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Top Things to Do in Austin Before Summer Ends

One last chance to catch these fun seasonal Austin events

Drop-In summer concert series at the Long Center. (Photo by Brynn Osborn)
Drop-In summer concert series at the Long Center. (Photo by Brynn Osborn)

Summer may be winding down, but there’s still time to squeeze in a few seasonal favorites before they disappear from the calendar. Catch one last free concert on the Long Center lawn, see a musical under the stars, visit prehistoric creatures before they leave the Wildflower Center or escape the heat with a classic movie on the big screen.

Dancers at The Drop-In at Long Center (photo by Brynn Osborne)
Drop In Summer Concert Series at the Long Center. (Photo by Brynn Osborne)

See the Final Drop-In Concert at the Long Center

Ends Aug. 13

Thursday nights on the Long Center lawn have been filled with live music all summer, but there’s only one Drop-In left. The free weekly concert series closes out its season Aug. 13 with Wonder Women of Country, the trio of Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh and Melissa Carper, with Bonnie Montgomery opening the show. The music begins at 8 p.m., giving Austinites one last chance this summer to spread out on the lawn and catch a free concert against the downtown skyline.

Zilker Theatre Productions
ZTP’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain” at Zilker Hillside Theater. (Photo courtesy of Zilker Theatre Productions)

Catch “Singin’ in the Rain” Under the Stars

Ends Aug. 15

One of Austin’s longest-running summer traditions is nearing its final curtain. Zilker Theatre Productions’ 67th annual summer musical, “Singin’ in the Rain,” wraps up Aug. 15 at the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater. Directed by Damon Brown, the romantic musical comedy follows Hollywood’s chaotic transition from silent films to “talkies,” complete with familiar songs and plenty of tap dancing. This week’s final performances run Thursday through Saturday, with the production closing Aug. 15. Admission is free.

Life-size Ice Age animals are on display throughout the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as part of its “Ice Age in the Wild” exhibition, which runs through Aug. 15.
Life-size Ice Age animals are on display throughout the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as part of its “Ice Age in the Wild” exhibition, which runs through Aug. 15. (Photo courtesy of the Wildflower Center)

Walk Among Life-Size Ice Age Creatures at the Wildflower Center

Ends Aug. 15

“Ice Age in the Wild,” the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s summer exhibition of life-size prehistoric mammals, closes Aug. 15. Before the creatures disappear, the center is giving visitors a chance to see them after dark during Ice Age Night on Aug. 14. The evening includes free face painting, a prehistoric craft, a dance party in the Great Hall and food trucks including Sweet Frida, JABS and The Corndog Company. Adult beverages will also be available for purchase.

A screening of "Sleepaway Camp," during Paramount's Summer Classic Film Series at the State Theatre.
A screening of “Sleepaway Camp,” during Paramount’s Summer Classic Film Series at the State Theatre. (Photo by Rachel Parker)

Spend an Evening at the Movies

Ends Aug. 31

The Paramount Summer Classic Film Series has been screening nearly 100 films throughout the summer, with movies continuing almost daily through Aug. 31. This year, the series has expanded to the State Theatre and the Bullock Museum IMAX Theatre while the Paramount undergoes its first major renovation in more than 50 years, allowing the summer tradition to continue during the closure. The final stretch includes a 40th anniversary screening of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “The Matrix” in IMAX and a showing of “The Goonies” with free pizza for moviegoers.

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