Free Events:
Home Depot Kids Workshop- Saturday, February 1 from 9:00am- Noon. Bring your kids to this FREE How-To Workshop for kids ages 5-12 years old where they will make a Home Depot Race Car! All kids get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin. All participating Home Depot Locations.
STEM Fair (San Marcos)- Saturday, February 1 from 10 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Local partners in the SOAR (Seeking Opportunities Achieving Results) organization and the Center for P-16 Initiatives at Texas State University will be hosting San Marcos’ inaugural STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Fair. The fair is designed to inspire kids with the wonder and knowledge that come with STEM experiments, and to pursue studies and professions in the various STEM fields. There will be a wide variety of engaging exhibits and hands-on activities for the whole family. The event is FREE and open to the public. San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E Hopkins St, San Marcos.
Free Drawing Classes – Saturday, February 1 from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Using Elisabet Ney’s sculptural works as inspiration, participants will develop observational and conceptual skills through unique drawing exercises. The Museum will provide all required materials, and trained staff members will offer constructive advice and guidance. Participation is FREE! Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 East 44th Street, Austin.
Create Your Own Rock Art- Saturday, February 1 at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. Few things have staying power like rock art. Discover how people wrote ancient stories on stone, and create unique rock art pieces of your own. FREE, but space is limited — pick up a boarding pass when you arrive at the Museum. Members may make advanced reservations by calling (512) 936-4649. Ideal for families with children ages six and up, this experience is 45 minutes long. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave., Austin.
VEX Robotics Competition- Saturday, February 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. See student-built robots from across Central Texas square off in competition as teams of two VEX robots work together to outscore two opposing teams by pushing, lifting and tossing small and large balls into goals while defending their own goals. FREE!! Anderson High School, off Steck and Mesa. For more information or for sponsorship opportunities, contact beth_rowan@hotmail.com.
Elf on the Shelf Birthday Storytime- Saturday, February 1st, 11:00 a.m. Join us as we throw a birthday party for The Elf on the Shelf for Storytime! The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition is the little-known story of how Santa’s finest helpers celebrate birthdays at the North Pole. Join us for a super special shindig, featuring a visit from the elf, stories, activities and more! FREE! Barnes and Noble, 10,000 Research Boulevard, Austin.
Chinese New Year Festival at the Asian American Resource Center - Saturday, February 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate the Year of the Horse with The Love of China School of Dance. Enjoy food, crafts, and performances at FREE free festival. Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road, Austin.
Paramount Theatre Storytime- Saturday, February 1 at 11:30 a.m. Our friends at the Paramount Theatre will be here for a magical storytime and to give us all a special preview of their upcoming Going on a Bear Hunt show! Join us for stories, crafts, and FUN! FREE!! BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd.
Kite Making Workshop- Saturday, February 1 from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. Fly on by and learn how to make a kite for the 86th Zilker Kite Festival. Children will have the opportunity to make multiple kites and then fly them in the park! All ages welcome. FREE!! A.B. Cantu/ Pan American Recreation Center, 2100 E. 3rd St., Austin.
Ashley’s Playhouse Open House- Saturday, February 1 from 1-5 p.m. Bring your friends and family to Ashley’s Playhouse Open House to come see their new magical space and meet the team. They will have giveaways and FREE registration during the event. FREE!! Ashley’s Playhouse, 13343 N Hwy 183, Ste. 200, Austin.
TEXplorations- Sunday, February 2 at 2:00 p.m. Where will your imagination take you? Join us for Family Story Time on the first Sunday of each month, 2-5 year olds will enjoy a FREE Story Time that is geared just for them with hands-on activities, stories, songs, games, and more! Story Time will take place on the Second Floor Lobby. The museum is FREE the first Sunday of every month from Noon- 6:00 p.m. and includes family activities. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave.
Holy Hangover Hour- Sunday, February 2 from 2:00- 4:00 p.m. In the spirit of the gospel brunches which take place around town, you might want to check out the Holy Hangover Hour with Cracker Box Gospel Band. Cracker Box Gospel Band “delivers spiritual salvation by way of super-tight soul gospel and other uplifting music”. The show is kid-friendly, and there is no cover! Javelina, 69 Rainey Street.
Bonus Events that Cost:
School of Rock Presents Best of the Season 2014- Saturday, February 1 from 3:00- 5:30 p.m. (doors open at 2:30p.m.). With more than a decade of successful experience teaching music, School of Rock is the national leader in music education for kids from age 7 to 18. Students learn from professional musicians in an interactive environment combining weekly private lessons and structured group rehearsals with the ultimate goal of performing live in front of real crowds. Tickets: $7. North Door Main Stage, 502 Brushy Street.
All Shook Up- Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2 at 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. A whole lotta shakin’ will be goin’ on when the music of Elvis Presley comes to life in the TexARTS Teen Musical Theatre Academy production of All Shook Up. This musical comedy is a madcap mash up of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and the rock ‘n roll, gospel, and rockabilly hits made famous by the King of Rock and Roll. Jarod Watters plays the rockin’ rollin’ roustabout who shakes thing up when he arrives in a 1950’s small town. Maddie McKowen is the town’s dreamer who falls under his spell. Among the many classics that will have you jumping out of your blue suede shoes are, “Love Me Tender,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” and “It’s Now or Never.” Tickets: $15. All ages welcome. Kam & James Morris Theatre at TexARTS, 2300 Lohman’s Spur, Austin.
Kid’s Club: Crafty Valentine’s Day Bag- Saturday, February 1 from 10:00 a.m.- Noon. Sweet Stuff! Kids, craft a fun treat bag for Valentine’s Day. Just $2 per 30-minutesession – including supplies. Ages 3 and up are welcome to this event. All participating Michael’s Locations.
Architects of Air: Miracoco- Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. That’s right — it’s back! Everyone’s favorite kaleidoscope experience, Architects of Air, will return to the Long Center this spring with a brand new luminarium, Miracoco. Built in 2011, Miracoco represents a new step in the evolution of luminarium design. Taking the best from what we have learnt from earlier structures we’ve achieved greater control over the inflated form. Functionally this means improvements in safety and in modularity but, most importantly, this new luminarium promises to be one of the most visually exciting that we have built. Miracoco closely resembles its sister structure Mirazozo in terms of the visitor’s journey and the disposition of its spaces. Its distinctive element is in the rendering of the domes. The dodecahedral domes follow a geometry made more precise by the increased use of reinforced restraints to define the structure. The working of the illuminated seams enhances the sense of structure. Tickets, available for purchase at the entrance, are $10 with kids 2 and under free. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive.
Daddy Play Date- Join in on the fun with dads and their kids each Saturday in February. This week’s activity will be a reptile show with Austin Reptile Shows. Cost: $4. Toybrary, 7817 Rockwood, Ste. 101, Austin.
Afternoon in the Garden: Faerie Gardens- Sunday, February 2, from 1:00 to 4:00pm. Plant the flowers that attract faeries and learn about special qualities of plants. This event is part of our regular drop in programming and is FREE with admission: $3 for adult nonresidents; $1 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (age 62 & over); $2 for adults (ages 13-61). Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin.
Puccini’s Tosca- Saturday, February 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 2 at 3:00 p.m. A captivating diva becomes entangled in a dangerous struggle between her rebellious lover and a scheming police chief, whose desire to have her reaches a deadly climax. Set against the turbulent political backdrop of Napoleonic Rome, Tosca features some of Puccini’s most passionate music in one of opera’s most explosive dramas. All ages. On Sunday, sign the kids up for the Sunday Matinee Music Camp while you watch the performance. You can read more here. Tickets starting at $29. Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin.