Special Events in Austin
March 8–16
Various locations, $945 and up
Ladies and gentleman, the time is finally upon us: South by Southwest returns like a beacon of
hope or an annoyance worth avoiding — depending on which local you ask. Regardless of your involvement and/or wristband-status however, you can guarantee unique experiences, long Uber wait times, and at least two texts from people you haven’t seen since high school asking if you have a couch to crash on. While you can’t go wrong popping into any showcase, some highlights this year include a screening of the new Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt film, The Fall Guy, as well as a performance by Spanish indie rockers, Hinds.
March 14
Luck, Texas
Without question, there is no one more beloved in Austin than the exalted Willie Nelson. Should you have any doubt that this is true, just visit the massive sculpture of him that sits at the corner of West 2nd Street and Lavaca. And his signature SXSW adjacent-event, the Luck Reunion, is the perfect chance to see why Willie is king. The whole she-bang goes down about a 45-minute drive from Austin at Willie’s ranch in Luck, which in itself is set up like an old Western film set. There, you can catch live music sets from Tyler Childers, Lucius, Zella Day & Chaparelle, and, of course, the Red Headed Stranger himself. Just be sure to keep an eye on Luck’s social media and sign up for their mailing list, as tickets are only released in certain quantities on special days.
March 8–23
Travis County Exposition Center, $30 and up
Considering all the out-of-state visitors and various degrees of celebrity that invade the city limits during SXSW, it is sometimes hard to forget that you are, indeed, still in Texas. For those who need a return to their Lone Star roots, there’s no better antidote to the festival craziness than hitting up the bucking bronco celebration that is Rodeo Austin. Not only do you get to see the main event—cowboys holding on for dear life to some seriously perturbed cattle—but there’s also live music, a stock show, and a full-out carnival for you to take in between the man-and-animal takedowns.
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