Lamarfest– Lamar Middle School’s super fantastic carnival with lots of game booths, terrific food trailers, goodies and fun! Traditionally, it is Lamar’s biggest fundraiser of the year, providing nearly 25% of the 2012/ 2013 PTA budget. Booths include: Photo booth, Bling booth, cake walk, candy booth, cupcake cannon, car bash, drinks, face painting, football toss, pick-a-prize, Pringle toss, Soda toss, Stuffed Animal walk, inflatable obstacle course, Magnetic wall and Hamster balls! Friday, 6:00- 9:00pm.
Friday Night Storytime- Enjoy two delightful new books: Good News Bad News by Jeff Mack and Too Tall Houses by Gianna Marino. FREE!! Friday, 7:30pm. Barnes and Noble, La Frontera Village, 2701 Parker Road; Bldg. A, Suite 700, Round Rock.
Central Market North Lamar– Live music and dancing, oh my! This is a great spot for parents to enjoy music while letting their kids burn some energy on the playground. There are also ducks to feed in the nearby pond. Here is the lineup of FREE entertainment.
- Friday, 6:30 – 9:00pm- Ginger Leigh, Wendy Colonna,& Dave Madden are song writers of the highest caliber. Don’t miss out on this CM exclusive special collaboration!
- Saturday, 6:30-9:00pm- Diwali Festival of the lights- Bollywood Shake (dance troupe)will perform at 6:30 & 7:45pm. Atash will perform with special guest Naga Valli on vocals, Indrajit Banerjee on sitar, and Gourisankar Karmakar on Tabla.
Lemony Snicket– All the Wrong Questions- BookPeople quietly informs you that we are hosting a secret event with Lemony Snicket where he will talk about the first book in his new series, All the Wrong Questions: Who Could That Be at This Hour? Saturday, 4:00pm. All books that will be signed need to be purchased from BookPeople. FREE!! BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd.
Second Saturday for Families: Wacky Hats – Funky fedoras, beautiful bonnets, and everything in between! Make your own artsy topper inspired by Janel Jefferson’s giant portraits on view in the Driscoll Villa. Admission: $10 per family, $5 for member families. Recommended for ages 2-11. Saturday, 11:00- 3:00pm. Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria.
Craft Time for Kids: Flying Fun Airplane Craft -Propeller, wings- all the details of the real thing. This exciting airplane craft lets young pilots take their imaginations sky-high! FREE!! Saturday, 11:00am- 3:00pm. Lakeshore Learning Center, 9828 Great Hills Trail.
ECHO Family Festival- An annual event designed to educate and empower families to lend a hand to our homeless neighbors, the ECHO Family Festival is the only event during Austin’s annual Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week for families. Children can come together with their parents and neighbors to learn about some of the social issues in Austin in a fun, positive and supportive environment for all. There will be interactive service stations where the crafts and hygiene kits will benefit local nonprofits and the homeless clients whom they serve on a daily basis. While working at these stations, children can learn more about the impact their small act will have on someone else and how their quality of life will be continually improved. Parents will be able to learn about some of these nonprofit organizations and how to continue the conversation with their children, even after the festival fun has ended.A festival is not complete without entertainment and food! Face painting and balloon art is just a sampling of the fun to be had while continuing to learn and engage. Popcorn, nachos, hot dogs, pickles, lemonade and more are sure to satisfy the rumbling in your tummy during this interactive event! A $5 donation per family is encouraged. Saturday, 11:00am- 2:00pm. St. Ignatius Family Center, 126 West Oltorf.
Hands-On History:National Homemade Cookie Day – Come have homemade cookies, learn about the history of cookies, and discover when a cookie is not a cookie. Decorate your own pretend cookie to take home. FREE!! All ages. Saturday, 10:00am- 2:00pm. The Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave. Georgetown.
Sensory Friendly Film:Wreck It Ralph– AMC Theatres (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis with the “Sensory Friendly Films” program. In order to provide a more accepting and comfortable setting for this unique audience, the movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up and the sound turned down, families will be able to bring in their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown before the movie. Additionally, audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced unless the safety of the audience is questioned. Tickets: $4-6. Saturday, 10:00am. AMC Barton Creek 14, 2901 Cap. Tx. Hwy.
Favorite Character Storytime– We like nothing better than a new story featuring our favorite characters like Olivia or Skippyjon Jones. So you can imagine how lucky we feel this fall, because both of them are starring in brand new adventures. So come for storytime today and enjoy some new stories about some old friends. Saturday, 11:30am. FREE!! BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd.
What’s the Story Steve? – Move Your Tale and ColdTowne Theater collaborate to present this fully improvised theatrical journey through a story of the audience’s making. Featuring Steve the improvising poodle, a portion of the show follows Steve through an original tale. Pay what you wish. Appropriate for audiences of all ages. Saturday at 10 a.m. ColdTowne Theater, 4803 Airport Blvd.
Neighborhood Toy Store Day– Come in for toy demonstrations, face painting, goodie bags, a scavenger hunt, free music intro class and check out the “Best Toys for Kids” list. FREE!! Saturday, 10:00am- 5:00pm. Kaleidoscope Toys, 1601 S. IH-35, Suite 325.
Veteran’s Day Parade-, The event kicks off at 9 a.m. at the Ann W. Richards Congress Bridge and travels up to the Capitol building. Viewing is available all along Congress Ave. and there will be a reviewing stand at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel at Congress and 7th. Stay for the 11 a.m. ceremony at the South Capitol steps. Sunday, 9:00am. Downtown Austin.
