19 venues · 41 upcoming events
Things to do in Downtown & Central: free events and every venue
Every place we list events for, grouped by neighbourhood. Each venue page shows what’s coming up (recurring shows on their next date), what we’ve listed there before, the address, CapMetro buses and MetroRail and what’s nearby — checked by a person, not a crawler.
Free in Downtown & Central this week
4 free events in the next seven days, soonest first. Free means the venue prints it as free; a few still ask you to register.
- Waterloo Greenway – Waterloo Park
FreeMON, OCT 26Fluid Full Moon FlowWaterloo Greenway – Waterloo ParkFreeDetails → - Waterloo Greenway – Waterloo Park
TUESDAYS · 10:00 AMStay StrongWaterloo Greenway – Waterloo ParkPresented at no costDetails → - The Contemporary Austin – Jones Center
WED, OCT 28Free Admission WeekThe Contemporary Austin – Jones CenterGeneral Admission: FreeDetails → - The Contemporary Austin – Jones Center
WED, OCT 28Deep Listening Session With Jesse EbaughThe Contemporary Austin – Jones CenterGeneral Admission: FreeDetails →
Downtown & Central
- Book Arts Center
Austin Book Arts Center9 upcomingNorth Loop / Brentwood edgeA nonprofit book-arts studio teaching bookbinding, letterpress, paper marbling, Risograph zines and stamp carving in one-day and multi-session workshops.See what's on → - Central LibraryAustin Central Library0 pastDowntown / SeaholmAustin Public Library's flagship, with free storytimes, zine nights, teen clubs, talks and maker sessions most days of the week.See what's on →
- BlantonBlanton Museum of Art0 pastUT campusUT Austin's art museum, with free admission on Tuesdays and monthly Blanton All Day festivals of music, tours and family art-making.See what's on →
- Bullock Museum
Bullock Texas State History Museum0 pastCapitol / UTThe state history museum, with IMAX and Texas Spirit Theater screenings daily and free admission on the H-E-B Free First Sunday each month.See what's on → - Colorado River AllianceColorado River Alliance – Wilkerson Center0 pastLake Austin / Deep EddyRiver-education nonprofit hosting community creek cleanups at Onion Creek and open houses at its Wilkerson Center.See what's on →
- Ney Museum
Elisabet Ney Museum2 upcomingHyde ParkA sculptor's 1890s studio-castle in Hyde Park whose grounds host volunteer days, naturalist mornings and evening events while the building is renovated.See what's on →
- ESB-MACC
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center4 upcomingRainey StreetCity cultural center on Lady Bird Lake hosting family yoga, film nights, workshops and a large Día de los Muertos celebration.See what's on →
- Ransom CenterHarry Ransom Center0 pastUT campusFree-admission humanities museum and archive at UT with rotating exhibitions, daily guided tours and talks.See what's on →
- LBJ Library
LBJ Presidential Library3 upcomingUT campusPresidential library and museum hosting public forums and talks, with free admission on federal holidays such as Veterans Day.See what's on → - Mexic-Arte
Mexic-Arte Museum0 pastDowntownMexican and Latino art museum on Congress Avenue with free admission every Sunday and the annual Viva La Vida Día de los Muertos parade.See what's on → - Mud StudioMud Studio Ceramics0 pastClarksville / West 6thA West 6th Street wheel-throwing studio offering six-week beginner courses with outside studio time.See what's on →
- SFC Downtown
SFC Farmers' Market Downtown1 upcomingDowntownSustainable Food Center's Saturday-morning producer market in Republic Square.See what's on → - Shoal CreekShoal Creek Conservancy0 pastShoal Creek / RosedaleCreek conservancy running monthly trail cleanups, rain garden workdays, ecology tours and storytime nature walks along Shoal Creek.See what's on →
- TFM Mueller
Texas Farmers' Market at Mueller1 upcomingMuellerYear-round Sunday farmers market at Mueller with kids' activities on the second Sunday of each month.See what's on → - Contemporary Austin Art SchoolThe Contemporary Austin Art School0 pastLaguna Gloria / TarrytownThe museum's art school at Laguna Gloria runs multi-week adult courses in wheel throwing, hand-building, metalworking, weaving, quilting, knitting and embroidery, plus weekend workshops such as Byzantine mosaics and cyanotype quilts.See what's on →
- Jones CenterThe Contemporary Austin – Jones Center2 upcomingDowntownDowntown contemporary art museum running free curator tours, listening sessions and lunch talks, plus occasional free admission weeks.See what's on →
- Laguna GloriaThe Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria0 pastTarrytownLakeside sculpture park and historic villa where The Contemporary holds free Second Saturday family days and Arty Party mornings.See what's on →
- Needle Works
The Needle Works6 upcomingRosedaleA needlepoint shop that runs low-cost beginner needlepoint classes and multi-day stitch workshops with visiting designers.See what's on → - Waterloo Park
Waterloo Greenway – Waterloo Park13 upcomingDowntown / CapitolDowntown creekside park running free yoga and fitness classes, monarch-tagging volunteer mornings, cultural festivals and concerts.See what's on →