A Guide to Austin’s Best Festivals

Often overlooked as a tourist destination, Austin has a lot to offer that bigger cities don’t. My wanderlust has taken me many places – in the U.S. and in other countries – but the tree-hugging hippies and authentic Mexican food always beckon me back to Austin, a place I love to visit.

Ironically, the more I travel the more I realize how eclectic Austin is. The Texas capital has a quirky personality that feels unique. To get a glimpse of Austin’s peculiar culture, you have to attend at least one of Austin’s many daytime festivals. Even as someone who has been to all of these events, I continue to look forward to them every year.

Here are my favorites, and some valuable tips I’ve learned from attending them yearly:

Austin City Limits

ACL is a three-day outdoor music festival in October where bands and solo artists from all over the country gather to share music. You must purchase a wristband to attend. ACL doesn’t cater to any specific genre of music; expect to see everything from The Head and The Heart (a folk band) to the infamous Kanye West. The stages are scattered across the vast greenery of Zilker Park, and you get a nifty pamphlet upon entering the festival that tells you who’s performing where.

Even though it’s fall, do not – I repeat, DO NOT – underestimate the Texas heat. After three days of walking around without sunscreen, I was badly sunburned. I looked like a Roma tomato for the next week and a half. (And scrunching my nose was painful!) It isn’t uncommon for people to pass out from dehydration in the above-100-degree temperature, so make sure you bring a water bottle. (Or better yet, bring a jar to avoid dirty looks from locals who believe plastic is the devil.) Besides the relentless heat, the only stressful part about ACL is choosing which sets you really want to see. Stevie Wonder? My Morning Jacket? I debated this with myself all day, pondering the dilemma until the sun went down and I had to make a choice. I chose Stevie Wonder because I’m a sucker for classics. When he sang “Isn’t She Lovely,” I knew I’d made the right decision. My ACL experience was Wonder-ful.

TIPS:

• Security people check your bag at the entrance, so don’t bring snacks. They will confiscate your expensive energy bars to be returned never.
• Food trailers are everywhere, selling everything from sushi to tacos. Bring cash.
• Don’t stand behind tall people. You’ll miss the whole show.
• But just because you’re short doesn’t make it okay to sit on a guy’s shoulders. Don’t be that girl. Nobody likes that girl.
• Bring either a backpack or a cross-body bag. Tote bags and handbags become tiresome and annoying.
• When the music swells, put your hands up and dance. Be that girl. Everyone loves that girl.

South by Southwest (SXSW)

South-by is a week-long festival at the beginning of March that occupies the entire downtown area. With thousands of performers and over 100 venues, the key to having a good time at South-by is to plan ahead. If you don’t plan ahead, you might accidentally miss the show you desperately wanted to see. (And subsequently, you might have to settle for watching a subpar dubstep show at a venue that offers free warm beer. Yikes.) Though known primarily for it’s music festival, South-by is actually a three-in-one package. The interactive festival gives you an inside look at technology of the future. Experts in the field deliver presentations about digital creativity and entrepreneurship. If you’re not moved by technology and you’d rather hear famous people talk, then go to the film festival. Influential names in film are interviewed and asked to shed insight on film as both an industry and an art-form. In addition, film screenings are hosted to showcase the best of the best of story-telling.

With all that excitement packed into one week, it’s no wonder South-by is an expensive ordeal. BUT – it doesn’t have to be. The great thing about South-by is that so many shows and day-time parties are completely free. A lot of them even offer free food and beverages. I saw one of my favorite solo artists, Kimbra (featured in Gotye’s hit “Somebody That I Used To Know”) a few years ago for free. I also got to see The Shins play that year without spending a single dime. Whether you attend all the festivals or just one (or even if you just mooch off of the free stuff, which is what Austinites do) South-by is one of those bucket list events that everyone has to partake in at least once in their lives.

TIPS:

• Create an itinerary. Map out what you’re going to do each day.
• Book your hotel months in advance because rooms fill up quick.
• Pack tank-tops AND a winter jacket. Texas weather is fickle during the limbo between winter and spring.
• Avoid intoxicated maniacs.
• Keep your eye out for celebrities. They’re everywhere, hiding beneath huge aviators. A couple years back, a friend of mine was bummed about having to work during South-by until P. Diddy walked in and asked if it was cool that he didn’t make a reservation. She told him it was cool.

Kite Festival

The title says it all. At this festival in mid-March (extend your South-by trip?), you can buy a kite, make a kite, and of course, fly a kite. You can even enter a kite contest for smallest kite, largest kite, steadiest kite, or most unusual kite. (Who knew you could do so much with kites?!) Slip into that spring dress you’ve been dying to wear all winter and get ready to enjoy a beautiful spring day in Austin. This festival is free of charge.

You’re not much of a kite enthusiast, you say? Me neither! Kite Festival for me is a time to relax. It’s nice to just sit back and gaze upon a sky speckled with odd shapes and bright colors. When I went last year, instead of purchasing food trailer eats (which are always surprisingly delicious, by the way), I decided to add another element of fun: I packed my own food and set up a quaint little picnic for me and my friends. Friends, food, and fresh air – if you like those three things, you’ll love the Kite Festival.

TIPS:

• Bring some sort of quilt/blanket to sit on.
• Wear sun glasses. Kite gazing is uncomfortable when you’re being blinded.
• Getting pelted by a descending kite is part of the fun. Just keep smiling.
• That being said, try not to fly your kite into another human being.
• There are kids and panting dogs everywhere you turn. Embrace the chaos.

Pecan Street Festival

Located on 6^th street, called Pecan street back in the day (hence the festival’s name), this is a wholesome weekend event held in May. (And also free! Loving Austin already?) Take your entire extended family on a lovely Saturday/Sunday morning stroll to see food vendors and craft vendors from the surrounding area. Sunscreen and water will be needed once again.

This festival is pretty much a huge Farmer’s Market. Everything is local. You’ll be intrigued by lots of hand-made items you don’t need (like paper roses or cat sculptures), and you’ll buy them anyway. Because that’s what you do at craft festivals—you buy a ton of stuff you don’t need. In the past, I’ve bought candles, handbags, marbles, organic soap, bracelets… Don’t feel bad if you overspend (and you will overspend). All your money goes towards supporting the local community.

TIPS:

• Dress comfortably. This applies to all festivals, really.
• Bring cash for crepes and home-made jams. (Do Austinites spend all their money on food? Yes.)
• If you don’t want to buy something, don’t make eye contact. If you make contact, there goes your cash. On the bright side, you’ve acquired one more thing you don’t need!
• Walk slowly. Take in the scene. Try every sample shoved at your face.
• And when you’re tired of walking, pause for a few minutes and people watch. Was that a bearded man on a unicycle? Indeed it was.

Austinites are weird and well-practiced in the art of Southern hospitality. Above all else, they are proud of their city, and they want you to love Austin as much as they do.

As lively and amusing as the festivals are, they can get overwhelming. Lucky for you, Austinites are the most amicable people you’ll ever meet. If you need directions to get somewhere or suggestions about places to eat, don’t be afraid to ask.