| Arts
and Entertainment
Ballet Austin ( 512/476-2163) features
five productions each season, including the holiday classic,
Nutcracker, at the Performing Arts Center and Bass Concert
Hall, adjacent to the Huntington Art Gallery.
Austin Symphony ( 512/476-6064), founded
in 1911, is the city's oldest performing arts group. The
concert season runs from September to April at Bass Concert
Hall, and holiday Pops Concerts are offered at Palmer
Auditorium.
Austin City Limits. Every Friday, get
a behind-the-scenes look at the longest-running music
showcase on television.. 6th floor lobby, KLRU Studio,
2504-B Whitis St., 512/471-4811.
Palmer Auditorium: on Austin's Town Lake
The
plan to renovate Palmer Auditorium into a gem of a performing
arts center is a key part of the City's bold initiative
to create what Mayor Kirk Watson has called "a Great
Urban Park" on the banks of the Colorado River. Projected
for completion in or after 2009, the dream calls for a
‘concert hall, seven theatres, and at least half
a dozen rehearsal facilities, as well as enough classrooms
to serve upward of 100 aspiring artists simultaneously.’
Austin Chamber Music Center is a teaching and performing
group which features an Intimate Concert series open to
the public but held in elegant private homes. 512-454-7562.
Austin Lyric Opera: 512-472-5992
Austin’s first professional opera company was founded
in 1985, and now presents four productions annually in
Bass Concert Hall. Major national and international artists
perform
Events
January
Red
Eye Regatta, 512-266-1336. New Year’s Day: Austin
Yacht Club
February
Carnival
Brasiliero, 512-452-6832. Features Conga lines, costumes,
and samba bands. Started in 1975 by University of Texas
students from Brazil. First or second Saturday of the
month.
March
South
by Southwest (SXSW), an internationally renowned music,
film and multimedia conference that packs the city every
March.
Star
of Texas Fair and Rodeo: 15 day wild west extravaganza
features rodeos, cattle auctions, youth fair, parade,
and live country music. 512-467-9811. First half of the
month.
Spamarama in late March offers awards for creative cooking
with Spam.
Jerry Jeff Walker's Birthday Celebration, featuring three
days of dancing and rodeos and a Saturday night serenade
by JJ.. 512-477-0036.
Zilker Garden Festival, Zilker Botanical Gardens. Flowers
everywhere, along with gardening demonstrations and entertainment.
512-477-8672.
April
Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's
37th Annual Orchid Show & Sale,
Orchid Passion
April 19 & 20, 2008
Zilker Botanical Gardens Center
2220 Barton Springs Road,
Austin, TX 78746
(512) 477-8672
Show & Plant Sale: 10:00am - 5:00pm Saturday & 10:00am - 4:00pm Sunday.
This year we are very proud to present the 37th Annual Orchid Show here in Austin. There will be hourly raffles of plants and/or plant related items, which will be donated by the 10 vendors we will have at the show. Plus there will be hundreds of blooming orchids and helpful information from vendors as well as society members. Admission to the event is free. The public is encouraged to attend. Orchids are Mother Nature at her best, so come join us and help celebrate Earth Day, 2008. For a complete schedule of events, or for more information, please contact: Geoffrey Frost, 1011 Strickland Drive., Austin, TX 78748-4847 (Telephone (512) 280-2271; e-mail geoffreylfrost@yahoo.com), or visit our web-site: http://www.hotos.org/
Capitol
10,000
Texas’s largest 10K race covers the distance
from the state capitol building through West Austin to
Town Lake. 512-445-3598. Early April.
Old Settlers Bluegrass & Acoustic Music Festival More
than 30 bluegrass bands take part in the festival. Songwriter
workshops are also offered along with arts and crafts
and children’s entertainment. 512-346-1629.
Eeyore’s Birthday Party, Pease Park. Costume contests,
live music celebrate A.A. Milne’s Eeyore who always
wanted someone to remember his birthday. 512-448-5160.