Domain Lighting of the Great Tree– Kick off the holiday season with the lighting of the 40-foot Great Tree, an appearance by Santa and a spectacular fireworks show! Special holiday performances by headliner Jack Ingram, 2008 Academy of Country Music Best New Male Vocalist, NBC’s The Voice Finalist, Lex Land, and the “Outside Voices.”Arrive early to take advantage of special store offers and a fun-filled day of holiday activities including children’s entertainment, face painting, crafts and more family fun in Domain II! FREE!! Saturday, 6:00pm. The Domain, 11410 Century Oaks Terrace.
LEGO Nameplate Building Event– Create your very own name plaque using LEGO bricks and and featuring your favorite DC Universe Super Hero icon. Quantities are limited- arrive early. Event for children 4-12 and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. FREE!! Saturday, 10:00am- Noon. Pottery Barn, Barton Creek Square, 2901 S. Cap.Tx. Hwy.
Veteran’s Day Parade and Ceremony- Come honor our veterans and show your patriotic pride at the Veterans Memorial Ceremony and Parade. Please bring blankets or lawn chairs, as seating is limited. FREE!! Saturday, 9:00am for the parade and 11:00am for the ceremony. Veterans Memorial Park, 2525 W. New Hope Drive, Cedar Park.
Close Assault 1944– Check out 45,000 square feet of uniforms, weapons, tanks, artillery, aircraft, helicopters and more! FREE admission and parking. Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am- 4:00pm. Must present photo I.D. to enter Camp Mabry. Texas Military Forces Museum, 35th Street, west of Mopac.
Sweet Berry Farm Fall Festival- Head out to the farm for horse rides, mazes, pumpkin decorating, pet the animals, take a hayride, and you can even stuff your own scarecrow! Plenty of picnic areas available. Admission and parking are free but there are charges for the activities. Saturday, 8:30am- 5:30pm and Sunday from 1:00- 5:00pm. Sweet Berry Farms, Marble Falls.
Fall Festival & Corn Maze– Get lost at the first annual Fall Festival & Corn Maze at Barton Hill Farms! Set amongst hundred-year-old cottonwoods on the banks of the Colorado River between Austin and Bastrop, Barton Hill Farms integrates live Texas Country music, Texas heritage, and traditional fall fun to create an experience the whole family can enjoy. Featuring a 5-acre corn maze, the Fall Festival & Corn Maze offers a dynamic outdoor experience for all ages. Moms and dads can kick back with a brew and listen to the music while the little ones explore The Lively, a 50 foot pirate ship wrecked on the banks of the river, play frontier games in a replica of the ol’ Wilbarger fort, and pick pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for ages 3 – 12, and FREE for 2 and under. Weekends through November 24th from 9:00am- 9:00pm. Barton Hills Farm, 1115 Farm to Market 969, Bastrop.
Whole Foods Kids’ Club – Hey kids, stop by and check out what’s going on at Kid’s Club. Each week we have an exciting activity that will let you play with your food plus learn a couple things along the way. FREE!! Sunday, 1:00pm. Whole Foods Market, 525 N. Lamar.
Monster Families-Sundays at the Hideout, Flying Theater Machine presents kid-oriented improv right here in Austin. The audience will help us with suggestions and sound effects, and a few lucky kids will even get to join us on stage. Watch the Baby monster and its monster family learn that humans can be fun. Tickets: $8. Sunday, 2:00pm. The Hideout Theatre, 617 Congress Ave.
Passport to Imagination– Children ages 3 and up can make a FREE Holiday ornament. Sunday from 1:00- 3:00pm.While supplies last. All participating Michael’s locations.
Free City Terrace Concert with The U.S. Army 36th Infantry Division Band– The U.S. Army 36th Infantry Division Band will be playing marches, concert pieces and military songs for a special Veterans Day performance right out on the Long Center’s City Terrace. Come enjoy an evening at the Long Center and observe Veterans Day with us at this FREE Concert Club event. Sunday, 4:00pm. The Long Center for Performing Arts, 701 W Riverside Drive.
Meet the Wildlife Up Close at ANSC- Learn a little bit more about the program animals at the nature center with introductions of a few special ambassadors, their diets, and methods of locomotion. FREE!! Sunday, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Austin Nature and Science Center, 310 Nature Center Drive.
Kid’s Show– Bring the kids out to see a FREE show by Groundwork Music! Sunday, 10:30am. Cherrywood Coffeehouse, 1400 E. 381/2 Street.
Ballet Austin’s Family Dance Workshop: The Nutcracker– See excerpts from the Golden Anniversary Production of Austin’s Holiday Tradition, The Nutcracker, and be a part of the magic while dancing the choreography with the help of Ballet Austin dancers. Recommended for children ages 3 to 12 years old and their family members. Girl Scouts: patches available for $3 each, purchase separately online.Cost $10 per person ($5 each for Ballet Austin Kid Series season ticket holders). Sunday, 2:30 – 4pm. Ballet Austin’s AustinVentures StudioTheater, 501 W. 3rd Street.
Veterans Day Ceremony– Please join us at our annual ceremony honoring our veterans, and active duty soldiers and sailors, on the steps of the Fallen Warrior Memorial in beautiful Pfluger Park. Join folks including Pflugerville Mayor Jeff Coleman, State Representative Mark Strama, Mr. Tweed Scott, The Pflugerville Police and Fire Department Honor Guards, members of the Hendrickson HS Band and Choir, the Pflugerville Elementary School Choir, the Patriot Guard Riders, and much more. At the beginning of the ceremony, be looking to the skies for the flyover by the vintage war planes of the Commemorative Air Force – CenTex Wing! Please consider bringing a lawn chair or something similar. There will be seating available, but we’d like to make it available to those who are unable to stand for the one hour ceremony. FREE!! Sunday, 3:00- 4:00pm. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Road, Pflugerville.
