Austin Weekend Guide: April 24-26

Late April in Austin is about as good as the weather gets before summer turns the heat on. This weekend has George Clinton playing the Blues Fest at Waterloo Park, Eeyore's Birthday pulling drum circles back to Pease, and a Goose run at Moody Center. Here's how to spend it without blowing up the bank or your plans.

Saturday Morning Pick

Barton Springs opens at 5 a.m. on Saturdays and the water holds steady at 68 degrees. Go before 9 a.m. and you can usually claim a lane to yourself. Entry runs $9 for non-residents, $5 for residents. If swimming is not your thing, the Butler Hike and Bike Trail wraps Lady Bird Lake for a full ten miles. The stretch from Mopac to South First has the best skyline views and plenty of shade.

Brunch Worth the Wait

Suerte on East 6th does brunch Saturdays starting at 10 a.m. Order the Gulf shrimp chilaquiles and the masa waffle. Wait hits 45 minutes by 11 a.m., but they take names at the door and the patio turns over fast. For something lower key, Paperboy on East 11th is a breakfast taco trailer with a walk-up window. The migas taco and a coffee runs under ten bucks and you are in and out in fifteen minutes most weekends.

Live Music This Weekend

The main event is the Austin Blues Festival at Moody Amphitheater in Waterloo Park, both Saturday and Sunday. Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton headlines, with BADBADNOTGOOD, Larkin Poe, Eric Johnson, and Adrian Quesada on the bill. Gates at 2 p.m. Friday night, Goose plays Moody Center with doors at 7 p.m. and tickets from the low $60s on resale. Saturday at ACL Live, STS9 brings their instrumental set. Doors at 7 p.m., tickets starting near $55.

Sunday Chill

Start at the SFC Farmers Market at Republic Square if you wake up in time. It runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Then grab a paddleboard from Rowing Dock on Stratford Drive. Rentals are $20 an hour and the lake is calmer on Sunday mornings. If you still have gas left, Melissa Etheridge closes out the weekend at ACL Live with an 8 p.m. show.

Local Hidden Gem

Eeyore's Birthday Party turns 63 this year and it happens Saturday at Pease Park from 11 a.m. to dusk. Long-time locals know it, but most transplants have only heard of it. Costumes welcome but not required. A drum circle forms near the maypole around 3 p.m. and local nonprofits run beer and food booths with nothing over $10. Free entry. Park at the Seton lot on 38th or take a rideshare, because street parking near the park is gone by noon.

ATX Weekly App Tip

💡 ATX Weekly Tip: Open the app and filter events by the Free tag this weekend. Eeyore's, the Red Poppy Festival in Georgetown, and the Bullock Museum 25th Anniversary all show up with exact start times and walking directions. Hit the save icon to build a weekend shortlist you can pull up offline.