Weekend Event Guide

Here are the top 7 things to do in Austin this weekend

Comedy shows, festivals, and live music are on the agenda in the days ahead. Enjoy a cultural experience at the Sama Sama Art Festival or see comedians like Mo Amer and George Lopez on stage. Check out the top seven things to do in Austin this weekend. For a complete list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, July 17

Cap City Comedy Club presents Tom Arnold
Comedian Tom Arnold performs live at Capitol City Comedy Club. The actor, writer, and producer brings his Midwestern perspective to the stage. He’s best known for his roles on shows including Roseanne, Carpool, and Austin Powers. General admission tickets are available now.

Friday, July 18

ACL Live presents George Lopez
Actor and comedian George Lopez brings new stand-up material to a live audience at Austin City Limits Live. Lopez became a household name during the longtime run of his eponymous mid-2000s TV sitcom. Currently, he stars on NBC's Lopez vs Lopez, opposite his real-life daughter, Mayan Lopez. Get tickets now.

Saturday, July 19

Habang Buhay presents Sama Sama Art Festival
Celebrate Pan-Asian creativity and culture at the Moontower Cider Company. This family-friendly festival will feature visual artists, live music and dance performance, a crafts market, and more. Admission is free and open to the public.

Stubb's Bar-B-Q presents Jessie Reyez in concert
Singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez performs live at Stubb's Bar-B-Q. The Canadian artist is known for her hip-hop and contemporary sound in songs such as “Figures” and “Shutter Island.” She makes a stop in Austin as part of tour promoting her new album, Paid In Memories. Get more details in Live Nation.

Photo courtesy of Austin Parks Foundation

Austin Parks Foundation continues their Movies in the Park series on July 20.

Austin City Limits Live presents Mo Amer: El Oso Palestino Tour
Actor and comedian Mo Amer performs new stand-up material at Austin City Limits Live. The Palestinian-American entertainer is best known for his popular Netflix show, Mo and for his appearances on the Hulu sitcom, Ramy. Amer has also released a comedy special, Mo Amer: The Vagabond on Netflix. Tickets are available now.

EmpowHER Music and Arts Festival
The Courtyard ATX Live Music & Event Venue and Anna Madewell host a day for local creatives and their talents spanning arts and entertainment. Activities include a curated creative market of local, women-led businesses; interactive brand activations; a live podcast; and a variety of live performances. The entertainment lineup will feature DJ sets, fire flow artists, burlesque performers, instrumentalists, and more. Get more event details on Facebook.

Sunday, July 20

Austin Parks Foundation presents Movies in the Park
Enjoy a family-friendly movie at the Deep Eddy Municipal Pool. The free community movie series presented by Austin Parks Foundation will feature a screening of the animated film Moana. Stop by early for activities and a vendor market ahead of showtime at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs for the most relaxing viewing experience. The series continues through August 14.

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It's Trail Time

Austin's famous Trail of Lights opens soon for 2-week 2025 run

Austin Trail of Lights/Facebook

The Trail of Lights changes a little year-by-year, but stays the same at its core.

Austin's most famous holiday tradition is almost here. The Trail of Lights will start glowing at Zilker Park on December 10 and stay lit through December 23. This is the 61st year for the tradition, which shows off festive designs made with more than 2 million lights, 96 illuminated trees, and live programming.

This year, there are two new installations. One is the Neon Zoo created by the famous local studio Ion Art, which this November launched a new seven-day event at Willie Nelson's Luck Ranch. Like the ranch event or Ion Art's other famous installations, this one invites visitors to walk through an immersive space that "celebrates Austin's art scene." The other new addition will be the Texas Tunnel, which is inspired by a sunset and leads into a section that honors Texas.

The main draw is always the lights, but visitors can also look forward to live, local music every night. Folks who want to brush up their dance moves can do so with swing teacher Kari Kron and two step lessons by Dancin’ Austin.

This year, the following artists will perform:

Pedal Steel Noah
The Soul Supporters
Poet Hawkins
Nakia
Sherita Perez
Dave Madden
Wilson Marks
Jennifer Foster & The Audacity
BandAid School of Music
Los Coast
Ruby Dice
Midnight Snack
Nagavalli
Bluesqueezebox
Golden Hour
Oliver Steck
The Last Jimenez
Denis O'Donnell
Linda Gail Lewis
Libby & the Loveless
JaRon Marshall
LA 45 (La Quarenta y Cinco)
Jeska & The Vanity Project

The live music broadcasting series Texas Music Scene will record performances by Bo De Peña, Jeff Crosby, and Phil Hamilton for a broadcast December 18.

Some of the special events that lead up to official opening — including the preview party, fun run, tree-lighting ceremony, and private tours — have already happen. All that's left now is the grand opening with H-E-B and the Trail of Lights Foundation.

Many nights are free for everyone to attend, but some require tickets for adults. (Children under 12 always visit for free.) Guests can check the Trail of Lights' calendar to check which nights are free or paid. General admission, when it's required, costs up to $8.

holidays trail of lights