Weekend Event Guide

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

Say goodbye to 2016 with a weekend of fun happenings, parties, and dinners you won’t want to miss. Ring in the New Year with Willie Nelson and Ryan Bingham or recuperate from a big night out at the W Austin's hangover brunch. Get the scoop on more New Year’s Eve happenings from our party guide, and for a full listing of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, December 29

Olamaie presents The Brewer’s Table Pop-Up
Foodie fanatics are invited to get an exclusive first taste of highly anticipated East Austin eatery The Brewer’s Table this weekend. Executive chef Zach Hunter will take over the Olamaie kitchen to serve up a seasonally inspired menu. Pop-up dinners will be served through December 30.

Austin Symphony presents Broadway By Request
The Austin Symphony Orchestra closes out a year of magical music with a concert at the Palmer Events Center. Attendees at this all-Broadway concert can request their favorite tunes for the symphony to perform live. Concert runs through December 30.

Willie Nelson & Family New Year with Ryan Bingham
The Red Headed Stranger returns to ACL Live to usher in another year with live music and good vibes. Musical luminaries Ryan Bingham and Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real will join Nelson for an epic concert. Through December 31.

Saturday, December 31

Irene’s presents New Year’s Eve House Party and Biscuits & Booze Brunch
Count down to the new year at Irene’s house party featuring live music by DJ Emily Rabbit and special guest Tyte Stripes while magnums of bubbles flow all night long. After the hoopla, start 2017 with a boozy Sunday brunch complete with biscuits and more bubbles. Irene’s will also be serving black-eyed peas and collard greens in true Southern fashion.

Sunday, January 1

W Austin Hotel presents New Year’s Day Hangover Brunch
Recover from the New Year’s Eve festivities with a hearty and hip brunch at the W Austin. Your ticket includes all-you-can-eat pancakes and access to the Tito’s Bloody Mary and mimosa bar.

Ring in the New Year with Willie Nelson, Ryan Bingham, and others at ACL Live.

SXSW Supermensch Shep Gordon After Party Willie Nelson

Photo by Shelley Neuman

Ring in the New Year with Willie Nelson, Ryan Bingham, and others at ACL Live.

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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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