Don’t wait until the weekend for fun! The What’s Up Weekly Planner post will help you find all the entertainment you need with your kids Monday through Friday!
Happening All Week
Eco Light Garden – Monday, March 16 – Friday, March 20, from 7 p.m. – 2 a.m. Celebrate the intersection between innovative lighting technology and interactive public art. This annual project provides a peaceful escape from the crowd and offers a chance to interact with the latest efficient LED technologies. This year, explore projects from Aerosol Warfare Studios, Barco, Crash Alchemy, Charles Gadeken, Gavvot Productions, Houndstooth, Ink Tank Art Collective, Lumenpulse, and Praxis Creatives. FREE! Republic Square Park, 422 Guadalupe Street, Austin.
Free Magic Shows – Monday, March 16 – Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 p.m. Fantastic Magic Camp is giving free 45-minute shows during Spring Break. Family friendly and suitable for kids of all ages. FREE! Highland Mall Center Court, 6001 Airport Blvd, Austin.
Alamo Kids Camp: Lego Movie – Monday, March 16 – Thursday, March 19. Verify showtime before heading out. Tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show, and seating is first come, first served. No children under the age of 3 will be admitted (except on Baby Day, which is Tuesday, when all ages are welcome to attend). Families with loud children will be asked to leave. Your $1 admission to Spring Break Kids Camp will help our neighbors, because all ticket money will be donated 100% to Any Baby Can. Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter, 5701 W Slaughter Ln, Austin.
Alamo Kids Camp: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – Monday, March 16 – Thursday, March 19. Verify showtime before heading out. Tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show, and seating is first come, first served. No children under the age of 3 will be admitted (except on Baby Day, which is Tuesday, when all ages are welcome to attend). Families with loud children will be asked to leave. Your $1 admission to Spring Break Kids Camp will help our neighbors, because all ticket money will be donated 100% to the Multicultural Refugee Coalition. Alamo Drafthouse Village, 2700 West Anderson Ln, Austin.
Alamo Kids Camp: Freaky Friday – Monday, March 16 – Thursday, March 19. Verify showtime before heading out. Tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show, and seating is first come, first served. No children under the age of 3 will be admitted (except on Baby Day, which is Tuesday, when all ages are welcome to attend). Families with loud children will be asked to leave. Your $1 admission to Spring Break Kids Camp will help our neighbors, because all ticket money will be donated 100% to the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas (Lakeline). Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline, 14028 N US Hwy 183, Bldg F, Austin.
Woodland Faerie Trail – Monday, March 16 – Friday, March 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Explore the abodes of the faeries and gnomes along the Woodland Faerie Trail through the escarpment pathway and see who is home. FREE with Garden admission ($1-3; kids under 3 are FREE). Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Monday, March 16 – Friday, March 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Exhibit is open until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.) The Ransom Center celebrates 150 years of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with an exhibition for the curious and curiouser of all ages. Learn about Lewis Carroll and the real Alice who inspired his story. See one of the few surviving copies of the first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Discover the rich array of personal and literary references that Carroll incorporated throughout Alice. Explore the surprising transformations of Alice and her story as they have traveled through time and across continents. Follow the White Rabbit’s path through the exhibition, have a tea party, or watch a 1933 paper filmstrip that has been carefully treated by Ransom Center conservators. The Center’s vast collections offer a new look at a story that has delighted generations and inspired artists from Salvador Dalí to Walt Disney. Read about Katey’s experience here. FREE! Harry Ransom Center, 300 W 21st St, Austin.
‘Noon Tunes – Tuesday, March 17 – Friday, March 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Downtown isn’t the only place to listen to music this week. Enjoy lunch on the patio at Public Domain while soaking in a bit of sun and live entertainment. FREE! Whole Foods Domain, 11920 Domain Drive.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Free Cone Day at Dairy Queen -Head to your DQ® for Free Cone Day! In celebration of their 75th Fanniversary, Dairy Queen is giving out a free small vanilla cone to all their Fans. At participating DQ® locations only.
