This is one of the most genuinely historic Austin weekends of the entire fall season. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival comes to Austin for the very first time, taking over Moody Center Saturday and Sunday with an extraordinary lineup of the world’s greatest guitarists. BABYMETAL performs at Germania Insurance Amphitheater on Saturday. Indigo Girls with Linda Perry headlines ACL Live on Saturday. The Texas Tribune Festival transforms Long Center into the most important civic conversation hub in Texas for three days. COTALAND, the brand new 30-acre amusement park at Circuit of the Americas, opens its grand opening weekend. Banger’s Oktoberfest fills Rainey Street with German beer, food, and live music all three days. The City-Wide Vintage Sale takes over Palmer Events Center. Black Outside Fest celebrates Austin’s Black cultural heritage. FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA marks 70 years of Austin creativity. And Lake Travis is delivering the most beautiful fall afternoons of the entire year. Here is everything worth doing from Thursday through Sunday.
Quick Answer — Best Things to Do in Austin This Weekend September 25 to 27
This weekend in Austin is headlined by Lake Travis Zipline Adventures for the best outdoor experience of the weekend, Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Moody Center Saturday and Sunday, BABYMETAL at Germania Insurance Amphitheater on Saturday, Indigo Girls with Linda Perry at ACL Live Saturday, the Texas Tribune Festival at Long Center Friday through Sunday, COTALAND grand opening weekend at Circuit of the Americas, Banger’s Oktoberfest on Rainey Street all weekend (free), the City-Wide Vintage Sale at Palmer Events Center Saturday and Sunday, Built to Spill at Central Machine Works Friday, The Peterson Brothers at The Continental Club Saturday, Black Outside Fest, FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA celebrating 70 years of Austin creativity, the Austin Chinese Culture Festival, Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway at Bass Concert Hall, the Texas Woodworking Festival, a Full Moon Austin Witches Market at Buzz Mill Saturday, Stargazing with the Austin Astronomical Society, and Movies on the Lake at Mozart’s Coffee on Thursday. Here is the complete breakdown.
#1 Best Thing to Do in Austin This Weekend — Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
Before the Crossroads Guitar Festival and BABYMETAL and the Tribune Festival. Book this first.
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures is the single best thing to do in Austin this weekend. Late September on Lake Travis is genuinely the most beautiful version of the outdoor experience the entire fall produces. The summer heat is fully gone. The Hill Country light has that extraordinary late-September quality. The lake is still warm. And the view from 22 stories above the water looking out across the Hill Country horizon on a clear September afternoon is as good as it gets before October changes the landscape entirely.
As someone who has guided zipline tours on Lake Travis, I can tell you that late September afternoons on Zip Island have a character that no other month quite produces. The air is comfortable at altitude. The light on the lake is golden and long. And the Hill Country stretching in every direction from the top platform is just beginning to show the first hints of the fall colors that make October at Lake Travis so extraordinary.
Your group boards a boat that takes everyone across Lake Travis to Zip Island, a private island in the middle of the lake about 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Austin. Three hours on five world-class ziplines through the Texas Hill Country follow, including the Double Barrel Shotgun, which sends two people side by side over 2,800 feet of cable at speeds up to 65 mph from 22 stories above Lake Travis. After the tour your ticket includes full-day access to the private lakefront property on Zip Island. Jump off the dock into Lake Travis. Relax in hammocks. Enjoy the most beautiful fall afternoon in Austin before heading back to the city for one of the most extraordinary weekends of the entire year.
The Details
- 5-Line Zipline Tour: $138/person, includes full-day access to the private lakefront property on Zip Island
- Double Barrel Single-Line Tour: $88/person
- Duration: 3 hours for the full tour plus full-day lakefront access after
- Location: About 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Austin on Lake Travis
- Best For: Groups, couples, families, all experience levels
- Reservations: Required at laketraviszipline.com
Pro Tip: Fall weekend afternoon slots fill up fast especially with this much happening in Austin. Book your afternoon tour now at laketraviszipline.com before the weekend sells out.
Book Lake Travis Zipline Adventures before your spot sells out.
Thursday, September 24 — Movies on the Lake at Mozart’s Coffee
Mozart’s Coffee Roasters on Lake Austin and Lake Austin Calm host Movies on the Lake every Thursday at 8:30 PM. A massive screen is set up right on the water. Watch for free from the deck or rent a paddleboard, donut boat, or two-person lounge float and watch from the lake itself. Live music plays before the film and a pop-up bar runs throughout the evening.
Having spent 30 years in Austin, late September evenings on Lake Austin are genuinely some of the most beautiful of the entire year. The air is cool, the light is golden, and the lake is calm in a way that summer evenings rarely produce. Movies on the Lake in late September is a genuinely extraordinary experience.
The Details
- When: Thursday September 24, live music before 8:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM
- Where: Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, 3825 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin TX 78703
- Cost: Free deck seating with RSVP, paddleboard rentals $20, two-person lounge float $30, donut boat $150
- Water Rentals: lakeaustincalm.com
Pro Tip: Water rentals sell out every week. Book now at lakeaustincalm.com.
Friday through Sunday — Texas Tribune Festival at Long Center
The Texas Tribune Festival is a vibrant hub of unforgettable conversations, interactive experiences, and meaningful connections running Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27 at the Long Center. The TribFest brings together the most important political leaders, journalists, policy makers, and thinkers in Texas and the country for three days of panels, conversations, and community events that make it genuinely the most substantive civic event Austin produces all fall.
As a 30-year Austin resident, the Texas Tribune Festival is one of those events that makes me genuinely proud of what this city has built. The quality of the conversations, the caliber of the speakers, and the genuine civic energy of the audience makes it unlike anything else Austin produces on any weekend of the year.
The Details
- When: Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27, 2026
- Where: Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W Riverside Dr, Austin TX 78704
- Website: tribtalk.org
- Best For: Civic-minded Austinites, political and policy enthusiasts, journalists, anyone who wants to engage with the most important conversations shaping Texas and the country
Friday, September 25 — Built to Spill at Central Machine Works
Built to Spill performs at Central Machine Works Brewery and Beer Hall on Friday September 25 with doors at 7 PM. Built to Spill is one of the most beloved and most genuinely influential indie rock bands in American music history and an intimate show at Central Machine Works is the most authentically Austin live music experience of the entire Friday evening calendar. The CMW beer garden setting, the East Austin location, and the caliber of the band make it the Friday night show for anyone who wants the most genuine live music experience of the weekend.
The Details
- When: Friday September 25, doors 7 PM
- Where: Central Machine Works Brewery and Beer Hall, 4824 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin TX 78702
- Best For: Indie rock fans, anyone who wants the most authentic and most genuinely excellent Austin live music Friday
Friday, September 25 — Neon Rainbows Stampede: Dolly Disco Night at The Highball
Neon Rainbows Stampede: Dolly Disco Night at The Highball on Friday September 25 at 8 PM brings a line dance party celebrating the queen of country herself. The Highball is one of Austin’s most beloved and most genuinely fun entertainment venues and a Dolly Parton disco line dance party on a Friday night is exactly the kind of Only In Austin experience that makes this city worth living in.
The Details
- When: Friday September 25, 8 PM
- Where: The Highball, 1142 S Lamar Blvd, Austin TX 78704
- Best For: Country music fans, Dolly devotees, anyone who wants a genuinely fun and completely Austin Friday night out
Friday through Sunday — Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway at Bass Concert Hall
Mrs. Doubtfire, the Broadway musical based on the beloved 1993 film, runs Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27 at Bass Concert Hall as part of the Broadway in Austin series. Performances run Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sunday at 1 PM and 6:30 PM. This is one of the most family-friendly and most genuinely enjoyable Broadway touring productions of the entire fall season and Bass Concert Hall is one of the most beautiful performing arts venues in Texas.
The Details
- When: Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27, multiple showtimes
- Where: Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin TX 78712
- Tickets: Available at texasperformingarts.org
- Best For: Families, musical theater fans, anyone who loves the original film
Saturday and Sunday — Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Moody Center
This is the headline event of the entire weekend and one of the most historically significant music events Austin has ever hosted. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival comes to Austin for the very first time, taking over Moody Center on September 26 and 27 with an extraordinary lineup of the world’s greatest guitarists performing across two days.
The Crossroads Guitar Festival was founded by Eric Clapton to benefit the Crossroads Centre at Antigua, his rehabilitation facility for alcohol and drug dependency. The festival has previously taken place at venues including Madison Square Garden, Toyota Park in Chicago, and AT&T Stadium in Dallas, making the Austin debut at Moody Center a genuinely historic moment for the city.
