Put ACL, Formula 1, and Oktoberfest on Your To-Do List for October in Austin

Austin may be hailed as a live music paradise—and it very much is—but the central Texas city bursts with oh so much more. Just look at the variety: cool indie bookstores, vintage shops for days, produce-packed farmers markets, bar arcades and gaming hotspots, impressive restaurants, eclectic bars, stellar record stores (of course), coffee shops, elite barbecue, and the list goes on.

Austinites, lest you forget, love the great outdoors. Such nature-basking recreation come in the form of hiking, getting into spring pools or swimming holes, paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake, or—and, yes, this absolutely counts—chilling on a patio.

When romance is in the air, discover plenty of places for a great date

(the dating scene itself, however, is another story entirely). There’s also Austin’s rich AAPI and Latinx cultures and a welcoming LGBTQIA+ community that make this Texas capitol feel like home to so many people.

With all this in mind, our monthly events guide will help keep your calendar full with a variety of fun things to do in October 2023. Stay tuned here to discover the best things to do in Austin, updated monthly.

October 3–8, 7:30 pm
Bass Concert Hall, $40
Mix your high school World History class, with all the glitz and costume changes of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and you get SIX The Musical. Coming to the Bass Concert Hall as part of their Broadway in Austin series, SIX tells the story of the wives of famous head-chopper, King Henry VIII, set to a track of female-empowerment pop music. This show has been beloved by both critics, who awarded it the Tony for Best Original Score in 2022, and fans, who have streamed the musical’s album over 6 million times. And, when the royal procession comes to Austin early this month, you can be the latest to join the queens’ fandom.

October 22, 6 & 9:30 pm
The Paramount Theater, $50
Fab Five member and part-time Austin resident, Jonathan Van Ness, is bringing his poignant and humorous show to The Paramount Theater. Performing two seatings of his new comedy show, “Fun & Slutty,” he’s sure to deliver a night of quippy one-liners, witty commentary, feel-good mantras, and stunning outfits. And, for those who haven’t had the chance to catch a show at this historic location, its flashing marquee, velvet curtains, and buttery popcorn makes it nothing short of a theater nerd’s dream.

October 14
Various locations, Ticket prices vary based on event
You might find Texas’s deep-rooted ties to Germany surprising, until you realize the majority of Austin natives you know own their very own lederhosen. Celebrate that German heritage by toasting “prost” at a variety of Oktoberfest events in Bat City. The biggest, hop-iest party of all is hosted by the German-Texan Heritage Society on October 14. Stop by their Austin Oktoberfest bash for live polka music, plentiful pretzels, and a huge helping of Bavarian hospitality.

All October
2632 Ridgepoint Dr., Tickets start at $24.99
The end of October marks every candy-loving, black-wearing, horror-movie watching individual’s favorite holiday. We, of course, are talking about the ultimate cosplay day, Halloween. And, on this most boo-tiful of occasions, you can count on one fright night activity to deliver the shivers: haunted house attraction, House of Torment. Assemble your ghoul gang, and head to North Austin to experience the three uniquely themed, scream-worthy spaces they are dishing out this year. Those themes include space alien, body-snatching scares at Infestation, and demonic sleep paralysis phantoms at Book of Lost Souls.

Every Thursday & Friday, 6–9 pm
Yellow Bike Project, Free
For over two decades, nonprofit organization, Yellow Bike Project, has worked to provide bicycles to people from Austin’s underserved communities, as well as be an educational center for anyone who wants to learn about fixing and riding bikes. Help honor their important mission, and get your own wheels in gear, at their bi-weekly Open Workshops. At the event, their knowledgeable group of volunteer mechanics will provide you all the guidance you need to soup up your ride. Or, you can help give the gift of transportation to someone in need by fixing up one of the pre-used bicycles donated to Yellow Bike.

October 6–8, 13–15, Zilker Park, Tickets start at $170 per person
The wait is finally over y’all: Austin City Limit Music Festival is here to bring the fun, and destroy our livers. For those who haven’t yet experienced one of the city’s trademark events, expect killer sets, great grub and drinks, and, inevitably, a two-hour or so wait for an Uber home. Headliners like indie legends, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, rap innovator, Kendrick Lamar, and patron saint of all women scorned, Alanis Morissette, will be bringing the tunes both weekends. But, when it comes to the single-weekend wonders, we wouldn’t miss queen of country, Shania Twain, on weekend one, and local favorites, Rattlesnake Milk, on weekend two.

