Austin is used to its unbelievable pace of events throughout the year, but even the hardiest festival attendees are stretched thin this weekend. From April 24-27 there are at least seven notable festivals are vying for Austinites' attendance.
Thankfully, most of these appeal to different folks — Americana fans, foodies, alternative rockers, and indie film fans, to name a few — so it shouldn't be too hard to pick once you've had a look at all the options.
Here are seven festivals happening this weekend in the Austin area:
Old Settler's Music Festival
April 24-27, Dale
This laid-back festival is a favorite for families, folk music lovers, and hippies. This will be the 38th annual event, headlined by folk duo Watchhouse and Americana trio The Devil Makes Three. Matching the vibes of the music, the outdoor setting about 45 minutes from Austin also offers on-site camping, kids' activities, workshops, a market, and more. Tickets start at $79 for a single day and $229 for all four.
Field Guide Festival
April 25-27, Austin
This festival for foodies is about a lot more than what tastes good, offering a tasteful look behind the ingredients stewarded by the farmers who made them. Field Guide is also a great place to meet up-and-coming chefs, more so than any other festival that we've noticed. The main event is all about visiting tasting booths by local restaurants including Emmer & Rye, Olamaie, Dai Due, and many more. Tickets start at $30 for the new symposium and $140 for events with food.
Austin Psych Fest
April 25-27, Austin
One of Austin's top alternative festivals, Psych Fest unleashes indie rockers from all over unto Austin. Headliners this year are post-rock group Explosions in the Sky, experimental electronica band Darkside, and 90s alt heroes Dinosaur Jr. And since it is Psych Fest, the visuals have to be on point. Get ready for tons of color, abstract shapes, and sensory overload in the best way. Tickets start at $75 for one day and $195 for all three. Some shows also have standalone tickets.
Red Poppy Festival
April 25-27, Georgetown
Where Austin has its bluebonnets, Georgetown has its poppies, and there's a lot more to see than a few blooms on the side of the road. This festival honors the bright red flowers with food vendors, live music, a parade, a car show, fine arts, and kids' activities. Dysfunkshun Junkshun, Cory Morrow, and Mackenzie Carpenter are headlining. Admission to the festival and all its events is free.
Founders Day Festival
April 25-27, Dripping Springs
More county fair vibes are in store in Dripping Springs for its 36th annual Founders Day Festival. There's a parade, a barbecue cook-off, carnival rides, and a market with more than 150 arts and craft booths, food vendors, nonprofits, and local businesses. An impressive amount of live music tops things off, featuring 90s and aughts cover band Type A and country rock groupJamie Weston Band as headliners. Admission to the festival is free, but attendees may want to purchase carnival tickets.
Austin Blues Festival
April 26 & 27, Austin
This festival is going strong in its revival era, having debuted in 1999 and come back in 2023. True to its roots, it'll offer performances by highly regarded blues musicians (and those of adjacent genres) at many stages of their careers. Headliners are Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Mavis Staples, with other Austin favorites like Sue Foley, Jackie Venson, Sir Woman, and Grandmaster. Tickets start at $65 for one day and $115 for two.
Camp Film Festival
April 26 & 27, Austin
This unique film festival is making its debut in Austin, having mined the internet for some of its best indie filmmakers rather than going the Hollywood route. Baron Ryan (@americanbaron), who is known for heady yet humorous social media skits, will premiere his first-ever feature film alongside shorts by Zach Schy (@schyguyy), Phillip Linnik (@iphilgood), Monique Jones (@moniqueyvonn), and more. Tickets start at $65 for the weekend.