Mr. Will’s Music Class for Kids (Bee Cave) – 10:00 a.m. Mr. Will is back in action with his weekly kid’s music class. Arrive early to get a seat. FREE! Whole Foods Bee Cave, 12601 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave.
Free Kids Jiu-Jitsu Class – 11:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Kids ages 5 & up are invited to enjoy a fun-filled jiu jitsu class. Participants should wear athletic wear and slip on shoes; tie hair back; and bring a water bottle. Don’t forget your camera because there will be lots of awesomeness to capture. FREE! Brazilian Top Team, 9313 Anderson Mill Rd, Austin.
LEGO Fun Day (Round Rock) (RSVP) – 1-3:00 p.m. Children and their parents are encouraged to come for a fun filled day of LEGO building and discovery. Activities include: helping to build a giant LEGO mini figure; challenging yourself to be the last man standing in the LEGO Battle Tops or Bots Arena; diving into a swimming pool full of LEGO pieces for “Free Building; creating a unique spin art using the LEGO NXT spin art machine; playing a fun LEGO game; and test driving a LEGO car. FREE but RSVP is requested here. Round Rock Public Library, 216 E Main St, Round Rock.
Free Coffee with the Allegro FlxBus – 2-5:00 p.m. What could be better than coffee? FREE coffee from a retrofitted vintage bus. Cappucino, latte, espresso, iced tea…pick your poison and the folks at the Allegro FlxBus will whip it up for you. Whole Foods Domain, 11920 Domain Dr, Austin.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Spring Break Science Day (Sunset Valley) – 9:30 a.m. to Noon. The entire family will enjoy fun science experiments and activities from exploring soil and water to DNA extraction. FREE! Sunset Valley City Hall, 3205 Jones Rd, Sunset Valley.
French-to-Music French Language Trial Class – 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Bienvenue! Attend a complimentary French-to-Music lesson and observe first-hand how much fun your child can have while learning a new language. Parents are encouraged to join in the singing too. FREE! Toybrary, 7817 Rockwood Ln, #101, Austin.
Miniature Horses at Library (Pflugerville) – 10:30-11:30 a.m. Miniature horses visit the Library. Bring your own camera to take pictures. All Ages. FREE! Pflugerville Public Library, 1008 W Pflugerville St, Pflugerville.
Music with Mr. Will – 11:30 a.m. Rock out with local children’s singer, “Mr. Will” Dupuy. FREE! Brilliant Sky Toys & Books, 701 S Capital of Texas Hwy Suite D-480, Austin.
Hello Lamp Post: Austin – SXSW Event – 1-4:00 p.m. Hello Lamp Post: Austin is a city-wide platform for play that lets you talk to the city’s infrastructure, lamp posts, bus stops, and more and to share your stories using the text messaging function of your mobile phone. Learn more about Hello Lamp Post during SXSW. Sam Hill of Pan Studio, the project’s designers, will give a short presentation at 2:00 p.m. FREE! Brush Square Museums, 409 E 5th St, Austin.
Minecraft in Real Life (Cedar Park) – 2-3:30 p.m. Come and put the CRAFT into Minecraft. There will be REAL LIFE crafts, games, and activities all related to Minecraft–everything but playing the actual game. FREE! Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd, Cedar Park.
Do512 Family Picnic (RSVP) – 2-8:30 p.m. A unique, family-friendly show where all ages can enjoy some great music in a relaxed setting, away from the downtown busyness. Kids can enjoy music that’s just for them, a magic show with Magician Black Bert, balloon art, face painting, an instrument petting zoo with Little Wing, and other special activities from IT’S TIME TEXAS. They’ll keep kids active with games, a photo booth, and a preview of their Choose Healthier Mobile app. Choremonster will also be on hand showing parents and kids their awesome app that makes chores fun. FREE with RSVP here. Midway Food Park, 1905 S Capitol of Texas Hwy, Austin.
