Blog > 10 Things To Do In Austin This November!
The weather finally seems to be cooling off, and when November 1st comes around many people will already be ready for the Holiday season to begin! But, November isn’t just a time for cooking up delicious meals and starting your holiday shopping! There are tons of great events happening in Austin in November! While many of them are, in fact, in celebration of the holiday season, many more are celebrating all kinds of other things! Whether you’re celebrating German and Latin cultures, science and learning, or your favorite authors, musicians, and even superheroes, November is a great time to get out and enjoy some of the Austin area’s best and often most underrated annual events!
November 3rd – 12th
Wurstfest
You don’t have to fly across the pond to get to Germany – you’ll feel like you’re there just by driving 50 miles south of Downtown Austin to New Braunfels this November for the city’s annual Wurstfest celebration! Enjoy carnival rides, games, and special events and get a taste of Bavarian culture through music and dance, food, and beer. Try Delicious German sausage, split a pitcher of refreshing German beer with your pals, and dance the night away to some of the finest Alpine and Bavarian style entertainment!
November 4th
Dia de los Muertos Concert
The festival, held at Fiesta Gardens, will feature well known artists from the Latin and Texas music industries. Headlining the show will be the Local Austin band Grupo Fantasma! In addition to the great musical performances there will be delicious food, drinks, and fun activities for the kiddos! All proceeds go to helping Easterseals Central Texas spread awareness about disabilities!
November 4th – 5th
Texas Book Festival
Bookworms won’t want to miss this year’s Texas Book Festival. This year’s festival features over 250 authors including Jenna Bush Hager, Andrew Clements, Sarah Dessen, and Tom Hanks! Book lovers of all ages can enjoy readings, panel discussions, signings, and even cooking demonstrations, live music, and children’s activities! Snack on local food while you meet some of your favorite authors! The best part is, the festival is free to the public!
November 4th – 5th
Fossil Fest
Remind the kiddos that science is cool AND fun at the 27th annual Fossil Fest. Attendees will get to meet scientists, dig for fossils in the Hands-On Fossil Touch Table, examine specimen under a microscope, and learn all about fossils that have been discovered right here in Texas! Kids can also bring their own fossils in for identification, or if they haven’t found their own yet they can pick one up at the Wheel of Fossils & Dig Pit and start their first fossil collection! Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for kids ages 6 – 12. All kiddos under 6 are free!
November 5th
Texas Monthly BBQ Festival
If there’s one thing Texas does better than anyone else, it’s barbecue! And, Texas Monthly is the definitive source for the best of the best. This year’s fest will feature over 30 barbecue joints from around the state, all hand selected from the magazine’s Top 50 BBQ joints in Texas list. Six local Austin restaurants made the list including the famous Franklin Barbecue. Indulge in some of the state’s best, smokiest, and tenderest brisket while rocking out to live music by The Peterson Brothers Band, Bruce Robinson, Willis Alan Ramsey, and Carrie Rodriguez. There will also be desserts, cocktails, and cold beer to enjoy with your ‘cue. Once you’ve eaten enough barbecue to last you through winter sit back and relax while enjoying the music or start up a friendly game of corn hole to work off some of those calories!
November 10th – 12th & 15th
Sound on Sound Fest
While the original event in Lost Pines Forest was cancelled, the majority of the performers have rescheduled shows at venues around Austin! Friday through Sunday artists including Citizen, Hotelier, The Frights, and the Shins will be playing at bars and music venues including Mohawk, Emos, Cheer Up Charlies, Empire, Scoot Inn, Vulcan Gas Co, the Aztec Theatre, and ACL Live at the Moody Theatre and on Wednesday one final show will start at 7:00pm. Tickets are sold to shows on an individual basis. You may not be able to get the full medieval festival experience originally planned for the entertainment extravaganza in Sherwood Forest, but you still won’t want to miss this opportunity to see some really great bands!
November 17th – 19th
Austin Comic Con
Join your fellow comic lovers at Wizard World’s Comic Con! This year promises celebrity guests including Kate Beckinsale, Val Kilmer, Felicia Day, Michael Rooker, and WWE® Superstars The Hardy Boyz. The event will feature live performances, Q&A’s with your favorite celebrities, costume contests, photo ops, autograph sessions, workshops, video games, kids activities, and much more! The legendary Gene Simmons of KISS will also be doing a special solo performance this year! Whether you’re a fan of anime, comics, superheroes, or the supernatural you won’t want to miss this star-studded event!
November 18th
Chuy’s Christmas Parade
‘Tis the season! You won’t want to miss this fun and exciting display of giant balloons, holiday floats, famous children’s characters, marching bands, classic cars, and of course the one and only Santa Clause! The parade will begin at 11am sharp at the Capitol Building and continue along South Congress all the way to Cesar Chavez Street. Along the route, the parade procession will stop and Santa’s Helpers will be collecting donations from the crowd to benefit Operation Blue Santa, so bring your unwrapped toys to donate to a deserving child!
November 23rd
Turkey Trot
Already worried about all the calories you’re going to be consuming at your family’s Thanksgiving feast this year? Before you indulge, work up an appetite at ThunderCloud Sub’s annual Turkey Trot! You won’t have to feel guilty going for that second helping of pumpkin pie at dessert! If you’re feeling really ambitious you can participate in the 5-mile run. Or, there’s also a more relaxing 1-mile walk, perfect for the whole family to enjoy! Registration is between $10 to $30, depending on which race you register for. All the proceeds go to helping Caritas of Austin fulfill their mission of ending homelessness in the area! Don’t miss out on the Turkey Trot Raffle either! You could win a brand new Honda Accord from First Texas Honda!
November 24th – December 24th
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
Find the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season at the Blue Genie Art Bazaar! The unique holiday art show kicks off at 10am on Black Friday and will continue everyday from 10am – 10pm until Christmas Eve. Entry to the event is free and more than 200 local artists will be selling their handmade artwork, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, and more! No matter what your gift budget is for this year, you will find great, meaningful gifts at the bazaar! A portion of the proceeds from each sale at the event will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.Grab some gifts for your friends, family, or even yourself and give back to a great cause at this annual Austin event!