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Delta announced a nonstop from Austin to Paris this week; and not the one in Texas! An A330-900neo will be flying daily, seasonally starting March 2027. The high the day of the announcement was 97° in Austin, 97° in Paris, France, and 97° in Paris, Texas, so the usefulness of the new flight is somewhat called into question, lol. Delta’s reasoning for the addition is interesting. It was actually premium cabin demand that drove the decision; the number of people here willing to pay for a lie-flat seat. This brings to mind the eternal “is Austin still weird” conversation, the latest mention of which was by KUT at the end of last month. In the story, Kerry Awn, who painted the Austintatious mural, described the original condition: “we didn't know it was weird at the time. It was cheap, it was pretty, people made things because they could afford to make things badly for a while first.” The interesting contention here is that our weirdness was a byproduct of low rent.
Given this, some hope: Austin's median rent peaked at $1546 a month at the end of 2021 and has since fallen to $1296, a 16% drop, taking this city from 15% above the national median to 4% below it. And, this happened while Austin added 18K residents! Vacancy is near a decade high. If cheapness is what made this place weird, that cheapness is quietly returning, and the conditions Awn described seem to be reassembling themselves.
The catch is that nobody told the restaurants or the venues! Cover charges, drink prices, and dinner tabs have barely moved an inch downward, and sadly evictions are still climbing even while rents fall; so while the relief is real on paper it has yet to fully reach the ground floor where the people who actually make the weird things live.
Meanwhile, 20K Austinites filled Q2 Stadium again this week to watch Austin FC draw 1-1 with Club América and then win 6-5 on sudden-death penalties into the Leagues Cup quarterfinals. That's the longest active sellout streak in the MLS, which, coming off our lackluster performance in the World Cup is quite impressive!
The professional secret to dough is out
Ever tried to make dough in your regular mixer?
The results aren’t pretty: Clumpy texture. Stodgy bread. Overheated motors.
So, how do the pros get it right?
Introducing Ooni Halo Core Spiral Mixer.
Its secret is the same dough-making technology that professional bakers have used for decades.
Until now, most spiral mixers have been industrial-sized machines with industrial-sized price tags.
They also only made dough. And that gets a no from us.
To put the same professional tech into the hands of home bakers, we rebuilt the spiral mixer — creating a mighty little machine that can whip, beat and knead to professional high standards.
Franklin Barbecue is on its annual summer shutdown through the twenty-first; closing during the hottest stretch of the year so staff can take a break, even though August tourist lines are some of the longest 🥹 While Franklin sleeps, Baldinucci Pizza Romana just opened its second location at the Domain Northside this past weekend, though it had to temporarily close the original West Lake Hills spot to pull it off. Over on Airport, Rocco's Neighborhood Joint quietly opened Roccito's, a thirty-five-seat walk-in wine garden out back with antipasti and cocktails. Meanwhile, Meanwhile Brewing got into the ice cream business with Meanwhile Creamery, a soft serve truck on property doing root beer floats and sundaes, and Taquería de Diez confirmed two new locations coming (one on Guadalupe near campus and one at the Domain) which puts a fast-growing street taco shop in spitting distance of the Wheatsville Food Co-op that's closing at the end of the year after four decades.
Mark your calendar for the Austin Chronicle's thirty-sixth annual Hot Sauce Festival on August 30th, now at a new home at Radio/East. Thirty commercial competitors are bringing sauces pulling from East Asian, South American, and African traditions, with People's Choice voting from three to seven and awards throughout the evening. They just announced the music lineup is DJ Mahealani, Libby and the Loveless, Latin Dukes and Lauren Lakis closing it out. Food comes courtesy of Shortwave, Veracruz All Natural, and Wow Poke, and tickets are $20 presale with proceeds going to the Central Texas Food Bank. As always, our food scene is sweating, expanding, and replacing itself.