Chicken Big, A Puppet Show – 3:30 p.m. Bawk! It’s an elephant! It’s an umbrella! No, it’s a … chicken?! Join Literature LIVE! to see how the chickens in this coop make room for a giant new friend in a less-than-traditional puppet show production of Austin author Keith Graves’ wonderful book Chicken Big. Recommended for ages 4 and up. FREE! APL – Old Quarry Branch, 7051 Village Center Dr, Austin.
Discovery Writing Workshop: Down the Rabbit Hole – 4:30 p.m. This week, kids in 3rd grade through middle school will celebrate the work of Lewis Carroll. They’ll read part of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland before writing new scenes for this fantastical adventure. FREE! Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd, Austin.
Family Night: Stationery – 5:30 p.m. Look at old letters from the 1920’s-30s and hear about the importance and art of the handwritten letter as the original “social media” and as a necessary communication tool. Folks will create their own personalized cards by crafting up artful stationery using collage, folding techniques, and stamps. Learn some really great origami folds that make any piece of paper into its own envelope, do some collage and stamping, and even make a little origami folder that will serve as a vessel for all your creations. FREE! Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd, Austin.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Hey Lolly Puppets Presents Armadillo Alice – 10:30 a.m. Armadillo Alice is an original puppet show written by Laura Freeman and based on the story of Alice in Wonderland. Ideal for beginning readers. FREE! Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd, Austin.
KinderDance Class – 11:00 a.m. (for 2-year-olds) and at 11:30 a.m. (for ages 3-5). KinderDance encourages children to have fun and gain a love for learning by associating it with something that comes naturally — movement, music, dance, and fitness! Experience a FREE sample class. Rattan Creek Community Center, 7617 Elkhorn Mountain Trail, Austin.
Inside-Out Museum – Noon to 5:00 p.m. Experience what’s inside, outside–exhibits, live performances, and photo ops. Jason Roberts & Friends perform at 2:30 p.m. FREE! Brush Square Museums, 409 & 411 E 5th St, Austin.
Waterloo Records Day Party – Noon to 7:00 p.m. Live music in the parking lot. Subject to capacity. View lineup here. FREE! Waterloo Records, 600A N Lamar, Austin.
Story Time with CJ the Explorer – 12:30 p.m. Enjoy the play zone before and after the reading. FREE! All Things Kids @ The Domain, 3220 Feathergrass Ct, Austin.
School of Rock Day Party – 1-5:00 p.m. Rock out with the School of Rock Austin. Enjoy live performances from the School’s house band the, “The B team”, SoR staff bands, plus more special guests. All ages welcome. FREE! Scholz Beer Garten, 1607 San Jacinto St, Austin.
Crafternoon- 2 p.m. Drop by the library and make a craft while you search for books, movies and music. We’ve got paper crafts, easy sewing and more fun projects for the whole family. We provide the supplies; you provide the creativity. FREE! Manchaca Road Branch APL, 5500 Manchaca Road.
Family Movie Wednesday: Big Hero 6 (Cedar Park) – 2:30 p.m. Rated PG. FREE! Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd, Cedar Park.
Family Music Meltdown – 3-7:30 p.m. You know what they say…. Families who rock together stay together. Featuring: Ralph’s World, The Jellydots, Gina Chavez, Big Don, The Que Pastas, and Koo Koo Kanga Roo. FREE! Pan Am Park, 2100 E 3rd St, Austin.
Community Night – 4-8:00 p.m. At the Thinkery, science and families play side by side. Every Wednesday the museum stays open late for families to discover new ideas and learn together. Cost: Admission is by donation only, with a suggested $1 donation. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave, Austin.
The Mexican American Experience – 6:00 p.m. The lineup includes Grammy winning artist Sunny and the Sunliners, Latin Express, and Street People. The rising musicians Cañonazo, featuring Robby Garza and Erika Santana, will take the stage after Mariachi Amor kicks off the showcase. Free shuttle service is available from Sanchez Elementary, Mendez Middle School and Fiesta Gardens. FREE! ESB-MACC, 600 River St, Austin.
Krispy Kreme Family Night – 6-8:00 p.m. Kids can decorate one FREE doughnut each, plus enjoy crafts, balloons, paper hats, coloring sheets and more. Krispy Kreme, 701 E Stassney Ln and 12586 Research Blvd, Austin.
