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The headline nobody wanted: over a single weekend, Austin logged at least twelve shooting incidents. Four were wounded, one seriously. It started with a stolen vehicle from an apartment complex, then a firearm taken from a store, and then approximately twenty additional service calls cascaded through South and East Austin before anyone fully understood it was all connected. Austinites received several shelter in place alerts scattered around the city, which was confusing ot the say the least! APD eventually arrested three young suspects.
Then on May 21st there was some more bad news: Malin, the 18-foot wooden troll sculpture in Pease Park, was gone. Austin Fire Department crews responded a little after 5:30 a.m. to reports of flames, but by the time they got the fire out, she was ash and debris. The arson team is investigating; the surrounding trees came through mostly intact which suggests something targeted rather than a wayward brush fire.
Malin was built from recycled wood by Danish artist Thomas Dambo in 2024, with roughly 150 Austin volunteers and $300K in community funding. A lot of people had a hand in her; she felt like theirs. Social media filled up immediately with RIP posts, flowers appeared at the site, and the phrases being used ("a death in the community," "like losing a childhood pet") tell you how much she meant to people. While a replacement isn't on the table yet, the Pease Park Conservancy has been clear that Malin's spirit will shape whatever comes next in that spot.
On the same day, Austin got an absolutely remarkable sunset. The storm rolling through lit the sky in surreal pinkish-purple is apparently called Rayleigh scattering; light filtering through dense post-rain atmosphere until it shifts into that particular neon glow. It turned out to be a double rainbow, which would have been plenty, but then a bolt of lightning cracked straight through the arch of it and spread across the sky in a full electrical web. Someone caught it on video, it went viral, and folks chimed in from North Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Bee Cave, the HEB parking lot. The whole thing lasted maybe twelve seconds.
On another brighter note, KUT's ATXplained just did a live show at Bass Concert Hall built entirely around questions submitted by locals, from the "why does that building look like that" genre of civic curiosity. And the Red River Cultural District launched a multimedia archive project documenting over a century of nightlife history along one of downtown's most contested corridors, still actively collecting firsthand stories from Austinites who lived it.
Today is Memorial Day, which means cold beer, and standing just right to cool off under a tree branch while you wait for the grill. Take a moment for the significance of the holiday, then go out! There’s some cool options happening below.
Monday, May 25th
Canje Block Party 2026
4:00 - 9:00 PM @ 1914 E 6th Street, $73.07 🔥
Open Table's annual Memorial Day bash on East 6th is the kind of hyperlocal block party that makes this stretch of the street worth protecting. Free admission and a full five hours! Show up ready to actually meet your neighbors.
Memorial Day THUNDERFEST
8:00 PM @ Come and Take It Live, $20.67+
Bishop Studios assembles Stonebreed, Texas Microphone Massacre, Edge of Destiny, and Rebel Angels for a Memorial Day heavy music rager spanning southern rock, psychobilly, horrorcore, and horror punk. The name alone earns it a spot on any self-respecting Austin holiday weekend list.
Free Acro Yoga Jam
8:00 – 11:00 PM @ Flow Yoga Westgate, FREE!
Three hours of free partner-acrobatics yoga on a holiday Monday: no experience required, just a willingness to trust a stranger to hold you upside down. Acro yoga communities tend to be among the most genuinely welcoming in Austin, and a Memorial Day jam is a good chance to find your flying people.
Memorial Day with the Summer Camargo Big Band
7:30 PM @ Monks Jazz Club, $44.15+
A 24-year-old jazz trumpeter who plays in the SNL house band, holds a Juilliard fellowship, and leads a 16-piece big band through an evening that's literally being recorded for posterity. Summer Camargo brings the full ensemble for two listening-room sets (7:30 PM and 9:30 PM) at Monks, which enforces a whisper policy. BYOB; cold water available for purchase.
More interesting events on Monday @ WhatsGoodATX!
