Events Today

Cine Las Americas International Film Festival

May 13-17

6406 N. I-35 Ste. 3100, Austin Midtown

Twenty-eight years of celebrating cinema from across the Americas and still going strong. This year’s festival opens with the local premiere of the Sundance award-winning documentary about America’s preeminent Chicano playwright, American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, before a screening of his most well-known work as a filmmaker, musical biopic La Bamba, in 35mm. There'll be features from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, and Peru, as well as dozens more shorts from across the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world, all before the closing night film, Mexican political allegory Versalles. Also on the schedule are U.S.-based stories like Return of the Sacred… 512/322-0145

Fitness In the Park: Pickleball

Wed., May 13

Gus Garcia Recreation Center

1201 E. Rundberg, Austin North

Sports

Mea culpa: I was one of those jerks who rolled my eyes at pickleball... without having ever actually played pickleball before. Once I picked up a paddle, I discovered what a gajillion people already know. Turns out pickleball’s really fun! If you, too, want to know more about the fastest-growing sport in the country, this free weekly class led by Austin Pickle Ranch pros, which meets Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm, could be a good first foot in the door. – Kimberley Jones 512/339-0016

Extra Terrestrial Visitors

Wed., May 13

Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar

1120 S. Lamar, Austin South Lamar and Barton Springs

Film

In the 1980s, every low-budget filmmaker was either ripping off Alien (see Galaxy of Terror, Xtro) or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Mac and Me, Nukie). The producers of 1983’s Los nuevos extraterrestres went, hey, why not both? You may also know it as The Pod People aka The Unearthling aka Extra Terrestrial Visitors aka E.T.: The Second Coming, just to make sure that you knew what the distributors were stealing from. But if that’s not derivative enough, it also steals liberally from Invaders From Mars, Without Warning (aka the B-movie that Predator stole from) and Old Yeller. It’s all for the… 512/861-7040

The Wiz

May 12-17

Bass Concert Hall

2350 Robert Dedman, Austin Campus

Theatre

Ease on down the road with Broadway in Austin’s latest extravaganza. Throw the Wizard of Oz in a blender with R&B and disco, and you get The Wiz: After a 2024 Broadway revival brought the musical back to neon, Day-Glo life, the entire production hit the gray asphalt road to tour around with spectacular sets in tow. An updated book and extended choreography add extra boost to this Tony Award winner, making it a soulful night where you can, and most definitely will, win. – Cat McCarrey 512/471-2787

Run Austin Launch Week

May 12-19

Downtown Austin

Austin, Austin Beyond Austin

Sports

You know how Rome wasn’t built in a day? Well, your body probably wasn’t built to tackle a marathon, like, tomorrow. That’s what this launch week is for – to get you officially committing to to some of the city’s biggest running events (like the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K, and the Spurs Austin International Half) while simultaneously snagging steep discounts on early bird registration and earning a shot at loads of giveaways. All week, running groups will be open to newcomers. From early risers to beer enthusiasts to fleet-footed moms, you’re bound to find a group… 000-000-0000

Charlie Hyman: “Flat Earth”

Through May 16

Ivester Contemporary

916 Springdale #107, 916 Springdale #107, Austin East

Visual Arts

Unlike the conspiracy theory peddled by people incapable of comprehending a horizon line, the earths presented by first-timer to the East Austin gallery Charlie Hyman’s ceramic vessels are anything but flat. He utilizes traditional shapes in his hand-built pieces, which contrast the sheer magnitude of action going on over the ceramic surface. Cartoonish scenes comparable to Hieronymus Bosch’s work tell labyrinthine tales of labor, hierarchy, and ritual in rich, vibrant colors. These are pieces that definitely reward repeat viewings, so snag a peek when the show cracks open this Friday, April 10. – James Scott

“Chasing Sun, Becoming Moss”

May 2-30

Connelly Martin Gallery

1406 W. Sixth St., Austin Old West Austin

Visual Arts

Textile art is easy to get lost in. Renata Daina’s fabric work is no exception, woven squares and twisting ropes for viewers to immerse themselves in the coils and turns, in corners of joined threads and tufted squares. Daina’s new exhibit at Connelly Martin takes a distinctly earthy tone: sunsets woven in purple and yellow, and gray-green rectangles covered with strange, wormish tangles. It all beckons toward the harmony of our planet. Join the opening reception this Saturday for a special glimpse into Daina’s natural viewpoint. – Cat McCarrey 318/366-4615

“Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded”

Through August 2

The Blanton Museum of Art

200 E. MLK, Austin Campus

Visual Arts

Interested in how contemporary artists are using algorithms and artificial intelligence to create original and interesting artworks? Check out Blanton’s “Run the Code" exhibit in collaboration with the Thoma Foundation featuring work from digital artists like Turkish artist Refik Anadol and Spanish artist Daniel Canogar. The exhibit explores the question of “What does it mean to create art in a world shaped by data?” and how algorithms can create interactive pieces of art. Blanton members can see an exclusive preview on March 7. – Valeria Cruz Butrón 512/471-5482

“Titanic: The Human Story”

Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays. Continues through June 29

11000 Middle Fiskville Rd. Bldg. A

11000 Middle Fiskville Rd. Bldg. A, Austin Greater Austin

Community

Scientists have estimated that what’s left of Titanic has no more than a decade or two before it collapses completely into the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean, but our collective fascination with the downed ship has never diminished. An audio guide will lead you through this touring exhibition from Spain’s Musealia and historian Claes-Göran Wetterholm, as the story of history’s most famous maritime disaster becomes human-scaled via more than 200 personal artifacts from passengers and crew, and re-creations of the ship’s interior, including first-class and third-class accommodations, that you can walk through. The tour takes about 80-90 minutes. –…

"Touch the Art "

Through July 5

Almost Real Things Gallery

916 Springdale Rd. #101, Bldg. 2, Austin East

Visual Arts

There’s something that feels thrillingly transgressive about Almost Real Things’ signature “Touch the Art” exhibit. Now in its fourth year, the interactive installation from the new Austin Studio Tour showrunners sets up the sensory experience at their recently relocated Canopy HQ and showcases pieces from over 80 artists. The tactile gallery unlocks an entirely new and accessible way to engage with art appreciation, with works as viscerally surprising as they are visually stunning, including special pieces created in collaboration with students from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The exhibit opens Friday, May 8, and runs through…

Hatha Yoga

Wednesday and Saturdays through May 30

Neill-Cochran House Museum

2310 San Gabriel, Austin Campus

Community, Sports

From this Wednesday on through spring’s last gasps, the serene space of the NCHM will be covered in yoga mats. The six-week, instructor-led course offers folks of any experience level a chance to refresh and recharge their energy. Come for every class on either Wednesdays or Saturdays for the full $75 general ticket price ($50 for students), or just drop in for a single $15 session. – James Scott

Patrick Puckett

Through May 31

Wally Workman Gallery

1202 W. Sixth, Austin Old West Austin

Visual Arts

Bold, clear brushstrokes make the various settings of Mississippi-based artist Patrick Puckett’s latest work instantly familiar yet unique to each painting’s subject. A blond woman lounges on a subtly Southwestern-style area rug with overgrown houseplants matching her light green one-piece (Watermelon, oil on canvas); a shirtless young man stands among pianos and the clutter of a well-lived-in space (The Maestro, mixed media on paper); three fit people just out of the pool – or maybe on their way back in – with two of them wrapped in bright patterned towels that cut through a background of thick green leaves (The… 512/472-7428

Texas Festivals: Creating Community Through Celebration

Through Sept. 27

Bullock Texas State History Museum

1800 Congress, Austin Campus

Community

Everything, for the most part, is bigger in Texas – and that includes the community celebrations. Kicking off this Saturday, April 25, and running until late September is the Bob Bullock Museum’s tribute to the festivals of the Lone Star State. Showcasing 27 Texan fests, the exhibition’s three sections explores these festive affairs through iconic artifacts, a short documentary, and several interactive elements, from make-your-own gown trains to Mad Libs-style festival name making, and even a food truck-themed play area. With summer nipping at our spring heels, here’s a great way to soak in all the festival fun within the… 512/936-4629

Sable Elyse Smith: “Clockwork”