Music on Main Street (Round Rock) – 6-8:00 p.m. Danielle Reich performs jazz, swing, gypsy jazz, bossa nova, ballads, French, and jazzed pop. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and the entire family. Visit the variety of dining options on Main Street or pack a picnic basket to enjoy the evening of fun and music. Food vendors will be on site. FREE! Main Street Plaza, 221 E Main St, Round Rock.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Third Thursday at The Blanton -10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. In addition to offering free admission, The Blanton is open late and offers a variety of activities from yoga to live music. Find the complete schedule of events here. FREE! Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin.
Hola, Hola! -10:30 a.m. Ann Benson, expert in bilingual education, will teach you how to effectively use books as a tool to teach your child Spanish. Each parent will learn to read a Spanish book to their child and take it home for Spanish reinforcement. For parents and their children ages 0-5. FREE! Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd, Austin.
Free Noon Concert – Noon. Take a 30-minute lunchtime break to hear a concert by indie folk rockers Madisons. FREE! Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E 8th St, Austin.
Cartooning Workshop – Noon. Discover your personal cartooning style and learn to draw curious objects and creatures from Alice in Wonderland from cartoonist David Pitts. Ages 10 and up. FREE! Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd, Austin.
Explorer Club at Cedar Park Library (Magician)- 3:30- 4:15 p.m. Each Thursday, kids in grades K-5 will meet at 3:30pm to explore a set of rotating monthly programs. Kids in grades K-5 are allowed to attend Explorers Club by themselves. Parents/caregivers are welcome to attend if you’d like, but we ask that if you bring younger siblings that you keep in mind the program is designed for school age kids and the program and activities are intended for them. FREE! Cedar Park Public Library, 550 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park.
Inside-Out Museum – Noon to 5:00 p.m. Experience what’s inside, outside–exhibits, live performances, and photo ops. Graham Reynolds performs at 2:30 p.m. FREE! Brush Square Museums, 409 & 411 E 5th St, Austin.
Waterloo Records Day Party – Noon to 7:00 p.m. Live music in the parking lot. Subject to capacity. View lineup here. FREE! Waterloo Records, 600A N Lamar, Austin.
Central Concert – 2:00 p.m. Join the Library for an official SXSW Day Show, featuring homegrown music from Convict Hill. FREE! APL – Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St, Austin.
SPIRIT 105.9 Free Family Showcase (RSVP) – 2-6:30 p.m. Support some of our city’s most talented musicians, worship bands, and singer songwriters. Musicians from Nashville, Missouri, Belton, and right here in Austin will take the stage. All ages. FREE but RSVP is requested here. The Church on Congress Avenue, 1511 South Congress Ave, Austin.
French-to-Music French Language Trial Class – 3:00 p.m. Bienvenue! Attend a complimentary French-to-Music lesson and observe first-hand how much fun your child can have while learning a new language. Parents are encouraged to join in the singing too. FREE! Whole Foods, 525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
Magician John O’Bryant (Cedar Park) – 3:30 p.m. Magician John O’Bryant performs for kids in grades K-5. FREE! Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd, Cedar Park.
Balloon Twisting Workshop- 3:30- 4:15 p.m. Join Miss Poppy, the clown, to learn how to model and twist a couple of simple shapes using balloons. Free! Space is limited. Online registration for kids 5 -8 begins on Thursday, March 11. Parents accompanying children and siblings in other age ranges do not need to register. They are welcome to watch but they will not receive their own materials.Ages 5-8. FREE! Pflugerville Public Library, 1008 W. Pfluger Street, Pflugerville.
Nintendo Game Release Party (Round Rock) – 4:30-5:30 p.m. Nintendo will showcase their new 3DSXL gaming system and their new “Captain Toad” game. Giant games and board games will also be available. Snacks will be provided to first arrivals while supplies last. FREE! Round Rock Public Library, 216 E Main St, Round Rock.