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Tuesday, May 26th
The Love Letter: A Tuesday Evening at the Typewriter
8:00–10:00PM @ Fortune Teller, $20
A candlelit evening with vintage typewriters, all orbiting one theme: love. Come solo, come with a partner, come to write to someone you haven't spoken to in years. The structure is loose, the atmosphere is not. Machines and paper provided, prompts on the table if you need them, no experience required. One of the stranger, more beautiful ways to spend a Tuesday night in Austin.
MagicProv: The Mashup — Magic and Improv!
7pm @ Fallout Theater, $12
Mind-bending magic meets comedy chaos at this adults-oriented mashup from Austin's own Fallout Theater. Magician Dr. Gary and the Jokus Pokus Improv Troupe team up for an unpredictable night of illusions and laughs.
Miles Davis' 100th Birthday featuring Water Damage
6:00 – 7:30PM @ Breakaway Records, FREE!
A free, all-ages tribute to Miles Davis on what would have been his 100th birthday, with Austin noise/krautrock/drone outfit Water Damage performing in a record store. It's exactly the kind of unconventional pairing that makes Austin's music scene worth paying attention to. No advance tickets, no cover, just show up.
Freeing Your Creative Practice
6:30 – 8:00PM @ Dougherty Arts Center, FREE!
A free workshop for artists who feel boxed in, burned out, or too worried about making work that pleases an audience to make work that's actually theirs. Multimedia artist and spiritual director Rhodalynn Jetton leads practical exercises for restoring freedom and wonder to your practice. This one's worth the hour and a half.
Terror Tuesday: IMPETIGORE
9:30PM @ Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, $15.35
Alamo's weekly Terror Tuesday series screens the Indonesian folk-horror film Impetigore tonight: a visually lush, deeply unsettling story about a woman who returns to her cursed village of origin. Tickets at the Drafthouse; pair with a drink, bring a friend to squeeze.
Cast of 1000s Residency ft. Swedish Magazines & Soft Silence, Gentle Noise
8:00PM (doors) @ Hole in the Wall, $10
A four-band Tuesday residency stacking dream pop, indie, power pop, and Swedish Magazines (one of Austin's better kept secrets) all under one roof. Doors at 8, first set at 9.
Turn On! hosted by Zgi Zgi
9:30PM @ RAIN on 4th
Miz ZgiZgi's live studio audience concept is genuinely unhinged in the best way: three performers pitch original TV pilots, and you vote on which one gets greenlit. Laugh, cry, drink, judge: this rotating cast of Austin drag talent turns Rain on 4th into a real television production, except the show they're making is happening right now in front of you.
More interesting events on Tuesday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Wednesday, May 27th
Literary Arts Fest Night
6:00PM – 8:30PM @ The Contemporary Austin (Jones Center), FREE!
The Contemporary Austin transforms into a live literary happening tonight, anchored by Sable Elyse Smith's neon poem installations from Clockwork. Explore the exhibition and rooftop as The Reading Room HTX sets up in the community room and Typewriter Rodeo bangs out on-the-spot poems — capped with complimentary refreshments and live readings from Torch Literary Arts.
Magical Mind Mysteries w/ Magical Mystical Michael
7:30PM–8:30PM @ The Vortex, $15
An hour of mentalism and mind mysteries at one of Austin's most beloved fringe venues. Short, weird, intimate, and perfect for a Wednesday night before the bars open up.
Star Wax Vol 9 Music Showcase
7:30PM–10:00PM @ Stoney's Good Time Ranch, FREE!
Fifteen rising Austin artists, two songs each, all unreleased or works-in-progress — described aptly as "a charcuterie board of rising artists." Details at Stoney's. Free entry, no pressure, all discovery.
Yodel Blitz
6:00PM–9:00PM @ Krause's Cafe & Biergarten, FREE!
Krause's brings in Yodel Blitz, a genuinely hilarious German folk ensemble that plays alphorn, Austrian cowbells, saw, accordion and yodels in three-part harmony. Beer garden, polka dancing, and cowbells.
