Austin Highlights: August 31 To September 3

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The best free and fun events in Austin, August 31 – September 3, include Hecha de Oro, Undertale: The Determination Symphony, and more!

Austin turns up the energy long before the weekend hits, and this list rounds up the can’t-miss events keeping the city buzzing all week long. Explore what’s happening from August 31 to September 3, and keep your weekdays packed with Austin’s signature spirit and creativity!

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Check out our recent updates to our guides: Date Ideas in Austin, Things To Do with Teens in Austin, and Things To Do this Summer in Austin.

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Monday, August 31, 2026

Black Veil Brides in concert

Catch the explosive energy of Black Veil Brides live in concert as the iconic rock outfit takes the stage to perform fan favorites, highlighting a career that spans six albums, most recently including their 2021 release The Phantom Tomorrow.

Get ready for an intense, high-energy performance from a band that has defined modern rock and alternative music.

Where: Emo’s Austin, 2015 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78741
When: Monday, August 31, 2026 | 5:30 PM
How Much: Starts at $55

Amster Maker Studio — Walk-In Pottery Painting & Craft Bar

Austin picks August 31 - September 3 2026 - Walk-In Pottery Painting

Image Credit: Inspired Minds Art Center FB Page

Choose from simple DIY projects or try your hand at walk-in pottery painting, with all basic tools and materials provided for project-based creating. Friendly staff is ready to help first-timers get started during a low-pressure afternoon of making, connecting, and trying something new.

Where: Inspired Minds Art Center, 121 Main St, Buda, TX 78610
When: Monday, August 31, 2026 – September 30, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
How Much: $45

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Yamel Cucuy: A Bilingual Reading+Screening

Step into a uniquely entertaining live dubbing of the 2024 filmed production of Yamel Cucuy en español, filmed by Jose Lozano, where English subtitles play on screen while actors read the text live in Spanish, accompanied by live sound effects.

This special presentation supports the award-winning company’s fall tour to Chicago, Los Angeles, Spanish-speaking festivals in Mexico, and beyond, helping to raise a $4,000 goal to supplement performer and stage manager stipends while the cast is away from families and jobs for five weeks.

Where: Jones Auditorium, 1st Floor, Building RAGS RM, Ragsdale Center, Moody Dr #101, Austin, TX 78704
When: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
How Much: Donate what you can

Come From Away

Experience the uplifting, Tony Award-winning musical that chronicles the true story of a small Newfoundland town that embraced 7,000 stranded airline passengers in the days following 9/11.

This spirited production features an infectious Celtic folk and bluegrass-inspired score that highlights the very best of humanity, inviting you to be part of a communal celebration that is as warm as the townspeople themselves.

Where: Zach Theater, 202 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
When: Tuesday, September 1 – 27, 2026 | 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
How Much: Starts at $28

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Undertale: The Determination Symphony

Image credit: Undertale: The Determination Symphony

Step into the beloved world of the hit indie game through a breathtaking concert experience featuring its most memorable themes newly arranged and performed live by a 25-piece orchestra.

With official gameplay footage displayed on a screen above the stage, you will be fully immersed in the story and music like never before.

Where: H-E-B Center, 2100 Ave of the Stars, Cedar Park, TX 78613
When: Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | 8:00 PM
How Much: Starts at $62.05

Two-Step Lessons at Sagebrush: Beginner + Intermediate

Image credit: Double or Nothing -Two Step Lessons – Austin, Texas

Step onto the dance floor and learn Austin’s signature honky-tonk two-step style with drop-in classes hosted by Double or Nothing Two-Step.

Whether arriving solo, as a couple, or with a group, no partner or prior experience is required to join the beginner lesson at six in the evening or the intermediate class at seven.

Your partners will rotate throughout the session, and your admission covers both the instruction and the live country music that follows.

Where: Sagebrush, 5500 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78745
When: Tuesday, September 2 – November 24, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
How Much: $10

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Thursday, September 3, 2026

Candlelight: Tribute to Michael Jackson

Experience the timeless music of Michael Jackson like never before under the gentle, flickering glow of hundreds of candles inside an awe-inspiring location.

