The Austin Blues Festival will return to Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park this spring and will feature two days of live music. (Courtesy Austin Blues Festival)
Looking for things to do in Austin this April? Check out this noncomprehensive list including festivals, live shows and a picnic. Events are subject to change.
Moontower Comedy Festival
The two-week festival will host comedy shows around Austin, featuring over 100 comics.
April 7-18
$85 (daily wristband); $175+ (badge)
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin; Various venues
One of Austin’s oldest traditions, this annual festival is an all-day event filled with kite making, flying and gazing. (Courtesy ABC Kite Fest)
STAPLE! Independent Media Expo
The two-day festival will feature more than 100 independent exhibitors showcasing comics, zines, artwork and tabletop games. The festival launched in Austin in 2005. This year’s lineup includes Eisner and Ignatz Award-winning cartoonist Tara Booth and Katie Cook, creator of the Nothing Special webcomic and a writer and illustrator known for work with Star Wars, Marvel, and My Little Pony.
April 11-12
$15+ (tickets)
St. Edward’s University, 3001 S. Congress Ave., Austin
The festival is a fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank and features three days of reggae, world and dub music. Attendees can also browse more than 50 vendors.
The 13th annual Pop-Up Picnic at Waterloo Park is a fundraising event to support the maintenance and programming of the park. This family-friendly event will feature live music and picnic baskets from Austin restaurants.
April 18, 6-10 p.m.
$25 (admission, children five and under free); $100-$350 (picnic baskets)
The 26th annual Austin Dragon Boat Festival, hosted by Lunar Foundation, is a race on Lady Bird Lake. Spectators can enjoy an outdoor art gallery featuring Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander artists and a variety of food vendors, including a showcase of zongzi, a Chinese dish traditionally eaten during Dragon Boat Festivals.
April 25, 10 a.m.
Free (admission), $800+ (to compete)
Festival Beach, 1621 Nash Hernandez Senior Road, Austin
The Austin Dragon Boat Festival will take place at Festival Beach off Lady Bird Lake. (Courtesy Austin Dragon Boat Festival)
Austin Blues Festival
The Austin Blues Festival will return to Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park this spring, presented by Antone's Nightclub and Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. The two-day festival celebrates music and culture and started in 1999. This year is the festival’s fourth edition and will celebrate Antone’s 50-year lease extension.
April 25-26
$79+ (varies on ticket type)
Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 1401 Trinity St., Austin
Austin Opera’s 40th season will conclude this spring with Puccini’s “La bohème” at the Long Center for four performances. The opera, directed by Austinite Eboni Adams, follows four young artists struggling to make ends meet while chasing their dreams.