters playing a few tunes.
Kerrville has some beautiful scenery itself, so it’s a worthwhile getaway to attend the first weekend of music, featuring artists such as Jimmy LaFave, Bob Franke, Kelly Willis, Bruce Robison, The Dirty River Boys and countless others. For the casual music fan, check out our full guide to the festival.
Austin Sketch Festival
If you would prefer a few laughs to unwind, then Austin Sketch Fest should give you the boost that you need for the weekend. Featuring scripted comedy acts through Sunday, Sketch Fest will tickle your funny bone and then some.
Some of the top weekend highlights include Austin and out-of-town talent, such as New York super group Beige, comedy vets John Ennis and Matt Kaye, An Historic Evening with Brendan K. O’Grady, Laugh Dammit!, and plenty more where that came from.
Brewskee Ball National Championship
The one downside to Austin in late spring and early summer is the severe lack of options for sports events to attend. It’s still not all that bad, because while Houston and Dallas residents can enjoy some Memorial Day baseball, Austin can at least enjoy some competitive skeeball.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Brewskee Ball National Championship will bring in players from across the nation to the Scoot Inn to crown the top individual and team players in the best carnival game from your childhood. Everyone is invited to root for their favorite team, or all contestants, as they compete for the chance to make their hometowns proud by bringing back the titles. Heck, you’ll probably see more competent athletes here than you’ll see out at Minute Maid Park this summer.
Toy Joy Auction House and Tent Sale
It’s still hard to see Toy Joy leaving its old and iconic location on the Drag. It was one of those places you had to take your visiting friends to so they can get a taste of Austin.
Before the shop packs up, you can say your last goodbye to the old store on Monday — you could even score some sweet paraphernalia while snapping some final photos and reminiscing. Come early in the morning to start shopping around for some big savings on damaged, shelf worn and clearance items, and consider sticking around for an auction of store fixtures and decorations later in the afternoon. You’ll be glad you could grab one final memento.
And if you need to relax, there’s no shame in just lounging around and doing nothing. Apparently a certain canceled TV show is making a return on Netflix this Sunday.