Weekend Event Guide

Here are the top 5 things to do in Austin this weekend

A whiskey release party, sunset swim, and virtual festival are guaranteed to keep you entertained this weekend. Check out our picks for the top five things to do in Austin.

Thursday, August 20

Catch the final screening of the Bullock's Summer Family Film Series
It’s almost curtains for the family-friendly virtual summer movie series at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. The finale will feature 2018 hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Viewers can also participate in an online creative activity featuring a superhero theme. Admission is free, and the film will be available to view on the Bullock Museum YouTube channel after the livestream.

Friday, August 21

Take a socially distant stroll at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden
Austin's beloved Umlauf Sculpture Garden has reopened to the public with limited capacity and other safety measures in place. Up to 30 guests at a time are invited to stroll the garden and explore the art, while adhering to social distancing protocols. Due to limited capacity, visitors are encouraged to purchase admission online in advance.

Saturday, August 22

Get a taste of Austin's sister city, Oita Japan
Take a foodie-inspired virtual trip to Austin's sister city Oita, Japan and enjoy an afternoon full of tasty activities. Festivities include free cooking sessions, a virtual sake tasting, and more. Those interested in participating in the sake tasting can reserve a spot and secure a sake kit on the festival website.

Head to Austin Proper for a Sundown Swim
Keep cool on the Austin Proper Hotel’s luxe pool deck Saturday night with a Sundown Swim. Adults can now enjoy sunset views from the fifth-floor hotel pool while grooving to beats by Dj Mija. Cabana reservations and individual passes are available for purchase on the Austin Proper website, and Sundown Swim continues Saturdays from 7-9 pm through September 5.

Attend a whiskey pickup party
Celebrate the release of the new Distillery Edition Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Milam & Green at this weekend's Pickup Party. Guests can swing by the distillery and purchase up to two signed bottles of the small batch bourbon. While you're there, sample new cocktail syrups and sip the distillery’s popular pecan old fashioned. Party admission is free.

Rent a cabana and unwind at Austin Proper Hotel's Sundown Swim.

Austin Proper Hotel & Residences

Rent a cabana and unwind at Austin Proper Hotel's Sundown Swim.

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Reexamining Don Draper

Jon Hamm, Henry Winkler, and more headed to Austin for TV festival

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Jon Hamm is coming to Austin to talk about Don Draper.

From May 29 to June 1, 2025, the ATX TV Festival will take over downtown Austin, and this year Jon Hamm will be joining the festival for the first time.

Hamm will be here for an event called A Mad Men Retrospective, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the show's finale. In this panel (the moderator of which is not yet announced), Hamm will reflect on his Emmy-winning performance as Mad Men's Don Draper, the uniqueness of the character in the TV canon, and the show's influence 10 years after it ended.

Jon Hamm may be best known as Draper, but he's also given celebrated performances in several movies and other shows like Fargo, Black Mirror, and — fun fact! — Gilmore Girls.

Celebrating TV is what the ATX TV Festival is all about. This annual summer event is put on by ATX TV and consists of screenings, Q&As, and panel conversations; plus all sorts of parties, live music, happy hours, and other events. It's known for reunions of classic series and cult hits, and according to the website, it's like "TV camp for grownups."

Jon Hamm isn't the only heavy-hitter in this year's lineup.

Programming also includes an acting class and Q&A with Henry Winkler himself, a live script reading of classic episodes from The Golden Girls and Designing Women (guest actors to be announced), a reunion of the creatives and cast of the HBO hit series The Leftovers, a live recording of the podcast Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast with Suits stars and co-hosts Sarah Rafferty and Patrick J. Adams, and much more.

Additionally, the festival's annual Pitch Competition is still accepting open pitch submissions through January 17. This gives creatives in Austin a chance to pitch their show idea in front of some of the industry's biggest showrunners and executives. Those in the top 10 will receive a year of support to make the next steps in their TV careers.

Festival badges and passes ($150-535) are on sale now.

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