Austin Pride Pageant
8:00PM @ RAIN on 4th
The 2026 Austin Pride Pageant is hitting RAIN on 4th for a night of glamour, competition, and unapologetic queer excellence! Dazzling performances, powerful storytelling, and the crowning of the voices who'll represent the community all Pride season long. Follow Austin Pride on Instagram for registration info and updates.
More interesting events on Wednesday @ WhatsGoodATX!
Thursday, May 28th
Mammals of Texas & Intro to Tracking Workshop
7:00PM – 9:00PM @ Buzz Mill - $30
Capital Area Master Naturalist Chris Hyde brings mammal skulls, furs, and track casts to Buzz Mill for a hands-on intro to wildlife tracking;whether you're a nature nerd, a hiker, or a hunter looking to sharpen your awareness. You'll leave with a free drink token, a Lumber Society badge, and a new way of reading the landscape. Bring a notepad.
Book Club Singles Mixer
5:00PM – 8:00PM @ Civil Goat Coffee, FREE! 🔥
Bring a book… any book! and drop it in a box at the door. The night starts with a "wearing-glasses-but-not-totally-blind" speed-dating round where you sit with whoever brought the book that intrigues you, rotating every 15 minutes. Then a casual hang at the bar. The East 6th Street edition of Austin's best low-pressure social concept: find your next reading buddy, maybe more.
Drag Bingo — Pop-Punk Edition
7:00PM @ The ABGB, FREE!
Monthly Drag Bingo at the ABGB gets a pop-punk makeover tonight, which means your B-I-N-G-O squares are soundtracked by the music that defined a generation of eyeliner and angst. Free to play, drag performers doing the calling, cold beer in hand at a beloved South Austin institution. Perfect Thursday.
Dazed and Confused Outdoor Screening
7:00PM @ Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, FREE!
101X throws a free outdoor screening of the definitive Austin film at Northwest Park; Linklater's 1976-set stoner classic, under the actual Texas sky. Donations benefit Northwest Pony League. There's no better way to spend a Thursday evening than watching Wooderson do his thing where Wooderson would have done his thing.
The Wild Card Ball
6:00PM – 9:00PM @ Centro Event Space, $53.98
The Girl Flock Party annual gala fundraiser for their Woman-Owned Business Scholarship is throwing out the rulebook entirely. Dress code: bedazzled or bizarre formal wear with outlandish accessories: giant hats, clashing everything, nothing matching. The night includes vintage glamour showgirl performance, open bar, Vegas-style bites, and grand prize giveaways, all in service of tripling their scholarship goal to award three $750+ grants this year.
The Living Room: Burlesque & Performative Art Show
9:00PM – 2:00AM @ Firehouse Lounge, $5+
An all-night performative arts show at the Firehouse Lounge with burlesque at its core and a sprawling late-night energy that stretches until 2am. Five to ten bucks to get in is about as low-stakes as a Thursday night out gets, and this one has genuine spectacle.
Deeper State
10:00PM @ Kingdom Austin, FREE!
Austin's newest progressive house night launches its residency at Kingdom. A meticulously curated series drawing from melodic techno, breakbeat, and the Anjunadeep-adjacent underground rather than anything on a commercial playlist. If you've been waiting for the less-commercial, more-considered dance night in Austin, this is the one to watch from the start.
Find more fun stuff on Thursday @ WhatsGoodATX!
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Friday, May 29th
Error 404
8:00PM @ Sterling Stage Austin, $22+
In a world where bodies are policed and expression is constantly under review, Error 404 responds the only way that makes sense: burlesque, drag, and theatrical provocations designed to trip every censorship algorithm Big Brother ever dreamed up. Tickets here for an evening of performances "they" don't want you to see!
Outer Heaven Party ft. Caleb De Casper
9:30pm – 3am @ Highland Lounge, $13.54
Outer Heaven Disco Club returns to the Highland Lounge basement for a special night celebrating the release of Caleb De Casper's "Good Boy" Ribongia Remix: a dark, explosive reimagining inspired by Charli XCX, Lady Gaga, and industrial dance music. Expect live vocals, distorted synths, and signature disco energy from DJ Sean Daigle in an intimate, limited-capacity setting. All ticket holders receive an exclusive piece of Caleb's merch collection.