The lineup of guitarists at each Crossroads is one of the most extraordinary assemblages of musical talent assembled at any single event in the world. Previous Crossroads festivals have featured Clapton himself alongside Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, John Mayer, Gary Clark Jr., Bonnie Raitt, Albert Lee, and dozens of the world’s most celebrated guitar virtuosos. The Austin edition is expected to deliver the same caliber of lineup that has made Crossroads one of the most anticipated music events in the world.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27, 5:30 PM
- Where: Moody Center ATX, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin TX 78712
- Tickets: Available at all major ticketing platforms and moodycenteratx.com
- Best For: Guitar enthusiasts, classic rock fans, anyone who wants to witness one of the most historically significant music events Austin has ever hosted
Saturday, September 26 — BABYMETAL at Germania Insurance Amphitheater
BABYMETAL performs at Germania Insurance Amphitheater on Saturday September 26 at 7:20 PM. BABYMETAL is one of the most unique and most genuinely extraordinary live acts in the world, combining Japanese idol pop culture with heavy metal in a theatrical and visually spectacular live show that consistently produces one of the most electric audience reactions of any touring act. A Saturday night BABYMETAL show at Germania is the most genuinely surprising and most high-energy concert option of the entire weekend.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26, 7:20 PM
- Where: Germania Insurance Amphitheater, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Austin TX 78617
- Tickets: Available at all major ticketing platforms
- Best For: Metal fans, J-pop enthusiasts, anyone who wants the most electrifying and most genuinely unique concert experience of the weekend
Saturday, September 26 — Indigo Girls with Linda Perry at ACL Live
Indigo Girls perform with Linda Perry at ACL Live at The Moody Theater on Saturday September 26 at 7 PM. Indigo Girls are one of the most beloved and most genuinely important folk rock duos in American music history and a Saturday night show at ACL Live with Linda Perry is one of the most emotionally resonant and most musically extraordinary concert options of the entire weekend.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26, 7 PM
- Where: ACL Live at The Moody Theater, 310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin TX 78701
- Tickets: Available at acllive.com
- Best For: Folk rock fans, Indigo Girls devotees, the Austin LGBTQIA+ community and allies
Saturday, September 26 — The Peterson Brothers at The Continental Club
The Peterson Brothers perform at The Continental Club on Saturday September 26 at 8 PM. Glen and Alex Peterson are two of the most genuinely gifted young blues musicians in Austin and their Saturday night shows at the Continental Club are consistently described as some of the most extraordinary live music experiences available in the city. An intimate Saturday night blues show at Austin’s most legendary music room is one of those purely Austin experiences that makes the city’s live music culture genuinely incomparable.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26, 8 PM
- Where: The Continental Club, 1315 S Congress Ave, Austin TX 78704
- Website: continentalclub.com
- Best For: Blues music fans, anyone who wants the most authentically Austin Saturday night live music experience of the weekend
Friday through Sunday — COTALAND Grand Opening Weekend at Circuit of the Americas
COTALAND, the brand new 30-acre amusement park at Circuit of the Americas, opens its grand opening weekend Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27 at 4 PM. The new park brings more than 30 rides and attractions to Austin including thrilling roller coasters, family-friendly rides, water features, and more, all set within the extraordinary COTA campus. This is the first major permanent amusement park to open in the Austin area in decades and the grand opening weekend is the most historically significant family entertainment event Austin has produced this fall.
The Details
- When: Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27, opening at 4 PM
- Where: Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Austin TX 78617
- Website: circuitoftheamericas.com
- Best For: Families, thrill seekers, anyone who wants to be part of Austin’s biggest new attraction opening
Friday through Sunday — Banger’s Oktoberfest on Rainey Street (FREE)
Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden on Rainey Street celebrates Oktoberfest Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27 with German food, seasonal beer, live music, stein-hoisting contests, and three days of Texas-sized hospitality. Banger’s is one of Austin’s most beloved outdoor beer garden venues and the Rainey Street location makes it the perfect free base for a weekend that has something going on in every direction. Free admission, just show up.