October 5–14
Various locations, Ticket prices vary based on show
Every hardcore music fan in Austin knows that a true ACL Festival experience doesn’t end when the lights go down after the final headliner’s second encore. In fact, when the gates to Zilker Park close, the doors of the city’s many music venues open for ACL Fest Nights, a series of intimate shows performed by various names on the festival’s lineup. While you can’t go wrong by hitting up any of these consistently special performances, Japanese pop goddess Rina Sawayama at Stubb’s (Oct. 11) sounds like an ideal mid-week treat. Another stand-out would have to be on (Oct. 13), when iconic rockers, The Breeders, bring their fuzz-filled power chords to the stage at Stubb’s.

October 26–29
Various locations, Ticket prices vary based on show
Formerly known as Austin Psych Fest, Levitation is a celebration of all the grooves and beats that fit under the heading of psychedelic music. The festival, which takes place in various venues across the city, was started by Austin’s very own local favorites, The Black Angels, and, per usual, the lineup they’ve put together is straight fire. You can spring for a festival pass, which gets you into all the shows you can handle over this four-day performance extravaganza. Or, should you want to just slightly dip your spoon into the pedal-board bowl, here’s two great ways to get a taste: Unknown Mortal Orchestra at The Far Out on October 27, and Amyl and the Sniffers at Stubb’s on October 28.

October 26–November 2
Various locations, Passes start at $70
We know, we know, another festival (sigh). But, the Austin Film Festival is bringing such a big game this year, it’s a not-to-be-missed event for even casual film and television fans. First of all, there’s some sensational celluloid premieres, including the new Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti collaboration, The Holdovers, and the highly-anticipated romantic drama, All of Us Strangers. And, with Austin Film Festival’s reputation as every screenwriter’s go-to stop, you can bet there are some great panels on the craft as well. While 2023’s panelist roster has yet to be released, past years have featured writers from renowned television shows, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, and blockbuster films, such as Guardians of the Galaxy.

October 20–22,Circuit of the Americas, Passes start at $425 per person
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines as one of the most heart-pounding, racing competitions of the year hits Austin this October: the Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix. Anyone who has lived in the city for a while knows the long-standing tradition of this event taking place at Circuit of the Americas — or, at least, has encountered the huge TSA lines at the airport caused by the influx of speed-heads who venture here for it. And, while ice cold beer and cheering on some of the best drivers in the world is a strong draw on its own, there is still fun to be had for non-racing fans. Specifically, what’s happening after all the track action slows down: performances by The Killers and Queen with Adam Lambert.

While the idea of “Halloween spirits” may typically conjure up an image of a Scooby Doo-style ghost, three pop-up bars coming to Austin this month may change that association for you forever. First up is the award-winning spooky experience, Black Lagoon, which is haunting out East Austin favorite, King Bee, this season. There, you can sip on their eerie take on the margarita, the Book of Blood, while enjoying decorations and photo ops that are sure to give you the heebie-jeebies (in a good way). Then there’s Lefty’s Shop of Horrors, a month-long, Halloween-themed frightfully fun time with speciality drinks, tarot readings, and scary-good snacks going down at Lefty’s Brick Bar. Finally, for those aspiring Lydias out there, there’s House of Burton, a secret location boo-zy bar inspired by the whimsical, creepy aesthetic of the director of Beetlejuice himself.
 

October 11
The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum, $275
In powerful joining of forces, an epic dinner is coming to Austin. To kick off its Member Week, American Express is teaming up with Outstanding in the Field (renown for it’s seemingly never-ending tables and al fresco dining) and Resy for a dinner by award-winning chef Fermín Núñez of Austin’s Suerte and newly debuted Este. The multicourse menu with drink pairings will feature local Texas producers whose farm-raised goods will grace a table that wends its way through the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden. Though the table may seem endless, but the seats are not: Reserve your spots.

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