Austinites enjoy their festivals as frequently as they enjoy their breakfast tacos and BBQ…Every. Single. Day. Fall is the perfect season to get back outside and enjoy the outdoors without the heat and humidity that comes with summer. Austin Festivals cover every niche from live music and film, to Formula One race cars. They are a huge part of Austin’s eclectic culture, so make plans to attend one of Realty Austin’s top picks for Fall festivals.
Fall Festivals in Austin:
- Fantastic Fest
- Pecan Street Festival
- Texas Tribune Festival
- Leander Bluegrass Festival
- Texas Craft Brewers Festival
- Texas Renaissance Festival
- Gruene Music and Wine Festival
- Oktoberfest
- Austin City Limits Music Festival
- Texas Mesquite Arts Festival
- Formula 1
- Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
- Pfall Chili Pfest
- Austin Day of The Dead
- Austin Fermentation Festival
- Austin Film Festival
- Austin Beer Week
- Food and Wine Festival
- Austin Area Jazz Festival
- Texas Book Festival
- Last Straw Fest
- Texas Monthly BBQ Fest
- Wurstfest
- Austin International Drag Fest
- East Austin Studio Tour
Fantastic Fest
September 20- September 27
Experience the world of sci-fi, horror, and gore at Alamo Drafthouse’s annual film festival. Fantastic Fest is the largest film festival in the U.S. that specializes in the genres of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and action. The festival has premiered major horror flicks like Zombieland, There Will Be Blood and Apocalypto. Celebrity guests in the past have included Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Paul Rudd and Jon Favreau.
Pecan Street Festival
September 22- September 23
The Pecan Street Festival is one of the largest, and longest-running, arts and crafts and music festivals in the nation! Named after 6th Street’s original name, this family-friendly street festival takes place twice a year in Austin’s downtown entertainment district. Pecan Street Festival offers several blocks of family fun, from local art to live music and entertainment. Of course, no Austin festival would be complete without food! Experience all of this and more each May and September in the lively streets of downtown Austin.
Texas Tribune Festival
September 27- September 29
The 2018 Texas Tribune Festival is upon us! Join the Texas Tribune in downtown Austin for three days of unique perspectives, thoughtful conversation, and networking, all in the shadow of the Texas Capitol! This year there will be more than 300 leading figures in politics, public policy, networking events, and journalism who will join thousands of Texans to discuss big-picture solutions to the most pressing policy issues facing our state and our nation! Texas Tribune Festival program is bigger and better than ever before!
Leander Bluegrass Festival
September 28
The city of Leander will be hosting their thirteenth annual Leander Bluegrass Festival on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28-29, from 6-10 p.m next to the Mason Homestead located at 1101 S. Bagdad Road. The best part about this event is that its FREE and will be featuring live music performances by local musicians, there will be plenty of concessions, super fun children’s activities, and a variety of vendors! This is the perfect event to come out with your family and friends!
Texas Craft Brewers Festival
September 29
The Texas Craft Brewers Festival and the Texas Craft Brewers Guild embrace their motto “We are a community. We support each other. We respect each other.”, and strive to be true to Texas craft beer and to benefit all involved. Today, the Texas Craft Brewers Festival remains by and for the Texas craft brewers and the Texas craft beer community. Homebrewers and entrepreneurs have launched and grown craft beer businesses to serve nearby communities. People curious to discover new tastes have become fans, and those fans devotees! Become a new fan, and discover new craft breweries in Texas!
Texas Renaissance Festival
October 1- November 25
The Texas Renaissance Festival is the nation’s largest and most acclaimed Renaissance theme park where the sights, sounds, tastes and beauty of the 16th Century come alive for eight magically-themed weekends! They welcome more than half a million guests annually and feature nearly 500 costumed performers on 17 stages; 400 shoppes including international food purveyors, unique artisans, merchants and craft vendors; human-powered rides; an abundance of strolling performers and the Royal Fireworks display at dusk! Memories made here will become timeless!
Gruene Music and Wine Festival
October 4- October 7
The Gruene Music & Wine Fest began as a one-day event in 1986 with the purpose of promoting Texas and Americana music in a fun and relaxed setting while raising funds for the United Way of Comal County. Over the years, it has become a four-day celebration not only of Texas and Americana music, but also a celebration of wine, craft beer, food and gift items handmade in the Lone Star state! All the proceeds of the event will benefit the local United Way, a charity whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people in Comal County by generating resources to meet the needs of the community.
