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:
- Waterloo Music Festival
- Fantastic Fest
- Pecan Street Festival
- Texas Tribune Festival
- Banger’s Oktoberfest
- Austin Oktoberfest
- Texas Craft Brewers Festival
- Fajita Fiesta
- Leander Bluegrass Festival
- Oktoberfest
- Austin City Limits Music Festival
- Texas Renaissance Festival
- Gruene Music and Wine Festival
- Texas Mesquite Arts Festival
- Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
- Pfall Chili Pfest
- Austin Fermentation Festival
- Austin Film Festival
- Food and Wine Fest
- 36th Annual Viva La Vida Parade & Festival
- Texas Book Festival
- Austin Area Jazz Festival
- Straw Fest
- Texas Monthly BBQ Festival
- Formula 1
- Wurst Fest
- Austin Celtic Festival
- Utopiafest
- Austin Drag Fest
- East Austin Studio Tour
September Festivals
Waterloo Music Festival
September 7- September 9
701 Dalton Ln, Austin, TX 78742
Waterloo is an independent festival that celebrates the roots of Austin music culture and will feature three full days of nationally renowned jam bands performing alongside the city’s finest musical acts during a weekend of camping! The event will be held at Carson Creek Ranch, a venue just ten minutes from downtown Austin with over 60 acres of Pecan-tree-lined campgrounds and scenic views overlooking the Colorado River. The festival is produced by Austin event promoters Unknown Entertainment, Havin’ a Ball Productions and Heard Presents. This year’s lineup includes the String Cheese Incident, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Oteil & Friends and more!
Fantastic Fest
September 19- September 26
1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
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 21- September 22
6th Street, Austin, TX
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 (also took place on May 4- May 5, 2019). 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 26- September 28
1100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
The 2019 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!
Banger’s Oktoberfest
September 26- September 28
79 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
It’s Banger’s favorite time of year, Oktoberfest! This year they’ll be doing a 3-day festival featuring live music every day, German-inspired food, games, and some of the best fall beers we can find! They’ll have all of their regular favorites on the menu, plus: spaetzle, schnitzel, weisswurst and German potato cakes with house-made applesauce and sour cream! So eat, drink, dance, and play to your heart’s desire at this all-out party on Rainey Street with friends!
Austin Oktoberfest
September 28
1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
On September 28th the Austin Saengerrunde will open its doors to 7th Annual AustOberfest celebrating Central Texas German heritage with German-style sausage, lots of bier, contest stage, bowling, and live music! The price of the ticket includes unlimited German-style sausage from some of Central Texas’ best meat purveyors Including Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse, Stiles Switch, Louie Mueller, Southside Market, Micklethwait Craft Meats, Frank, Scholz Garten, and more! Texas German Bier tastings are also included along with bowling and live music entertainment from the Austin Polka Band and the Chainlink Band! Come out to AustOberfest, and enjoy delicious beer and food with family and friends!
Texas Craft Brewers Festival
September 28
2101 Jesse E. Segovia St, Austin, TX 78702
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!
Fajita Fiesta
September 28- September 29
203 Railroad St # 1C, Buda, TX 78610
Fajita Fiesta is an event that offers something for all ages! Fiesta goers will experience the blending of foods, music, and cultures. They will also rediscover Texas through sights, sounds, and their taste buds! The tantalizing aroma of sizzling fajitas will fill the air of Buda, Texas; attracting people from the Rio Grande to the north of the Mason Dixon Line. In Texas, grilling is not just a weekend pass time but a competitive sport! At Fajita Fiesta grill masters and pit masters alike will compete for top dollar cash payouts, trophies, bragging rights, and to find out on that given day, which is the best of the best!
October Festivals
Leander Bluegrass Festival
October 4- October 5
1101 S Bagdad Rd, Leander, TX 78641
The city of Leander will be hosting their thirteenth annual Leander Bluegrass Festival on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, from 6-10 p.m next to the Mason Homestead located at 1101 S. Bagdad Road. The best part about this event is that it’s 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!
Oktoberfest
October 4- October 6
126 W Main St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
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 4- October 6 & October 11- October 13
2100 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
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 Renaissance Festival
October 5- December 1
21778 FM 1774 Todd Mission, TX 77363
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 10- October 13
Gruene Historic District, New Braunfels, TX 78130
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.
Texas Mesquite Arts Festival
October 11- October 13
126 W Main St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
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.
Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
October 18 -October 20
Dripping Springs Historic District, Dripping Springs, TX
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 Fest
October 19
100 East Main St, Pflugerville, TX 78660
Join the city of Pflugerville for their 12th 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! There will also be a live music performance by Blind Innocence. 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 Fermentation Festival
October 20
Multiple Locations Austin, TX
The Austin Fermentation Festival is a free educational event that celebrates all things fermented in Central Texas and will run from 10 am to 4 pm at the Mueller Lake Park and Texas Farmers’ Market! There will be plenty of activities to engage in, such as 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 24- October 31
Multiple Locations Austin, TX
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!
Food and Wine Fest
October 26
126 W Main St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
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!
36th Annual Viva La Vida Parade & Festival
October 26
100-200 block E. 4th Street, Austin, TX 78701
Mexic-Arte Museum’s Viva La Vida Fest is Austin’s largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival. The festival features a Grand Procession, the Education Pavilion with hands-on art activities and artist demos, and a celebration with traditional foods, local artist and retail booths, a low-rider exhibition, live music and performances throughout the day!
Texas Book Festival
October 26- October 27
1023 Springdale Rd, Austin, TX 78721
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!
Austin Area Jazz Festival
October 27
2300 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
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!
Straw Fest
October 27
605 Azie Morton Rd, Austin, TX 78704
The UMLAUF’s 5th 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.
November Festivals
Texas Monthly BBQ Festival
November 1- November 2
701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704
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.
Formula 1
November 1- November 3
9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Austin, TX 78617
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! This year the music headliners are the Imagine Dragons and PINK!
Wurst Fest
November 1- November 10
178 Landa Park Dr, New Braunfels, TX 78130
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 Celtic Festival
November 2- November 3
10621 Pioneer Farms Dr, Austin, TX 78754
The largest gathering of Celts in Central Texas returns for its 21st Annual Celtic Fest! The Austin Celtic Festival is internationally acclaimed as one of the few remaining festivals that celebrate the authentic music honed by the Celtic people. The Austin Celtic Festival goes beyond gimmicks to highlight traditions and achievements in a way that reminds audiences of the extraordinary craftsmanship and study that made places like Ireland and Scotland leaders in folk music and dance. Austin Celtic Festival is a friendly family event, is fun for all ages and opened to all!
Utopiafest
November 14- November 16
1555 Lemond Rd, Utopia, TX 78884
Imagine the magical, extraordinary experience of listening to artists you love, and discovering new favorites, while savoring local hill country cuisine, beverages under the towering oaks and vast Texas sky! Utopia Fest knows that when nature welcomes music surrounded by top-notch hospitality, art installations, workshops, creating a unique festival experience, each guest will truly understand what makes this experience so special. Guests will enjoy world-class music production, as well as a wide variety of workshops and activities, creating a well-rounded festival experience! This year’s lineup includes the Shakey Graves, Son Volt and more!
Austin Drag Fest
November 14- November 17
6000 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752
The 5th 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 16-17 & November 23-24
916 Springdale Rd Bldg 2 #101, Austin, TX 78702
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.
