Weekend Event Guide

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

A brand new month is in full-swing with entertainment for every interest. Spice up your life at the Hot Sauce Festival, or see some of the city’s most famous residents at Bat Fest. Check out the top seven things to do in Austin this weekend. For a complete list of events, go to our calendar.

Friday, September 5

Moody Amphitheater presents Pixies in concert
Rock band Pixies perform live at Moody Center. The alternative band comes to Austin in support of their 2024 album, The Night The Zombies Came. They’re best known for songs such as “Gouge Away” and “Where is My Mind.” Get more details on Ticketmaster.

Photo courtesy of Karbach Brewing Co.

Sample 25 commercial sauces at the 35th Annual Hot Sauce Festival on September 7.

Cap City Comedy Club presents D.L. Hughley
Comedian, radio personality, and actor D.L. Hughley brings his humor to the stage at Cap City Comedy Club. Acclaimed as one of the Original Kings of Comedy, his career spans decades and he’s best known for his sitcom, The Hughleys. Performances are scheduled through September 7.

Moody Center presents NBA YoungBoy in concert
Hip hop star NBA YoungBoy performs live at Moody Center. The Baton Rouge-born artist is best known for songs like “Outside Today” and “Right Foot Creep.” He comes to Austin in support of his new album, MASA. NBA YoungBoy will be joined by special guests DeeBaby, EBK Jaaybo, and K3. Get more details on Ticketmaster.

Saturday, September 6

Long Center presents Community Day
Block-party festivities take over the plaza at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Community Day highlights include live music, kid-friendly games and crafts stations, BubblePalooza presented by H-E-B, and food truck offerings. Admission is free and open to the public.

Bat Fest
Celebrate the unofficial and very nocturnal mascot of Austin at the return of Bat Fest. This year’s highlights include kids zone activities, vendors, and a great view of the bats during their nightly flight. Attendees can also enjoy live music on two stages from special guests Silversun Pickups, Waka Flocka Flame, Riff Raff, Zak Loy, and others. General admission and VIP tickets are available now.

Sunday, September 7

Austin Chronicle presents 35th Annual Hot Sauce Festival
Sample the spiciness of the city at the Austin Chronicle’s 35th Annual Hot Sauce Festival. Attendees will get to taste sauces from 25 commercial bottlers and cast their vote for the 2025 People’s Choice Awards. Additional highlights include food vendors and live performances by Los Desechos, Mira Mira, Gran Moreno, and West Texas Exiles.

Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience
English electronic band Depeche Mode celebrates more than 45 years of music live in concert at The Paramount Theatre. Fans can expect a setlist that spans the group’s career and features songs from every era. Imaginative set pieces and costume changes will deliver a unique experience that transcends time. Electric Duke will perform as a special guest. Select tickets are available.

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Lawn Party

Austin comedy cadre launches sketch series at December pool party

Lawn Party Series Intro/YouTube

Lawn Party has $30,000 and a pilot ready to go.

An Austin production company is launching a new local sketch comedy series, and they want Austinites to get in on the fun in person. Originator Studios already has a 20-minute Lawn Party pilot ready to go — but as filmmakers Willie Rockefeller and Derek Gildersleev are shopping it out to film festivals and investors, they want to start gathering an audience.

Having a loyal audience will ultimately increase Lawn Party's chances of being picked up, so Originator is throwing an actual party December 6 at event venue Shady Springs (9401 Sherman Rd.). Guests can expect stand-up comedy, live sketches, live music, and even kiddie pools and one big pool, despite Austin's weather taking a recent turn for the very cold.

It'll also be a good opportunity for comedy fans to get in touch with the local scene, thanks to a cast full of Austin comics: Sarah Yoakley, Chad Werner, Kelsey Pribilsky, Kaci Beeler, Rochelle McConico, Yola Jean Lu, Tinus Seaux, Kolby Jacobs, and Garrett
Rojas.

Synth pop duo Jane Leo will provide sonic support, and spacey musical cult Grandmaster has lent music to the cinematic and fun series intro.

For those abstaining from December swimming, there will be food, drinks, lawn games, and raffles for prizes including Moontower Comedy Festival badges.

“We’ve spent fifteen years running a production company,” said Rockefeller in a press release. “But Lawn Party is the
thing we’ve always wanted to make. We built the sandbox; now we’re inviting everyone to come play.”

Even if Austinites aren't closely following local comedy, they may know Originator from its work on Stavros Halkias' Netflix comedy special, Fat Rascal, or Joe List's special Small Ball. The studio also works on commercials, livestreams, and other creative content.

To pull off the Lawn Party series, Originator has already raised more than $30,000 on a Kickstarter campaign that ended December 1. The campaign promises "uniquely strange characters plucked from everyday life" along with "relatable situations gone awry" and of course "a hint of social commentary."

“We wanted the series — and the event — to feel like Austin," said Gildersleev. "Smart, weird, collaborative, slightly unhinged in the best way.”

If this success continues, it looks like plenty of Austinites will be able to watch along from home someday. But until then, there's Eventbrite. Tickets are $17.85 with tax and fees.

“When you show up for Lawn Party, you’re not just supporting local comedy,” said a team statement. “You’re joining it.”

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