Oktoberfest
October 5- October 7
Celebrate Fredericksburg’s German heritage at Oktoberfest! There will be lots of food and drinks, dance contests, music on four stages all weekend, artisans, Kinderpark, souvenirs and more! It’s fun for the whole family! The weekend will be filled with many activities including OkTUBAfest on Friday, a Hauptstrasse Chicken Dance on Saturday and a 42 domino tournament on Sunday! Oktoberfest is held at Marktplatz.
Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 5- October 7 and October 12- October 14
Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual multi-day music festival that takes place each fall in Austin’s Zilker Park! Festivalgoers enjoy six days of music, food, and art set against the dazzling downtown skyline. The festival brings together over 130 musical acts of all genres from country to electronic to rock. Today ACL is one of the most popular music festivals in the nation, attracting approximately 450,000 attendees each year. The event has actually become so popular that tickets often sell out within a few days of being announced on the ACL website!
Texas Mesquite Arts Festival
October 12- October 15
The Mesquite Arts Festival has become one of the top events in Fredericksburg. Visitors will be treated to collections of sculpted wood from the world’s absolute finest mesquite craftsmen. Items range from large furniture items such as beds, dressers, and chairs made entirely from mesquite, to unique craft and gift items such as beautifully turned lamps, delicate scrollwork, handsome pen and pencil sets, unique Christmas tree ornaments, and sculpted vases, all carefully crafted of mesquite.
Formula 1
October 19- October 21
About 8 miles southeast of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is Circuit of the Americas, the home of Austin F1 racing. The multi-million dollar facility is called “The Most Unique Motorsports Facility in the United States” and for a good reason! It is the only track built purposely for Formula One Racing in the country and puts Austin on the map as a World-Class Motorsports destination!
Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
October 19- October 21
You’re invited to the heart of the beautiful Texas Hill Country to come and enjoy an exciting weekend of phenomenal singer/songwriter showcases. Highlighted by a list of esteemed local and national talent, the festival features more than 30 shows a day! Audiences are treated to a wide variety of amazing songs and the people and stories behind them as groups of songwriters from all across the US play “in-the-round,” Nashville-style. This year, they’re offering people an up-close and personal chance to see, hear, and get to know some of the very talented performers who have a deep love of the art of songwriting! Put plainly; the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival is all about finely-crafted songs, and the talented folks who have written them!
Pfall Chili Pfest
October 20
Join the city of Pflugerville for their 11th annual Pfall Chili Pfest. There are many activities to participate at the festival such as tasting the best chili, voting for your favorite, sampling the chili at any of the booths, seeing some of the hottest cars and trucks in Central Texas (classic cars, hot rods, convertibles and more), and eating as many jalapeño peppers as you can! The winners of the jalapeño eating contest will receive a cash prize and bragging rights! Let’s not forget about the live music, food and drink vendors and a kid’s area!
Austin Day of The Dead
October 20- November 4
Austin’s unifying, indigenous holiday, Dia de los Muertos, has grown into a combination citywide party, procession and other events scheduled over three weeks, each celebrating the city’s multi-ethnic heritage! From festivals, concerts and theatrical performances to altars and religious observances, Dia de los Muertos, now Austin’s most popular Latino-themed annual ritual, holds cultural significance and gravity of Dia de los Muertos. Few U.S. cities celebrate Dia de los Muertos like Austin, so take advantage of this festival and celebrate with family and friends!
Austin Fermentation Festival
October 21
The Austin Fermentation Festival is a free educational event that celebrates all things fermented in Central Texas and will run from 11 am to 4 pm at the Austin Central Library and Seaholm EcoDistrict lawn! There will be plenty of activities to engage in, such as 13 workshops focused on fermented foods and beverages, discovering fermented foods and dishes from local chefs and vendors, wine, beer and cider tasting, live music and more! All proceeds from this event will benefit the Texas Farmers’ Market Farmer Emergency Fund, which offers financial assistance to TFM farmers and ranchers in times of environmental, personal or other crisis.