Pride month is in full swing and taking over Austin; queer country, sapphic boat parties, drag history, and a decades-spanning magick ritual. If it sparkles, casts a spell, or wears a corset, it's happening this week, so make sure and check the full list! ✨🧙🖤
Monday, Aug 17th
Ink & Dagger's "The Order": A Film Offering by Nathaniel Shan
9PM (doors) @ Brushy Street Commons
A phantasmagorical audio-visual vampire freakout from filmmaker Nathaniel C. Shannon, with score and sound-design by Ink & Dagger founding member Don Devore. If you're into psychogeography, horror aesthetics, and sensory overload, this underground screening is your Monday night.
Ludicrous Speed Book Club: A Scanner Darkly
7PM @ BookPeople, FREE!
BookPeople's sci-fi book club dives into Philip K. Dick's hallucinatory masterpiece about identity, surveillance, and substance abuse. From speculative fiction to epic fantasy, all who can admit their dorkdom are welcome. Pair it with Blade Runner at the Bullock earlier for a full PKD double feature evening.
Neon Rainbows' Pride Social
7PM–11PM @ Sagebrush, $15, 21+
A queer two-step and line dance night featuring live music from RANDEEN and Libby & the Loveless, a s'queer dancing demo from Ericxa Nix, and hosting by Lawrie Bird. No lessons — this is all social dancing, cash or Venmo at the door. Come stomp your boots for Pride.
Movies on the Lake: Jaws
8:30PM @ Mozart's Coffee Roasters
Watch Jaws on the water under the stars at Mozart's lakefront on Lake Austin. Deck seating is free (RSVP recommended; free tickets often sell out), or level up by renting a paddleboard, tube, or donut boat to float while you watch. Nothing says Monday night like shark panic on a lake.
Functional Embroidery: Visible Mending Workshop
6PM–8PM @ Make at Rosie, $19.32
Learn to turn your busted-up clothes into wearable art through creative mending techniques. This hands-on workshop teaches various embroidery stitches that make repairs beautiful and durable — sustainable fashion that actually looks cool.
More interesting events on Monday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Tuesday, Aug 18th
An Overview of the Pliocene Epoch
7:00 PM @ Casa Chapala Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Bar, FREE!
Only in Austin does a presentation about paleontological activities on the Southern Plains (with emphasis on the WPA Cita Canyon Site) happen at a Mexican restaurant over margaritas. This talk covers the Pliocene Epoch and includes an archeological assessment of historic features at the dig site. Eat chips, learn about ancient megafauna, feel briefly unmoored from the present.
Justin Jackley Art Exhibition - The Last Rodeo
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM @ Boss Radio, FREE!
A celebration and farewell show for longtime Austin artist Justin Jackley, who's heading to the Pacific Northwest after 16 years of making and teaching art in this city. Expect a warehouse full of original drawings, paintings, and prints at dirt-cheap prices; this is a quarter-century career laid out for the taking. Show up, take something home, say goodbye properly.
Shivering Demons Residency ft. KNETX, Wezmer
8:00 PM - 12:30 AM @ Hotel Vegas & The Volstead Lounge, $12
Hotel Vegas's Tuesday residency goes full Renaissance Faire this week, with Shivering Demons headlining and sets from SPIRAL and Wezmer filling out the evening. The theme asks you to dress accordingly — corsets, chainmail, and flower crowns all welcome. Doors at 8, and the night runs through to the witching hour at the Volstead.
Dance Like a Legend with Jolie Goodnight
6:45 PM - 8:15 PM @ Austin Academy of Burlesque, $30
Touring burlesque artist and classic burlesque historian Jolie Goodnight teaches the iconic walks, bumps, turns, and signature moves that defined the golden era's legendary performers. You'll learn the history, break down vintage technique step-by-step, then put it all together in a choreographed combination. All levels welcome: bring heels if you've got 'em and embrace the allure.
Cuban Family Traditions Cooking Class
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM @ Central Market N Lamar Cooking School, $89.63
A hands-on evening of classic Cuban home cooking where you'll work with a small team to prepare tried-and-true family recipes passed down through generations. This isn't a demo — you're doing the work, learning the technique, and eating everything you make. Reserve your spot before the class fills up.
