Be sure to check the event websites for updates this weekend as we are supposed to have some strong storms coming in, resulting in cancellations.
Happening All Weekend
Big Baby Bash and Toddler Jam– Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Big Baby Bash & Toddler Jam is the ultimate parenting experience for prenatal to preschool parents with informative seminars, exhibitors, workshops and hands-on demos lead by nationally renowned and local experts. Part baby shower, part conference and all fun! Saturday, April 11 is for pre-pregnancy and prenatal parents and will host keynote speakers birth educator Brian Salmon, The Birth Guy and baby gear expert Hollie Schultz of Babygizmo. Sunday, April 12 will focus on parents with infants and toddlers up to age 5 and include family fun and keynote speaker and early childhood expert Ellen Booth Church. General admission: $15. Toybrary Austin, 7811 & 7818 Rockwood Lane, Austin.
Music at The Domain- Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Don’t miss Music on the Lawn in Domain II each weekend! Music on the Lawn will be located on the new lawn, near iPic Theaters. Here’s the schedule: Friday – April 10, 6pm – 9pm: Acoustic Jungle. Saturday – April 11, 2pm – 5pm: Kimarie Trojanowski, 6pm – 9pm: Grace Pettis. Sunday – April 12, 2pm – 5pm: Piney Grove Ramblers. FREE! The Domain, 11410 Century Oaks Terrace.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Faces of Humanity Photography Exhibit Opening Reception– 6-8 p.m. Powerful portrait series by Ali Khataw with sales from each photograph to benefit a charity of your choice, from a selected list. Live sitar and sufi music by Professor Ghulam Farid Nizami and refreshments. FREE! Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road.
Mueller Music in the Park– 6-8 p.m. Music in the Park is a FREE event in Mueller’s Lake Park Amphitheater. Rich Restaino and the Obits will be performing. Bring a blanket and picnic and enjoy the music. Free parking in available in the McBee Parking garage behind the Thinkery. Mueller Austin, 4550 Mueller Blvd.
Movies in the Park- Planes: Fire and Rescue (Cedar Park)- 8 p.m. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs. Food concession will not be available, but you are welcome to bring a picnic. Please no glass containers. Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Family Caving– 9 a.m. – noon. Come explore Whirlpool Cave, one of Austin’s finest underground ecosystems that is not open to the public. Make sure you bring clothing that can get messy! Cost:$4 (City of Austin resident) / $5 (non-resident). Please contact Camaro Recreation Center for more information.
The Great Pirate Escape: STEAM Lab– 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. Before even reaching North America, the explorer La Salle’s expedition was attacked by pirates! One of his four ships was captured. This exciting story of exploration is the inspiration for this STEAM Activity Challenge hosted by Skillpoint Alliance and the Bullock Museum. Students ages 6 to 14 will spend 9:00 am-2:00 pm at the Museum investigating the La Belle shipwreck, creating a pirate/explorer themed game using microcontrollers, and exploring STEAM concepts. FREE! Participants must bring their own lunch and snacks. Registration is limited to 15 students per age group. For a complete list of activities per age group, click here. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Avenue.
East Austin Garden Fair- 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. FREE and open to the public, this fun, hands-on fair involves community members in creative, low-cost ways to grow vegetables, herbs and fruit to improve the family diet as well as information about Earth-Kind landscaping. Get expert advice from Master Gardeners on all aspects of gardening and composting, as well as backyard chickens and beekeeping. The fair will feature an assortment of DIY and demonstration activities, including garden planning, kids’ activities and container garden building. FREE vegetable, herb and ornamental plants offered to participants while supplies last. Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center, 2608 Gonzales Street.
The Three Little Pigs at ZACH Theatre– 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Take three little piglets, their devoted single-parent mom, and a misunderstood Big Bad Wolf, and you’ve got the perfect “Great Big Little Broadway Show” for audiences ages 3 and up. Filled with humor, this endearing tale will leave you squealing with glee and howling with laughter! Tickets: $15 youth, $20 adults. ZACH Theatre, Kleberg Stage, 1510 Toomey Road.
Second Saturdays are for Families: Bike Workshop- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Meet local bike experts to tinker with bike parts and functions and learn some simple fixes for your own ride. Then use a cool paint technique to customize bike accessories to keep you safe on the road. Bikes are welcome! Admission: General, $10; Member families, $5. The Contemporary Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria, 3809 West 35th Street.
The South Asian New Year Festival– 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. “Pohela Boishakh”is an annual outdoor celebration showcasing the culture and diversity of South Asia. Now in its thirteenth year, The South Asian New Year Festival draws over 5,000 people each year. The Hillside Theater Stage will feature live dance and music performances along with authentic programs highlighting the colorful diversity of South Asian Culture. Off stage, visitors will be enticed to enjoy the wonderful foods and merchandise available in the Bazaar. With food, ethnic clothing, jewelry, crafts, henna & more – this festival has all the ingredients to represent the rich tapestry of South Asian Culture. FREE! Zilker Hillside Theater, 2206 William Barton Drive.