The Mexican American Experience – 6:00 p.m. Grammy winning singer/songwriter Chente Barrera headlines for the evening of great music by Conjunto Baraja de Oro, Llueve, Beyond Therapy, and Erica Rangel. Free shuttle service is available from Sanchez Elementary, Mendez Middle School and Fiesta Gardens. FREE! ESB-MACC, 600 River St, Austin.
Live Music at Central Market North – 6:30-9:00 p.m. Americana by the Austin Steamers. FREE! Central Market, 4001 N Lamar Blvd, Austin.
Live Music at Central Market Westgate – 6:30-9:00 p.m. Fiddle-driven Folk Rock by Lost & Nameless. FREE! Central Market Westgate, 4477 S Lamar Blvd, Austin.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Girls Rock Austin SX Day Party – 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. See over a dozen girls rock the Cherrywood Coffeehouse stage. FREE! Cherrywood Coffeehouse, 1401 E 38 1/2 St, Austin.
Inside-Out Museum – Noon to 5:00 p.m. Experience what’s inside, outside–exhibits, live performances, photo ops. Curtis McMurtry performs at 2:30 p.m. FREE! Brush Square Museums, 409 & 411 E 5th St, Austin.
Waterloo Records Day Party – Noon to 7:00 p.m. Live music in the parking lot. Subject to capacity. View lineup here. FREE! Waterloo Records, 600A N Lamar, Austin.
First Day of Spring Free Ice Celebration – Noon to 9:00 p.m. All guests will receive a FREE limited edition cup of Italian Ice in the available flavor of their choice to celebrate the arrival of Spring. Rita’s Italian Ice, 6001 W Parmer Lane.
Central Concert – 2:00 p.m. Join the Library for an official SXSW Day Shows, featuring homegrown music from Lacy Rose. FREE! APL – Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe Street.
Live at the Library – 2-4:00 p.m. Kick off the Library’s new series of live music with Lust for Youth, Uniform and local duo Everything Melts. FREE! APL – Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina Street.
Family Movie: The Boxtrolls (Round Rock) – 2:30 p.m. Rated PG. FREE! Round Rock Public Library, 216 E Main St, Round Rock.
Balloon Art and Face Painting – 3-5:00 p.m. Celebrate the end of Spring Break with Amazing Texas Twisters. FREE! Lake Travis Community Library, 1938 Lohmans Crossing, Austin.
Friday Family Films: Alice In Wonderland – 4:00 p.m. Alice is a bored schoolgirl who yearns for a more exciting life. Things get “curiouser and curiouser” after she follows the frantic White Rabbit down the rabbit hole and has a series of surreal misadventures in the madcap world of Wonderland, where “nothing’s impossible.” Rated G. FREE! Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd, Austin.
Pan Americana Festival – 5-11:00 p.m. All ages show featuring performances by: Batuque Raiz, Jesus Warr, Os Alquimistas w/ Tita Lima, Piñata Protest, Master Blaster Sound System, and headliner Celso Piña. FREE! ESB-MACC, 600 River Street.
Live Music at Central Market North – 6:30-9:00 p.m. Island Soul by RC Sanders. FREE! Central Market, 4001 N Lamar Blvd,.
Live Music at Central Market Westgate – 6:30-9:00 p.m. Laura Otero sings jazz and Colombian. FREE! Central Market Westgate, 4477 S Lamar Blvd,.
Head for the Hill’s: Free Music Fridays – 7-9:00 p.m. Hill’s Cafe is excited to announce the return of a live, local music series to the historic Hill’s stage. This week, Graham Wilkinson performs. A special backyard menu will be available for purchase. Family-friendly and FREE! Hill’s Cafe, 4700 S Congress Avenue.
In her life before kids, Emily held jobs as a zookeeper, a middle school teacher, and a tour bus driver in the wilds of Montana–not one of which prepared her for the adventures of motherhood. Now she’s living the good life in Austin with her husband, two sons and a Great Dane. When she’s not off gallivanting with her boys, you might find Emily baking up a mean batch of cupcakes, recalling obscure 80s song lyrics, or dreaming of peace and quiet.
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