Austin Fine Arts Festival Austin museum of Art at Laguna
Gloria on the shores of Lake Austin. Features a juried
art show, auction, and much entertainment for children.
512-458-6073.
May
Cinco
de Mayo: Fiesta Gardens. Flamenco dancers, Tejano music,
tacos, tamales, and general celebration of independence
from Mexico. 512-499-6720.
Old Pecan Street Spring Arts and Crafts Festival Sixth
Street. Excellent food and shopping accompanied by band
music on Austin’s restored Victorian Street. 512-441-9015.
First weekend of the month.
June
Green
Mesquite Rhythm & Blues Festival
Juneteenth Freedom Festival Huge 5 day celebration of
African-American emancipation features parades, gospel
singing, and a jazz and blues festival. 512-472-6838.
July
The
4th of July is celebrated as the Freedom Festival in Austin,
with live music, lots of food and a gigantic fireworks
display in Zilker Park. Austin Symphony Orchestra performs.
512-476-6064.
Aquafest, held on weekends in late July and early August.
Events include water sports exhibitions and tournaments,
music and dance festivals, and a parade-by-night at Town
Lake's Auditorium Shores.
August
Fall
Creek Vineyards Celebration and Grape Stomp 512-476-4477.
September
Diez
y Siez Fiesta Gardens. Mariachi and Folk Dancers, conjunto
and Tejano music, along with piñatas and clowns
are all part of the celebration of the independence of
Mexico from Spain.
Fall
Jazz Festival Zilker Hillside Theater. Two days of free
concerts by top local jazz artists. Mid- September.
October
Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's Annual
Plant Auction
October 7th, 2008
Zilker Botanical Gardens Center:
2220 Barton Springs Road,
Austin, TX. 78746
(512) 477-8672
Preview starts at 6:45pm; and the auction starts at 7:15pm.
Here’s your chance to begin or expand your devotion to orchids! Orchids are some of Mother Nature’s most wonderful plants, which bloom in every color of the rainbow. You may bid on a spectacular selection of great plants available from local area orchid growers and some local vendors. Some will be in bud or bloom. There will be orchid related items up for auction as well. For more information please contact: Philip Zbylot, 1707 FM 3237, Wimberley, TX 78676 (Telephone 512-445-4300; e-mail philipzbylot@yahoo.com) web-site: www.hotos.org/
Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's 8th Annual
New Growers Seminar, Exhibit and Plant Sale
October 25, 2008
Zilker Botanical Gardens Center
2220 Barton Springs Road,
Austin, TX. 78746
(512) 477-8672
Seminar: 10:00am - 1:00pm, Exhibit and Plant Sale: 10:00am - 2:00pm.
Lectures will include the 6 variables: Light, Water, Air, Temperature, Growing medium & Fertilizing (called feeding). There will also be a lecture on Pest and Diseases. Free handouts will be available which are designed for the beginner to form a bases on how to grow different orchids, in the home, greenhouse or outdoors. Good information, questions answered, refreshments available. No charge for the seminar or exhibit, just come and learn. For more information please contact: Dave Levine, 6816 Old Quarry Lane, Austin, TX 78731 (Telephone 512-342-0145; e-mail dlevine10851@sbcglobal.net) web-site: www.hotos.org/
November
November
2: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations
offer Latino music, a parade and food. 512-480-9373.
Thanksgiving Day football game between UT and Texas A&M.
December
Zilker
Park Tree Lighting of a 165 foot tree is followed by the
Trail of Lights, a mile long stretch of life-sized holiday
scenes.
Christmas
Open House, French Legation. French Santa and costumed
guides host this lively gift bazaar, held in an 1840 historic
house. 512-472-8180. First Sunday of the month.
Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
Friday, December 14 -- Monday, December 24 - 2007
Estimated Attendance: 40,000
Austin
Convention Center.
Tex-Mex food, live music and an art, craft and gift
show. 512-447-1605.
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