The Details
- When: Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27, 2026
- Where: Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden, 79 Rainey St, Austin TX 78701
- Website: bangersaustin.com
- Cost: Free admission
- Best For: Beer lovers, families, anyone who wants the most festive free fall weekend gathering on Rainey Street
Saturday and Sunday — City-Wide Vintage Sale at Palmer Events Center
The City-Wide Vintage Sale takes over Palmer Events Center on Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27, opening at 8:30 AM. The City-Wide Vintage Sale is one of the most beloved and most consistently excellent vintage shopping events in Austin with hundreds of vendors across multiple rooms of Palmer Events Center. It is the best single destination for vintage clothing, furniture, records, and collectibles available in Austin on any weekend of the fall.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27, 8:30 AM
- Where: Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd, Austin TX 78704
- Best For: Vintage shoppers, collectors, anyone who wants the most comprehensive vintage shopping experience in Austin this fall
Saturday, September 26 — Black Outside Fest
Black Outside Fest celebrates Black creativity through live music, visual art, fashion, food, storytelling, and cultural experiences. Shop local makers, enjoy family-friendly activities, explore community exhibits, and experience a vibrant celebration of Austin’s Black cultural heritage at one of the most genuinely community-rooted and most culturally significant free festivals Austin produces this fall.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26, 2026
- Where: Check local listings for venue and times
- Best For: Families, cultural enthusiasts, the Austin Black community and allies, anyone who wants a genuinely enriching and joyful free Saturday cultural experience
Saturday and Sunday — FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA — 70 Years of Austin Creativity
FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA celebrates 70 years of Austin creativity with two days of art, live music, dance, food, and community. Enjoy performances ranging from mariachi and folklórico to cumbia, jazz, and a lively Selena tribute at this landmark celebration of Austin’s creative heritage.
This is a genuinely significant anniversary event that celebrates the full breadth and the full history of Austin’s creative culture across seven decades. The combination of live music, visual art, dance, food, and community in a festival format makes it one of the most complete and most genuinely joyful free cultural events of the entire fall weekend.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27, 2026
- Cost: Free
- Best For: Art lovers, music fans, families, anyone who wants to celebrate Austin’s creative heritage
Saturday, September 26 — Austin Chinese Culture Festival
The Austin Chinese Culture Festival celebrates Chinese culture with lion dances, live music, dance, opera, martial arts, interactive exhibits, family activities, and authentic Chinese and Asian cuisine. The festival is one of Austin’s most beautifully organized and most genuinely enriching cultural celebrations and one of the most family-friendly free events of the entire weekend.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26, 2026
- Best For: Families, cultural enthusiasts, the Austin Asian American community and allies
Saturday, September 26 — Full Moon Austin Witches Market at Buzz Mill
The Wyrd Wood Village presents a Full Moon Austin Witches Market at Buzz Mill on Saturday September 26 at 6 PM. Buzz Mill on East Riverside Drive is one of Austin’s most beloved and most genuinely atmospheric late-night coffee and gathering spaces and a full moon witches market there on a late September Saturday evening is one of those purely Austin experiences that reminds you why this city is genuinely and irreducibly weird in the best possible way.
The Details
- When: Saturday September 26, 6 PM
- Where: Buzz Mill, 1505 Town Creek Dr, Austin TX 78741
- Cost: Free
- Best For: Anyone who appreciates Austin’s creative and alternative culture, a genuinely unique and atmospheric Saturday evening
Sunday, September 27 — The Austin Independent Book Fair
The Austin Independent Book Fair brings together local authors, independent publishers, and book lovers for a celebration of Austin’s literary scene on Sunday September 27. Meet local authors, browse independent publishers, and shop unique books at one of the most genuinely community-rooted literary events Austin produces all fall.
The Details
- When: Sunday September 27, 2026
- Best For: Book lovers, writers, the Austin literary community, a genuinely enriching free Sunday morning
All Weekend — The Austin Essentials
After 30 years in Austin, these are the late September experiences I recommend without hesitation.
Barton Springs Pool stays at 68 degrees year round. Late September makes a midday swim here genuinely extraordinary, with the crowds smaller than summer and the surrounding Zilker Park landscape shifting into its fall character. Entry is under $10 and free before 8 AM.
The Congress Avenue Bridge bat colony is still producing nightly emergences in late September as the fall migration begins. The colony is smaller than its August peak but still genuinely extraordinary. Check batrefuge.org for nightly emergence times.
The Perfect Austin Weekend — September 25 to 27
Here is how to put the full weekend together.
Thursday Evening: Movies on the Lake at Mozart’s Coffee on Lake Austin at 8:30 PM. Book your paddleboard at lakeaustincalm.com now.
Friday: Lake Travis Zipline Adventures in the afternoon. Book your afternoon tour now at laketraviszipline.com. Then Texas Tribune Festival at Long Center for the most substantive civic programming of the weekend. Evening: Built to Spill at Central Machine Works for the most authentic Austin Friday night live music experience, or Neon Rainbows Stampede: Dolly Disco Night at The Highball for the most fun.
Saturday Morning: City-Wide Vintage Sale at Palmer Events Center from 8:30 AM. Then COTALAND grand opening at Circuit of the Americas from 4 PM. Then Banger’s Oktoberfest on Rainey Street (free). Then your choice of the Saturday evening headliner: Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Moody Center at 5:30 PM for the most historic music event of the weekend, BABYMETAL at Germania at 7:20 PM for the most electrifying show, or Indigo Girls with Linda Perry at ACL Live at 7 PM for the most emotionally resonant concert.