Celebrate Me: Ghana– Noon – 4 p.m. Celebrate Me! is a GLOBAL CULTURAL educational experience series exploring different cultures from around the world celebrating their similarity and diversity. Each visit will be a new corner of the globe. Our journey will open the door to world communities through language, dress, food, costumes, history, music and more. Join us for this cultural exploration. FREE! George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, 1165 Angelina Street.
Cedar Park Heritage Festival- 1-5 p.m. Join us for the annual Heritage Festival. Enjoy live music, family friendly activities, a washer tournament, food and fun! FREE! Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park.
Music at Blanton– 1 – 2:30 p.m. The choirs of Ebenezer Baptist Church and Huston-Tillotson University will perform pieces in conjunction with the Blanton’s exhibition Witness: Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties. Regular admission applies. Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin.
Mi Madre’s 25th Anniversary Party– 1-8 p.m. Celebrate 25 years of Mi Madre’s presence in east Austin with East with a huge fiesta that you won’t want to miss! Live music from: Cilantro Boombox, DJ Chorizo Funk, Son Armado, Mariachi Relampago, Flamenco Symphony. Entertainment: Mini piñata making, Taco eating contest, Ballet Folklórico performance, Mi Madre’s famous el Diablo salsa eating contest, Artisan mercado, pig roast. Delicious eats and drinks including, tacos, elote, sno cones, churros, margaritas, horchata and more! FREE! Please RSVP at http://mimadres25.splashthat.com/ . Mi Madres Restaurant, 2201 Manor Road.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Hope Day- 11 a.m to 3:00 p.m. Hope Day allows us to share our mission of hope with the Austin community through family-friendly activities, cancer support resources, and interactive games. There will also be live music, a free yoga class taught by Kat Sisler, a free petting zoo from Tiny Tails and a fun performance from the University of Texas comedy improv troupe, Gigglepants. FREE! Hope Farmer’s Market, 412 Comal Street.
Family Water Festival– 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Hosted by The Colorado River Alliance, this exciting outdoor event will have live music, over 30 educational booths with engaging activities, presentations, arts & crafts, food trailers, door prizes, live animals, door prizes, and more! All geared toward educating about the importance of our Texas Colorado River and being better stewards of our river! The Alliance partners with the Expedition School to coordinate this fantastic family event with the Colorado River Ramble, which occurs directly before the Family Water Festival. The River Ramble is an exciting canoe, kayak and SUP race around Lady Bird Lake and is appropriate for all age levels and competitive natures. Colorado River Ramble participants are invited to explore the Family Water Festival directly after their race finishes and stay for the awards ceremony at 2pm! Register Here. FREE! Fiesta Gardens, 2100 Jesse E. Segovia St., Austin.
Sunday Funday: Lawn Games– 1-4 p.m. Every first Sunday of the month the Neill-Cochran House Museum will be open to the public for FREE! Each Sunday will include an activity highlighting a theme that embodies both the history of Texas and the Neill-Cochran House Museum. Walk-through tours of the house will also be available.
East Austin Urban Farm Tour- 1-5 p.m. Spend a Sunday afternoon strolling vibrant fields of local produce and visiting with chickens, donkeys, and goats on four neighboring urban farms. At each farm, chefs will provide tastes of their art using the freshest farm ingredients while local brewers, wine merchants, and mixologists will offer sips. In the fields, farmers will talk about their growing crops, share their experiences, and answer gardening questions. This beloved farm tour will change the way you look at food and the people you buy from as well as offer the perfect opportunity to solve your own growing challenges! Rain or shine. Admission is $50 for adults. Children 10 and under are free. For a map of farm locations, click here.
Young Metalsmiths Freebie Fun Day at Creative Side Jewelry Academy– 3:30-6:30 p.m. Join us for our Young Metalsmiths Freebie Fun Day at Creative Side Jewelry Academy! We are opening our doors to all of your budding artists to showcase our metalsmithing and jewelry program for age 10-16 years. Unlock the mystery of metalworking and join us for a FREE hands-on activity at our pendant making station, enter our raffle, enjoy healthy refreshments, take a tour of our studio, and view our Young Metalsmiths jewelry display. Creative Side Jewelry Academy, 321 W. Ben White Blvd., #204.
Feel like a day trip adventure? Head to Marble Falls. It’s beautiful this time of year, and I hear there are strawberries ripe for picking at Sweet Berry Farm.
Or stay in Austin and act like a tourist while visiting the Texas State Capitol!
There are even more adventures to be had if you follow along with our mission to check off items on our 2015 Austin Bucket Lists!
