This is the kind of Austin weekend I trust. Not the obvious one. Not the giant-calendar, overhyped version. The better version. The one with a dance night you didn’t know you needed, a picnic that makes downtown feel romantic for once, and a couple of smart tech rooms where people are actually building things instead of just talking in circles.
So I built this issue around that energy. A little softer, a little stranger, and very much alive. That’s usually when this city is at its best.
This Weekend
Date/Time: Friday, April 17 at 5:30 PM
Location: African American Cultural and Heritage Facility
Price: Varies
I love a Friday plan with rhythm in it, and this one has plenty. Konpa Social lands on East 11th with a dance class and social built around Haitian konpa, which already makes it more interesting than the usual “grab a drink somewhere loud” routine. It feels social without feeling generic. Very Austin, but in a more specific way.
Date/Time: Saturday, April 18 from 6 PM to 10 PM
Location: Waterloo Park
Price: Varies
This is one of those events that sounds almost too tidy on paper, then works because the setting does a lot of the lifting. Waterloo Park’s Pop-Up Picnic is back Saturday evening with food, community, and a downtown backdrop that can still catch you off guard when the light hits right. I’m always in favor of any event that makes Austin feel a little more beautiful than usual without trying too hard about it.
Date/Time: | From April 17 to April 19, gates open at 10 AM
Location: Camp Ben McCulloch
Price: Varies
If you want one weekend pick with actual Texas bones, this is it. Old Settler’s runs all weekend just outside Austin with its usual family-friendly mix of roots, Americana, and bluegrass. I like that it still feels a little dusty and grounded in the best way. Not polished. Not trying to be the cool kid. Just a strong weekend with really good music.
Startup & Tech
Women in Tech Meetup
Date/Time: Monday, April 20 at 5:30 PM
Location: Station Austin
Link: Capital Factory
I wanted one tech pick that felt more like community than performance. Capital Factory’s official event listings show Women in Tech on Monday evening, and Austin needs more rooms like that. Less chest-thumping. More actual conversation, support, and people helping each other get somewhere real. That’s a much better use of a Monday night.
Fiesta Community Meetup
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 21, at 5:30 PM
Location: Station Austin
Link: Capital Factory
This one feels like the right second pick because it sounds warm without sounding soft. Capital Factory says Fiesta brings together founders, funders, builders, and community supporters for meaningful conversation and genuine connection, with founders pitching and sharing their stories. That’s a better version of Austin tech to me. More human. Less theater.
Eat & Drink
Why it’s worth knowing: because this city still knows how to make room for a place with real personality
Location: 2431 Webberville Rd
I wanted a food pick this week that didn’t feel too polished. Eater’s current Austin heatmap includes Space Kat BBQ among the city’s notable newer restaurants, and that alone makes it worth a look.
Austin gets plenty of design-forward openings. I’m usually more interested in the places that sound like they’ll leave a mark. This one does.
Austin Life
Red River is trying to protect its future without sanding down what made it matter
One local story I kept coming back to this week was the Red River Cultural District's announcement of a five-year strategic plan focused on preservation and evolution. That sounds wonky until you remember what Red River actually is.
It’s one of the clearest pieces of old Austin still doing real work. If the city can help that stretch survive without turning it into a cleaned-up version of itself, that would count as progress.
Only in Austin
An entire festival built around squirrels still feels completely plausible here
I know Squirrel Fest already happened, but I’m still thinking about it because it says so much about this place. Pease Park brought it back with puppets, clay activities, and eco-crafts, and somehow nobody had to apologize for how specific that sounds.
That’s Austin when it’s being itself. A little ridiculous. Weirdly wholesome. Fully committed to the bit.
See you out there this weekend. Start with one plan, then leave a little room for Austin to surprise you.
Excited to see you next week,
Owen
Owen Callaway moved to Austin in 2015 for a product manager position at a fintech startup. Although the startup didn’t succeed, Austin did. After spending his first year planning to return to Chicago, Owen was won over by tacos, Barton Springs, and the chance to explore new neighborhoods.
Having lived in East Austin, South Congress, and Bouldin Creek, he started This Is Austin to answer the same three questions his friends asked: “Where should I eat?”, “What’s worth doing?”, and “Should I move here?”