Through August 2

The Contemporary Austin at the Jones Center

700 Congress, Austin Downtown

Visual Arts

In cleanly crafted sculpture, neon-illuminated statements, video pieces, and primary-colored works on paper, Sable Elyse Smith dissects the systems of power hidden in plain sight. The Contemporary’s Jones Center welcomes the New York-based artist’s first solo exhibition in Texas. Through a collection building on postminimal concepts, “Clockwork” shares Smith’s distinct interdisciplinary, socially attuned perspective with Austin audiences. With precise repetition, deliberate disorientation, and contrasts of form and color, each piece reflects on the cyclical cultural forces ticking beneath our daily lives. – Caroline Drew 512/453-5312

Eli Durst: “The Children's Melody”

Through May 16

Ivester Contemporary

916 Springdale #107, 916 Springdale #107, Austin East

Visual Arts

Photography preserves more than a moment. It captures shape and form, the iceberg depths of feelings from that flashpoint preservation. Artist Eli Durst’s latest exhibit amplifies the emotional intensity in group dynamics. In his photos, he’s mastered seeing the potential for maximum beauty in the breaths before big events. They’re expertly crafted stills of preparations for great moments. Adults rehearsing for a musical. Cheerleaders practicing before the big game. A children’s choir getting ready to sing. All the nerves, hope, and potential are written in their faces, a feast of future dreams on display. – Cat McCarrey

Barks for Beers

May 1-31

Various Locations

Various Locations, Austin Greater Austin

Community

Woof, woof, and, might I add, bark, bark. Yes, it’s time for dog therapy services org Divine Canines to deliver their 12th annual fundraiser for the furry among us. Help support their work providing free therapy pooches to folks in need – they’ve got about 190 teams working at the moment – by snagging a Pawsport for $30. That little number ought to get you a free pour at any of the 30 participating breweries, almost all of which are hosting kickoff parties this Friday. Go on; there’ll be lots of tasty beers to drink and cute dogs to pet…

American Modernism From the Charles Butt Collection: From Edward Hopper to Alma Thomas

Through August 2

The Blanton Museum of Art

200 E. MLK, Austin Campus

Visual Arts

Scenes of urban loneliness and pastoral stoicism, colorful snippets of joyous living, and form-defying illustrations of social structures are a few expressive artworks on display in this much-anticipated exhibit – to say nothing of the bright mosaic-inspired paintings of Alma Thomas and the enveloping nature depictions of Georgia O’Keeffe. On the collection’s first public tour, H-E-B heir Charles Butt shares over 80 works by America’s most prominent modernist artists. Enveloping cubism, abstraction, and landscape movements that captured imaginations from the late 19th century through the Seventies, these varied expressions of identity and experience distinguished an era of American art. –… 512/471-5482

John Slatin AccessU 2026

Wed., May 13, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Thu., May 14, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

St. Edward's University

3001 S. Congress, Austin South Congress and South First

Get Tickets

General ($645)

Learning

AccessU is the annual hands-on, accessibility training conference where tech professionals, content creators, policymakers, and advocates come together for deep learning in accessible digital design. 512-527-3138

Round Rock Express vs. Sacramento River Cats

Wed., May 13, 6:45 p.m., Thu., May 14, 6:45 p.m., Fri., May 15, 7:05 p.m., Sat., May 16, 7:05 p.m. and Sun., May 17, 1:05 p.m.

Dell Diamond

3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock Beyond Austin

Get Tickets

Sports

512/255-2255

28th Annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF)

May 13-17

AFS Cinema

6406 N. I-35 Ste. 3100, Austin Midtown

Get Tickets

Film

A spotlight on Latinx, Indigenous and Latin American storytelling, Cine Las Americas’ 28th International Film Festival features a wide array of film screenings, special events and a music video showcase; individual screening tickets and badges are on sale now. 512/322-0145

Sarah Sharp (performance & record signing)

Wed., May 13, 5 p.m.

Waterloo Records

1105 N. Lamar, Austin Old West Austin

Promoted Events

Battle of the Constellations: A Celestial Fête Celebrating Host Publications

Big Ole Queer Market

Community Art Saturday

The Zenith Project

Jim Keller (co-writer of "867-5309/Jenny") With Audley Freed & Friends, The Happen-Ins

Here Be Monsters 2026

Austin Songcore May Songwriters Showcase

GLOWDEO feat. Reyna Roberts, Ashley Walls, Lane Smith, and Disko Cowboy

Calendar