More interesting events on Tuesday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Wednesday, Aug 19th
Magic for Adults: The Foundations of Magic
7:00PM - 9:00PM @ 7500 Woodrow Avenue, $40
A hands-on performance magic experience where you actually learn sleight of hand, misdirection, and showmanship. Leave with tricks that'll genuinely amaze your friends; or at least make them suspicious of you at poker night.
Excavating Happy Hour: Digging into 8,000 Years of Wine
5:00PM - 10:00PM @ Paperboy East, $59.75 🔥
Some happy hours have lasted 8,000 years. This one digs into the archaeological and cultural origins of wine, taking you on a journey through the places and people that started it all. Part history lecture, part wine tasting, entirely fascinating.
Silly Billies: An Evening of Clown
8:00PM @ Fallout Theater, $7.77
Devised clown work and live direction for the brave souls who sign up — this is physical comedy at its most unhinged and delightful. The $7.77 ticket price is as charmingly odd as the show itself. Come watch strangers discover their inner clown in real time.
Thought Experiments on Patios #5
7:30PM @ Stargazer Cocktails & Coffee, FREE!
Skip the small talk entirely! This event throws you into morally tricky philosophical scenarios with strangers, then drops a twist just when you think you've figured it out. Three rounds, new tables every 25 minutes, and a vibe that's warm enough to make debating ethics with strangers feel like the most natural thing in the world.
Weenies and Tinis (Pride Edition)
4:00PM - 10:00PM @ Halcyon
Back by popular demand and just in time for Austin Pride! Come get a hot dog and a martini, and see who got put in the weenie costume this time. That's the whole pitch. That's all you need.
Candle & Crystal
6:00PM - 8:00PM @ Hotel Ella, $44
This isn't just a candle-making class: it's a guided ritual experience. Choose your coconut wax candle by scent alone (intuition, not logic), then set intentions about what you're releasing and welcoming into your life before decorating with crystals and botanicals. Mystical vibes at one of Austin's most beautiful venues.
More interesting events on Wednesday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Thursday, Aug 20th
BREWMANIA AUSTIN!!!
6:00 PM @ Proud Mary Coffee, FREE!
The 9th round of Austin Coffee Collective's epic beverage throwdown where the city's best baristas and roasters battle for glory: and actual wrestling belts. Vote for your favorite signature drink, win prizes, and groove to vinyl sets from Queer Vinyl Co. All ages, totally free, and IDs checked for 21+ wristbands.
Watercolor Workshop — Over the Garden Wall
7:00 PM @ Hold Out Brewing, $35.98
A hands-on watercolor painting night themed after the beloved animated series, with guided instruction, all supplies provided, and a finished 10x8 painting ready to frame. Beginner friendly, beer-adjacent, and — as the show would say — "that's rock fact!"
To see 3 more picks for Thursday, click here!
Sketchy Thursdays
7:00 PM @ Something Cool Studios, FREE!
A free, inclusive weekly art meetup led by Austin street artist Warclass, designed to give creatives a welcoming space to draw together, share ideas, and connect. No pressure, no expectations — just bring something to draw with and show up.
Gay, Drag, Drunk History
8:00 PM @ Stargazer, $10
Kick off Austin Pride with the Joy Resistance Network as drag queen historians Senator Colleen de Forrest and Eileen Dover serve up queer history lessons you actually want to attend — tipsy, hilarious, and unapologetically fabulous. 50% of proceeds support Trans Texas (TENT), the state's only trans-led advocacy org.
Dive After Dark Presents: STRIPTEASE
9:00 PM (Doors) @ Swan Dive, $35.45
Swan Dive's Dive After Dark series returns with a showcase of pole, burlesque, and aerial artistry from some of Austin's most stunning performers. Expect jaw-dropping athleticism, glamour, and the kind of energy that makes you forget tomorrow is Friday.
Find more fun stuff on Thursday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Bold Fits Start with Bold Bags
Vacation.
Festivals.
Road trips.
Late nights.
Sprayground has styles built for all of it.