Let a talented ensemble perform breathtaking instrumental arrangements featuring a tentative program including “I Want You Back,” “Rock With You,” “Human Nature,” “Billie Jean,” “Say Say Say,” “We Are the World,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Black or White,” “Heal the World,” “Remember the Time,” “Bad,” “Earth Song,” “They Don’t Really Care About Us,” and “Thriller.”

Where: St. David’s Episcopal Church, 301 E 8th St, Austin, TX 78701
When: Thursday, September 3, 2026 | 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM
How Much: Starts at $34.50

AVENUE Q

Dive into the laugh-out-loud world of Avenue Q, the award-winning Broadway musical where puppets and people alike navigate the trials of early adulthood, jobs, and finding a purpose in life.

Featuring characters like Princeton, Kate Monster, Gary Coleman, Christmas Eve, Rod, and Nicky, played by talented actors and puppets, this Tony-winning “Triple Crown” hit delivers sharp wit, catchy songs, and a wicked sense of humor.

Where: Genesis Creative Collective, 1507 Wilshire Blvd Unit #1, Austin, TX 78722
When: Thursday, September 3 – 13, 2026 | Sunday 3:00 PM, Thursday – Saturday 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
How Much: Starts at $27.38

Hecha de Oro

Immerse yourself in Hecha de Oro, Oro Dance Company’s signature Afro-Latin futurist production that honors Oshún, the Yoruba Orisha of love, beauty, abundance, and freshwater, through an astonishing fusion of Afro-Latin dance, Cuban folklore, Afro-contemporary, flamenco, heels, live singing, rap, spoken word, live drumming, and immersive multimedia.

Cinematic visuals and an original score weave multiple artistic disciplines into a powerful theatrical journey celebrating love, power, freedom, and the extraordinary beauty, humanity, and resilience found in overlooked people and stories.

Where: George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural & Genealogy Center, 1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702
When: Thursday, September 3 – 4, 2026 | 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
How Much: Starts at $45

Kung Fu Cowgirl The Musical

Image credit: Kung Fu Cowgirl

Settle onto the hillside under the Texas stars for an original outdoor musical that brings a hilarious East-meets-West adventure to life with infectious original music spanning funk, jazz, rap, and Western twang.

Follow a young woman from Kung Fu Village with Texas-sized ambitions as she enters the town’s Rodeo Games to reclaim her mother’s treasure, teams up with the charming but roguish Cowboy Cody, and faces off against the dangerous teahouse empress, Madam Babel, in a Chinese-versus-Texas barbecue battle royale.

Where: Zilker Hillside Theater, 2206 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746
When: Thursday, September 3 – September 13, 2026 | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
How Much: Free

Early Era Collective presents Present Perspective Project

Explore the fusion of post-modern and street-style choreography as Early Era Collective premieres the “Present Perspective Project,” featuring work by long-time Early Era artists Daniel Broxton and Jairus Carr.

The evening-length dance production illustrates a compelling journey from past to present by interweaving a narrative about living, actively participating, and navigating multiple sides of the human experience.

Where: Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
When: Thursday, September 3 – 5, 2026 | 8:00 PM
How Much: Starts at $18.50

Black Rose Theater ATX presents And She Was Loved

Experience the world premiere of a deeply moving new one-act play titled And She Was Loved, launched by Black Rose Theater ATX for its inaugural season and written by acclaimed poet, playwright, theater artist, and Austin Poet Laureate Zell Miller III.

The show is inspired by the loss of his mother, Vernell Miller, and longtime mentor, theater icon Laurie Carlos. The narrative blends the mythology of Peter Pan with hip-hop theater, jazz aesthetics, movement, and gesture language to explore grief, memory, emotional abuse, resilience, healing, and the enduring power of love.

Reserve your tickets for this poignant exploration of resilience and healing!

Where: Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W 43rd St, Austin, TX 78751
When: Thursday, September 3 – 12, 2026 | 8:00 PM
How Much: Starts at $17.82

Already planning for the weekend? Browse our latest picks for Friday through Sunday in Austin — concerts, food festivals, date ideas, and more await!