Die Harder: The Burlesque Show
Doors 7PM, Show 8PM @ Sky Candy, $26.50+
A full narrative burlesque experience reimagining a holiday action classic through striptease, aerial acts, and genuine storytelling that unfolds beginning to end: not just a revue but a whole cinematic arc, told in the only language that matters. Grab your ticket for the 8PM show; a late 10:30PM show is also on offer for night owls.
Gemini Zodiac Party w/ Sexpop, ULTRAvioletcoraline, & More
7:00PM @ The Far Out Lounge & Stage, $10
Dual personalities welcome at this Gemini season bash featuring live music, tarot readings by Aaron's Tarot, an outdoor vendor market, and an exclusive Gemini-themed cocktail. GA is $10 and Geminis get in for half off! Bands run from 7PM through midnight, so bring both of your personalities.
The House of Eclectics: "The First"
Doors 6PM, Show 9PM @ Highland Lounge
Austin's queer collective The House of Eclectics debuts "The First"; a drag showcase dressed up as a full sideshow, with lion tamers, custy clowns, bearded ladies, and strong men alongside a stacked cast of Austin drag royalty. Sponsored by Prismtone 2026, this is one to arrive early for.
Melissa 'Splains the Classics: Live!
Doors 7PM @ Soundspace at Captain Quack's - $15
Comedian Melissa Diaz hauls a Harvard Classic off the shelf and tears into it with a fresh hour of stand-up, then turns it over to a live panel of comedians trading blows with actual academics. Real Quote or Fan Fiction, Speed-Date the Protagonist, Stump the Scholar: and you absolutely do not need to have read the book.
May Open House: Echoes of Home Reception
6:15PM – 10:00PM @ The Cathedral ATX - $19+
Seven AAPI artists explore identity, memory, and migration across painting, sculpture, textile, and mixed media at one of Austin's most architecturally striking gallery spaces. Open bar, artist talk, and a walk-in welcome vibe. This is the kind of Friday night that makes you feel smarter and more human at the same time.
Love, Loss & Other Constellations
Opening Night @ East Side Performing Arts, $21
KDH Dance Company premieres an evening-length work (original choreography, music, costumes, and lighting) created in the wake of founder Kathy Dunn Hamrick's passing, performed up close and nearly in-the-round. This is community-rooted Austin dance at its most personal; the bar opens 30 minutes before showtime and all seating is first-come, first-served.
More amazingness on Friday @ WhatsGoodATX !
Saturday, May 30th
🐦 We are so excited to put on an event this month! We’ve teamed up with Jorge Buendia, an incredible birding photographer, to do a Birding 101 session on May 30th. The walk part is full, because we can’t have too big of a crowd as to not disturb the birdies. BUT, we’ll have a bird nerd social afterwards, so please join us! and a little birdie told me Jorge might be doing more of these, so you definitely want to get on the list. https://luma.com/gzg83qb9 |
The Austin Record Convention
10:00AM @ Palmer Events Center, $5+
The legendary twice-annual dig, running since 1981: dealers, collectors, and obsessives from across the country descend on Palmer for a weekend of crates, conversation, and that one record you've been hunting for years. Plan your haul at austinrecords.com.
Old Gregg's Mayfest: Beer Festival, Goat Races & Polka Band
12:00PM @ Old Gregg Brewing Company, FREE!
Czech Melody Masters on live polka (1 – 4pm), goat racing with a petting zoo, face painting, stein holding contests for kids and adults, a new beer release, and best-dressed competition: all at a craft brewery. This is exactly the kind of Saturday afternoon that justifies living in Austin.
Liquid Light Burlesque
9:00PM @ Valhalla - $21.40+
CanDeStroy Movement brings a psychedelic-themed burlesque show to Valhalla featuring live performances from Dev Developpe, Hibiscus Bloom, Brandy Knight, and CanDeStroy, celebrating the history of dance traditions that gave us burlesque as we know it. VIP tickets get you a bonus interactive post-show performance involving paint, an absurd quantity of raffle tickets, and a signed postcard from the performers.