Saturday Evening: The Peterson Brothers at The Continental Club at 8 PM for the most authentically Austin live blues experience. Full Moon Witches Market at Buzz Mill from 6 PM for the most Austin weird experience of the entire weekend.
Sunday: City-Wide Vintage Sale continues at Palmer Events Center. Mrs. Doubtfire at Bass Concert Hall at 1 PM or 6:30 PM. Austin Independent Book Fair in the morning. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival Day 2 at Moody Center at 5:30 PM. Congress Avenue Bridge bats at sunset to close out the weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions — Things to Do in Austin This Weekend
What is happening in Austin this weekend September 25 to 27 2026?
This weekend in Austin features Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Moody Center Saturday and Sunday, BABYMETAL at Germania Saturday, Indigo Girls with Linda Perry at ACL Live Saturday, the Texas Tribune Festival at Long Center Friday through Sunday, COTALAND grand opening weekend at Circuit of the Americas, Banger’s Oktoberfest on Rainey Street all weekend (free), the City-Wide Vintage Sale at Palmer Events Center Saturday and Sunday, Built to Spill at Central Machine Works Friday, The Peterson Brothers at The Continental Club Saturday, Black Outside Fest, FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA, the Austin Chinese Culture Festival, Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway at Bass Concert Hall, the Full Moon Austin Witches Market at Buzz Mill Saturday, and the Austin Independent Book Fair Sunday. Lake Travis Zipline Adventures is the best outdoor activity of the weekend.
What is the best thing to do in Austin this weekend?
The best thing to do in Austin this weekend is Lake Travis Zipline Adventures. You board a boat to a private island on Lake Travis about 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Austin and spend three hours on five world-class ziplines including the Double Barrel Shotgun at speeds up to 65 mph from 22 stories above the lake. After the tour your group gets full-day access to the private lakefront property. Tickets start at $88 per person. Afternoon slots are available now at laketraviszipline.com.
What is Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival?
Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival is a legendary guitar event founded by Eric Clapton to benefit the Crossroads Centre at Antigua, his rehabilitation facility for alcohol and drug dependency. The festival brings together the world’s greatest guitarists for two days of extraordinary performances and comes to Austin for the very first time, taking over Moody Center on September 26 and 27. It is one of the most historically significant music events Austin has ever hosted. Tickets at moodycenteratx.com.
What is COTALAND in Austin?
COTALAND is a brand new 30-acre amusement park at Circuit of the Americas featuring more than 30 rides and attractions including thrilling roller coasters, family-friendly rides, and water features. The park opens its grand opening weekend Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27 at Circuit of the Americas. It is the first major permanent amusement park to open in the Austin area in decades.
What is the Texas Tribune Festival?
The Texas Tribune Festival is a three-day civic event running Friday September 25 through Sunday September 27 at the Long Center that brings together the most important political leaders, journalists, policy makers, and thinkers in Texas and the country for panels, conversations, and community events. It is the most substantive and most important civic event Austin produces all fall. Check tribtalk.org for the 2026 schedule and ticket information.
Make the Most of Your Austin Weekend
This is one of the most genuinely historic Austin weekends of the entire fall season. Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Moody Center for the first time ever. BABYMETAL at Germania. Indigo Girls at ACL Live. COTALAND opening its doors for the very first time. Banger’s Oktoberfest on Rainey Street. The Texas Tribune Festival at Long Center. The City-Wide Vintage Sale. Black Outside Fest. FIESTA FIESTA FIESTA. And the most beautiful fall afternoon of the year waiting for you on Lake Travis.
Start by locking in your outdoor adventure. Book Lake Travis Zipline Adventures now at laketraviszipline.com and secure your afternoon slot before the weekend sells out. Then RSVP for Movies on the Lake at lakeaustincalm.com for Thursday night.
For more Austin inspiration check out our guides to the Best Things to Do in Austin TX, the Best Things to Do in Austin in the Fall, and Best Things to Do on Lake Travis.
About the Author
Rebecca is a 30-year Austin resident, UT Austin alumna, and outdoor recreation and tourism professional who has spent her career in the Austin adventure tourism industry. She has guided zipline tours on Lake Travis and worked in outdoor recreation tourism through the University of Texas, where she studied marketing and business. When she is not writing about Austin, she is out on the lake.