Austin Film Festival
October 25- November 1
Founded almost twenty years ago, the Austin Film Festival was the first event of its kind to bring together professional and amateur screenwriters to celebrate all things television and film. Every October, the Austin Film Festival and Conference bring producers, agents, and screenwriters together to showcase the best film talent in the nation. Past participants include Ron Howard, Sandra Bullock, Owen Wilson and America Ferrera!
Austin Beer Week
October 26- November 4
Austin Beer Week is a multi-day, multi-event, brewer-centric showcase of all things craft beer! This event was created by a small but thirsty band of loyal Austin craft beer drinkers, in partnership with the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting Texas craft brewers and the craft beer community. Brewers and venues are encouraged to embrace the creative, playful, even daring when planning activities, which can range from intense food-beer appreciation from nationally recognized chefs to tongue-in-cheek competitions testing keg-lifting mettle! Austin Beer Week is not only a way of celebrating craft beer but of giving back!
Food and Wine Festival
October 27
Held in historic, downtown Fredericksburg, the Food and Wine Festival is a full-course celebration of Texas food, wine, beer, music, specialty booths, food court and fun! Texas wineries, gourmet chefs, will hold demonstrating shows and there will also be a silent auction and live music! There are also several additional special events to attend including special dinners and a brunch for which tickets must be purchased in advance!
Austin Area Jazz Festival
October 27
Austin Area Jazz Festival specializes in bringing a diverse culture of art, music, and entertainment to the forefront. Their events showcase national and local musical lineups that continue to surpass even their own expectations! Each year they deliver events that not only entertain but also inspire generations of artists and fans. Through AAJF’s annual celebrations, they strive to build positive relationships with all of the artists who participate, and our community, all while putting on spectacular shows! The result is always a great show and a musical experience that is second to none!
Texas Book Festival
October 27- October 28
The Texas Book Festival is one of the largest book festivals in the country, which features over 250 critically acclaimed authors such as Margaret Atwood, Robert Caro Sandra Cisneros and many more! Come out and meet the authors while enjoying live music, food trucks, family activities and much more!
Last Straw Fest
October 28
The UMLAUF’s 4th annual Straw Fest is a community-wide event centered on family fun. Straw Fest will feature a number of family-friendly interactive activities! For the first time in the UMLAUF’s history, they have created Austin’s first family and pet fall fashion show for this year’s event! Now that sounds like fun! There are plenty of fun activities to engage in, including pumpkin carving, crafts, games, yoga, and food trucks. Make sure to bring your own pumpkin and carving tools. The UMLAUF will be at capacity with over 2,000 kids and families for this popular community-wide day of family fun.
Texas Monthly BBQ Fest
November 3- November 4
Unveil Texas Monthly’s top 50 Best BBQ Joints in Texas by enjoying live music, food, and drinks! Join them for a great weekend deep in the heart of Texas for a delicious feast from more than twenty of the best ‘cue restaurants in the country! Some of the featured BBQ joints include Franklin Barbecue, La Barbecue, Micklethwait Craft Meats, Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew, Terry Black’s Barbecue, Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ and much more! Festival-goers will relax on the lawn and enjoy music, sweet treats, cold beer, cocktails, interactive games with sponsors, and all of the smoked goodness they can handle.
Wurstfest
November 2- November 11
Located near the headwaters of the beautiful Comal River in New Braunfels, Wurstfest is the best ten days in sausage history! Join Wurstfest for a unique annual celebration rich in German and Bavarian culture! You’ll be able to enjoy good food, music, dancing, exciting carnival rides and games, German and Texan domestic beers, special events and more!
Austin International Drag Fest
November 15- November 18
The 4th annual Austin International Drag Festival is back and more fierce than ever! Austin is now the center of the Drag Universe as hundreds of Drag Artists from all over the world descend to entertain thousands of Drag fans. Each artist will be displaying their greatest talents for your education and entertainment. So come out and watch your favorite drag queens perform, meet your favorite drag queens, shop for merch, eat amazing food and more!
East Austin Studio Tour
November 10-11 and November 17-18
EAST, a program of Big Medium, is a nonprofit organization, a self-guided art event that gives opportunities for local artists and artisans to show their creative side and expand their reach to future patrons. The self-guided tour takes place over two weekends in November and leads visitors through home and commercial studios, galleries, special exhibitions, installations and art-themed parties! The event also features an opening party, a special culinary event with local chefs, competitions, educational programs and more.
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