Yellow Bike turns 29!!
7:00PM @ Factory on 5th - $10
Austin's beloved nonprofit bike program throws its birthday bash with Money Chicha (fuzzed-out Peruvian chicha from members of Grupo Fantasma and Brownout), the 8-piece Afropop dynamo Bamako Airlines, and DJ Katastrophik spinning 45s from her legendary hoard. Six hours of community, cumbia, and psychedelic grooves for a tenner at the Factory on 5th.
Clownidarity Forever!
1:30PM @ The Vortex - $10 (sliding scale)
Part fundraiser, part fever dream: a screening of the award-winning Palestinian short film "The Horse of Jenin" followed by a clown drag show, with proceeds going to Uncle Tito of the Gaza Circus School. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, with Watermelon Film Club tabling and Palestinian olive oil and kufiyas for sale.
Deer Fellow (Album Release) with Sophie Seng & Magnolia Kids
8:00PM @ Hole in the Wall, $10
Celebrate the debut full-length Hues from Austin indie folk-pop act Deer Fellow, sponsored in the most Austin way possible: free Voodoo Doughnuts, free EarlyBird CBD gummies, and free cookies from Cookie Jar Bar. Live painting by Tre Abraham, plus vinyl, CDs, and adult coloring books available.
Other cool stuff happening on Saturday @ WhatsGoodATX !
Sunday, May 31st
3rd Annual Wet T-Slur Contest
4:00PM – 8:00PM @ Cheer Up Charlies, FREE!
The Trans community kicks off Pride Month in the most Cheer Up Charlies way possible: a water slide, a wet t-shirt contest open exclusively to trans folks, and a bar tab prize for the wettest winner of 2026. Expect big energy, BBLs, packers, bazoongas, and the kind of gay love that makes a Sunday afternoon legendary. Come for the competition, stay for the vibe.
Red Light Lit Austin Prom
7:00PM – 9:00PM @ 29th Street Ballroom – $22.99+
Austin's literary burlesque night goes full prom: 5 writers, 5 burlesque dancers, a comic, a musician, and a host going stag take the stage to explore the joy, nostalgia, and anxiety of prom season. Snap a photo at the prom-inspired photo booth, and bring a date, or go stag like the host. Supported by an Elevate Grant of Austin Arts.
A Full Moon Hypnosis and Music Journey
6:30PM – 7:30PM @ Casa De Luz, $88
Concerts in the Dark blends live candlelit string music with guided past-life regression hypnosis for an experience that is genuinely unlike anything else on this list. Award-winning violinist Will Taylor and cellist Tony Rogers perform while certified hypnotherapist Samantha Marvels leads the room inward: no stage hypnosis, full personal control, just deep listening in the dark. Book Part 1 here; a discount code for Part 2 (The Love Garden, 7:30PM) is included in your confirmation email.
Beats & Beers and Bops: House Disco All Ages Day Party
1:00PM – 6:00PM @ St. Elmo Brewing Co., FREE!
St. Elmo South's beer garden turns into a disco house day party with San Marcos instrumental collective And Bops, plus sets from Tommy Fuego, Bluu Stem, Kuvu, Little Jack Heart Attack, and more. Free, all ages, food trucks on site; genuinely one of the better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Alpha City Limits
3:00PM @ Inn Cahoots, $25
A class of 4th and 5th graders dreamed up their own music festival, did the organizing, booked the acts, and now they're pulling it off: live. Alpha City Limits features student and local performers across R&B, soul, hip-hop, funk, and Americana, with 100% of proceeds going to local charities.
Half-Baked Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream
6:30PM @ Radio/East, $7.34
Actors learn their lines, talk about the play a few times, show up in costume with props, and perform without ever fully rehearsing. Half-Baked Shakespeare does A Midsummer Night's Dream this way and it is, reliably, more fun than any polished production. A perfect end-of-May summer night.
More interesting events on Sunday @ WhatsGoodATX!
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