Friday, Aug 21st
The Passion of Joan of Arc with Live Heavy Metal Score
7pm @ AFS Cinema, $27
One of the greatest silent films ever made (Dreyer's devastating 1928 masterpiece) screened with a live heavy metal score by The Silent Light. Maria Falconetti's performance is still called the single greatest in cinema history, and this pairing of medieval agony with crushing riffs is pure Austin.
Neon Rodeo: w/ Next of Kin, The Cowgays & More
8pm @ ACL Live at the Moody Theater, $29+
Celebrating 15 years of queer country in Austin, this Pride Weekend blowout features Next of Kin, The Cowgays, Brigitte Bandit, and host Ed West, plus a curated marketplace of local queer-owned businesses. A portion of proceeds benefits the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce Education Fund.
The Rocky Horror Puppet Show: An Improvised Musical
10pm @ Fallout Theater, $19.32
A felted take on a cult classic: puppets perform an entirely improvised musical inspired by Rocky Horror, making every show a one-of-a-kind spectacle of absurdity. Grab your tickets here before this weird gem sells out.
Kombucha Workshop
6pm–8pm @ Kuya Wellness, $32.48
Discover the art of brewing your own kombucha while exploring its rich history, wellness benefits, and time-tested fermentation process. Walk away knowing how to keep the SCOBY alive at home.
Y2K Party! Costume Contest, Pong Challenge + Karaoke
6pm–10pm @ St. Elmo Brewing Co., FREE! (all ages)
A full Y2K house party with a pong challenge (prizes for top teams), music video karaoke contest, a Y2K DJ, and costume contest with different categories. Bust out your low-rise jeans and Juicy Couture — this party is da bomb dot com.
More amazingness on Friday @ WhatsGoodATX !
Saturday, Aug 22nd
4th Annual Realms of Fungi Opening
3:00 PM - 10:00 PM @ ArtUs Co, $20
Over 40 artists celebrate the beauty and mystery of the fungal kingdom in this beloved annual exhibition. The afternoon features talks from the Central Texas Mycological Society and Mushyverse, then the evening transforms into a full-on art party with DJ Chappie Funk, a mushroom costume contest with prizes, raffles, and complimentary drinks all night.
The Great Austin Shake Off
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM @ Scottish Rite Theater, $11.73+
Austin's three prominent Shakespeare companies face off in a night of friendly competition! Each nominates three actors to perform speeches across Comedy, History, and Tragedy rounds. The audience votes with their dollars, and leaders from each company duke it out with "To Be Or Not To Be" for the ultimate crown. A fundraiser that's genuinely theatrical.
Matcha & Tats
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM @ Mínimo Coffee & Matcha, Free tattoo with 2 lattes
First 50 people get a FREE TATTOO from a fresh flash sheet with the purchase of two lattes. Come caffeinated, leave tatted. New designs just dropped for this round — get there early because these spots go fast.
The Moonbow Grimoire: Nocturnal Tales of Queer Magick + Desire Through the Decades
6:15 PM (Early) / 9:30 PM (Late) @ Nocturna, $44+
A spellbound journey through decades of queer experience, where every era is infused with magick, desire, resilience, and transformation. Witness original works by solo student artists alongside three immersive group rituals woven with pride, sovereignty, and living magick. Two shows available — adults only.
Peelander-Z Benefit Show feat. Octopus Project, Riverboat Gamblers
7:00 PM (doors) @ Mohawk Austin, $20
Austin's punk and noise rock heavyweights rally for a cause — Peelander-Z were recently in a serious traffic accident while on tour. All proceeds from this stacked lineup go directly toward their recovery. Grab tickets and support some legends.
Back to Goth Night & Bazaar: Forks High Edition
9:00 PM - 2:00 AM @ Elysium, $10.08
Celebrate back-to-school the goth way at this dark dance night and vendor bazaar with a special Twilight-inspired Forks High twist. Dance to your favorite dark music and shop macabre vendors — because nothing says "first day of school" like eyeliner and Edward Cullen energy.
