Weekend Event Guide

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

Chow down on chili, tune in to inspirational chats during Austin Design Week, or partake in a virtual wine and cheese tasting. Check out the top five things to do in Austin this weekend.

Thursday, November 12

Austin Design Week
Austin Design Week goes virtual with a packed schedule of workshops, presentations, and more. Locals can tune in for exclusive online and in-person sessions and talks hosted by Austin creatives and spanning a variety of topics, such as career advice and equity in the design space. The three-day event concludes with a special online performance by Austin-based musician Mobley. For a full schedule of events, visit the Austin Design Week website. Admission is free.

Ballet Austin presents The Nutcracker Gift Barre
Ballet Austin Guild’s holiday gift market goes online with all the festive flair locals have come to know and love. Designed to accompany nightly performances of The Nutcracker on the Ballet Austin stage, the event will be held virtually for guests to shop a selection of seasonal gifts, including ornaments, tiaras, actual nutcrackers, and much more. Gift Barre orders are available for pickup and local delivery, and shopping is open through December 18.

Sound Unseen Film + Music Festival
For the first time in its 21 years, the Sound Unseen Film + Music Festival presents its programming virtually across two states: Minnesota and Texas. Film lineup highlights include Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal as the opening night selection and Alex Winter’s Zappa as the closing night selection. Additional events include live music and a series of appearances by authors and subjects of music-related books. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets or badges, go to the festival website.

Central Market presents Virtual Wine & Cheese Tasting
Indulge in curated wine and cheese pairings from the comfort of your kitchen thanks to this virtual Central Market event. Attendees will get to sample five cheeses and three complementary wines, while experts share insider knowledge and educational tidbits. Interested parties can purchase a pre-arranged tasting kit for pickup from participating Central Market locations ahead of the evening’s programming. For ticketing options, visit the class website.

Saturday, November 14

Texas Humane Heroes presents 11th Annual Chili Cook-Off
Head to the sprawling Leander property for a day of socially distant fun for the entire family — furry friends included. Visitors to this annual fundraiser can sample a variety of chili and vote on their favorite. Additional highlights include live music, face painting, a kiddie train, raffle prizes, and more. Purchase tickets on the cook-off event website. Admission is free for kids age 8 and under.

Sample a variety of chili, and enjoy live music, face painting, and more during the 11th Annual Chili Cook-Off at Texas Humane Heroes.

Photo courtesy of Texas Humane Heroes

Sample a variety of chili, and enjoy live music, face painting, and more during the 11th Annual Chili Cook-Off at Texas Humane Heroes.

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founders day 2025

36th annual Founders Day Festival to take over downtown Dripping Springs

Founders Day Festival parade in Dripping Springs

cityofdrippingsprings.com/

The theme for the annual Founders Day Festival parade is "Viva Las Drippin'!"

The annual Founders Day Festival in the bustling Southwest Austin suburb of Dripping Springs is making its grand return from April 25-27.

The long-running family-friendly festival was created by the City of Dripping Springs and the Founders Day Commission to celebrate the Hill Country town's founding in 1850. Since its inception, the festival has ballooned into a beloved community-wide tradition that's now in its 36th year of operation. The festival is held on Mercer Street, which runs through the center of town, and along nearby connecting streets.

There will be more than 150 arts and craft booths, food vendors, nonprofits, and local businesses participating in the festivities this year, and several live performances from local bands, a barbecue cook-off competition, street dances, and more.

Attendees might see a few Elvis impersonators among the crowd while the signature parade flows through Mercer and Wallace Streets from 6:30-7:45 pm on Friday, April 25. This year's parade theme is "Viva Las Drippin'!" and floats will be decorated like famous Las Vegas hotels and chapels, but with a Dripping Springs twist to pay homage to the city's reputation as the "Wedding Capital of Texas."

The iconic Mighty Thomas Carnival will bring its thrilling rides for the festival, starting at 4 pm on Friday (and closing temporarily for the annual parade). Carnival hours are from 4-11 pm on Friday, 11 am to 11:30 pm on Saturday, and 11 am to 7 pm on Sunday.

Founders Day Festival in Dripping Springs, The Mighty Thomas Carnival Adrenaline junkies will love the thrilling carnival rides.Photo by Dave Wilson

Austin-based rock band Chance of Weird will kick off the weekend of live music at 7:30 pm on Friday, with 90s cover band Type A scheduled to perform from 9-11 pm.

Saturday's main stage performance lineup is as follows:

10 am – Head to Toe Dance Studio
10:35 am – Dripping Springs Music Academy
11:10 am – Sycamore Springs Middle School Jazz Band
12:45 pm – Cunningham Sisters
1:20 pm – Ryker Pantano
2:00 pm – Vaughan Segers
3:00 pm – Tone Junkies
4:30 pm – Rochelle & The Sidewinders
6:30 pm – Bobby Pounds Band
8:30 pm – Jamie Weston Band

The final day of the Founders Festival will begin with a church service from 10-11:30 am at the main stage, with official festival hours beginning at 11 am. Scheduled music performances for the day include Denver-based funk band Wild Love Tigress on the main stage at 12 pm, followed by a chicken clucking contest at 2:30 pm. The barbecue cook-off awards will be presented at 3 pm. The arts and crafts booths will be set up from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday.

Know before you go
No matter how sunny the weekend gets, don't forget to bring your sunscreen, and some water in a reusable bottle (as glass bottles are discouraged). Festival organizers also discourage bringing pets to the festival grounds, as the asphalt may get too hot.

The festival is free to the public, but attendees who are interested in riding the carnival rides will need to purchase tickets in advance or during festival days. Select local businesses will be offering carnival pre-sale tickets through noon on Friday, April 25. Pre-sale prices are $40 for 70 tickets. Festival-goers can also purchase all-day Sunday wristbands for $30 each.

Pre-sale tickets are being sold at:

South Star Bank, 10901 US 290, Austin
Lone Star Capital Bank, 401 US 290, Dripping Springs
Prosperity Bank, 721 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs
Sunflower Bank, 100 Creek Road, Dripping Springs
Martin's Wellness Pharmacy, 100 Commons Road #1, Dripping Springs
City of Dripping Springs Development Services Building, 661 W Hwy 290, Dripping Springs
Texas Regional Bank, 700 E Hwy 290, Dripping Springs

Where (and where not) to park
Festival attendees cannot park on Ranch Road 12 at any time during the three-day weekend (and cars that do park on the street will be towed), but there will be free parking all weekend long at Dripping Springs High School. The DSHS Rotary Club will provide a shuttle service from the high school to the festival all day on Saturday. The Dripping Springs VFW will have limited general parking available at varying prices. Handicap parking will be located on Old Fitzhugh Road.

dripping springs austin hill country festival