Weekend Event Guide

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

Music, comedy, and wine are on the agenda in Austin. Enjoy Texas wines and chef appearances at the inaugural Blended Festival, or catch the last installment of seasonal live music series The Drop-In. Check out the top five things to do in Austin this weekend.

Thursday, September 9

Texas Fine Wine Sunset Cruise, Dinner, and Wine Tasting
Sail away into the sunset with a glass of Texas wine in hand when you embark on the Texas Fine Wine annual cruise. Guests will enjoy wines from Bending Branch Winery, Duchman Family Winery, Pedernales Cellars, and Spicewood Vineyards while taking in beautiful Lake Austin scenery. Splurge on a few tickets on the event website.

ACL Radio & Long Center present The Drop-In
The outdoor music series presented by the Long Center for the Performing Arts and ACL Radio hosts its final performance of the summer. Guests can settle in on the Long Center lawn for a socially distanced show featuring Austin’s The Peterson Brothers. An onsite bar, as well as other food and beverages, will be available. Admission to this event is free.

Friday, September 10

Blended Festival
My Wine Society welcomes wine enthusiasts to the inaugural Blended Austin wine and music festival at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Highlights include popular Austin food vendors, a culinary stage with appearances by notable chefs in the industry, and a packed lineup of musical performances by artists like Nelly and Kaskade. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit the festival website.

George Lopez: OMG Hi! Comedy Tour!
Comedian and actor George Lopez comes to Austin as part of his OMG Hi! Comedy Tour! Best known for his eponymous TV sitcom, the Latino entertainer has earned a place among comedy’s greatest stars. A limited number of tickets to this show at ACL Live is still available.

Sunday, September 12

Pitbull in concert with Iggy Azalea
Rapper and reggaeton superstar Pitbull hits the stage at Germania Insurance Amphitheater for one night only. The Miami-born artist has released 11 albums throughout his career and is known for chart-topping hits like “Gasolina” and “Hotel Room Service.” He’ll be joined by special guest Iggy Azalea. Visit the ticketing website for more information.

Pitbull and Iggy Azalea come to Austin this Sunday.

Photo by Chinh Phan

Pitbull and Iggy Azalea come to Austin this Sunday.

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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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