GAMA RAVE
8:00 PM - 12:00 AM @ RichesArt Gallery, $12.51
A rave dedicated to gamers and anime lovers! Come cosplay your favorite character and dance the night away to electronic beats surrounded by fellow nerds. This is what happens when Comic-Con meets the dance floor.
Stay Weird Austin (2nd Annual)
3:00 PM - 2:00 AM @ Sagebrush, $24.99+
A one-day festival dedicated to preserving Austin's history and culture, raising money for Preservation Austin while spotlighting local artists and businesses. Eight bands including Tony Kamel and All Hat No Cadillac, free food from local restaurants, drink specials, free two-step lessons, raffle prizes, and vendors — the most Austin event imaginable.
Conspiracy Theory Night
8:00 PM @ Nunya (1806 E 12th St), FREE!
East Austin's coolest bar is turning its backyard into a tinfoil-hat paradise with a massive projector screen showcasing wild and wacky conspiracy theories. Got your own theory? You can submit your presentation and take the stage; tinfoil hats provided, open minds encouraged.
WIZARD RAVE
9:00 PM @ Secret Location, $20
Wizard City Productions is throwing an epic Kickstarter launch party featuring legendary local DJs, live painting, puppetry, 30-minute D&D adventures with Dungeon Master Vino Veritas, a massive Minecraft wizard castle build, a Magic: The Gathering tournament where you can win a tattoo, and "Frick Frack Blackjack": bring your trinkets.
As If: A 90's Variety Showcase!
7:00 PM (doors) @ The Stage Austin, $23.18+
A full-throttle 90s nostalgia explosion told through drag, pole, burlesque, and variety performances. Saturday's lineup includes Goldi Brooks-DuBose, God Syndrome & Crowned Juul, Dev Developpe, and more, headlined by the legendary Ruby Joule. Vendors on-site, audience contests with prizes, and a raffle with goodies from all over town.
Afterglow: A Music, Comedy, and Arts Carnival
10:00 PM @ Fallout Theater, $7.77
A genre-bending late-night experience weaving ambient and experimental music, live visual art, modern clowning, and alternative comedy into a single collaborative carnival. At $7.77, it's the weirdest deal in town.
Other cool stuff happening on Saturday @ WhatsGoodATX !
Sunday, Aug 23rd
Blue Tongue
7:30pm @ C-Boy's Heart & Soul Bar, $5
This nine-piece Austin funk fusion collective delivers electrifying performances that include actual gymnastics, frontman Tre Pham does backflips and splits mid-set while the band lays down jazz-inflected grooves, muscular slap bass, buoyant synths, and a full horn section. Five dollars for this much chaos is a steal.
Master Pancake: Showgirls
6:45pm @ Alamo Drafthouse Village, $22.94
Austin's legendary comedy troupe Master Pancake takes on the gloriously terrible Showgirls with live comedic commentary, riffing over the film MST3K-style while you enjoy food and drinks at the Drafthouse. Arguably the only way this movie should be watched.
Art + Oinks: Cyanotype Printing
10am–12pm @ Enchanted Pig Forest (45mins from Austin), $17.85
Spend a morning making sun-printed cyanotype art using pressed flowers and foraged plants while hanging out with over 200 rescued pigs and other animals at this enchanted forest sanctuary. All proceeds fund medical care for the rescue's aging residents.
Nautickle: Sapphic Boat Party
4pm – 8pm @ Beach Front Boat Rentals, $37
Sunday Funday on Lake Travis gets a sapphic twist with this lesbian/sapphic boat party series celebrating Pride weekend. Four hours of sun, water, music, and community on one of Austin's most beautiful lakes.
Record Play: 2000s Hip Hop/R&B Edition
4pm–7pm @ Pershing Hall, $32.50
Take it back to the Y2K era with this high-energy music trivia throwdown spanning Luda, 50 Cent, Missy, and Beyoncé. Form a crew, compete through four rounds, then unlock challenge rounds including Autotune Karaoke, "Who Dat Iz," dance battles, and musical chairs. Drink specials and prizes from YETI and other local businesses.
More interesting events on Sunday @ WhatsGoodATX!
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