Best Fall Festivals in Austin
Explore Austin’s fall festival season, with events celebrating music, film, food, art and more
Fall in Austin means a full slate of festivals covering nearly every interest. Music, film, food, literature and art all have a place on the calendar, with events that range from major international draws to community traditions. Here are some of the top festivals to look out for this season.
Levitation
Dates: September 25–28, 2025
Location: Palmer Events Center
What began as a small psych-rock gathering founded by Austin band The Black Angels and their friends has grown into one of the city’s most beloved music festivals. Today, Levitation spans multiple days of immersive concerts, uniting experimental acts, rock icons and boundary-pushing performers. This year’s lineup includes headliners TV on the Radio, Pavement, Mastodon and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, along with Blonde Redhead, Built to Spill, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Frankie and the Witch Fingers and more.
Fantastic Fest
Dates: September 18-25, 2025
Location: Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar
Genre film fans flock to Fantastic Fest for horror, fantasy, sci-fi and cult cinema from around the world. Now in its 20th year, the festival brings movie premieres, parties, a pitch competition and more. This year’s slate features premieres including Universal Pictures and Blumhouse’s “Black Phone 2,” Neon’s “Shelby Oaks” and the world premiere of Shudder’s latest franchise installment, “V/H/S/Halloween.”
Pecan Street Festival
Dates: September 13-14, 2025
Location: Hill Country Galleria
The 50th Pecan Street Festival is one of Central Texas’s largest and longest-running arts and crafts festivals, welcoming thousands each year for a free, family-friendly weekend. The two-day festival features hundreds of artisans selling handmade goods, along with food vendors, live music from THEBROSFRESH, Jo James, FOAM and more, plus activities ranging from two-stepping lessons and yoga sessions to children’s art workshops and self-defense classes.
Austin City Limits Music Festival
Dates: October 3-5 & 10-12, 2025
Location: Zilker Park
The city’s biggest music festival takes over Zilker Park for two weekends each October. ACL Festival draws massive crowds with a lineup that blends global superstars and rising acts across genres. This year’s bill includes The Killers, Sabrina Carpenter, John Summit, The Strokes, Hozier and Luke Combs. Festivalgoers can expect more than 100 performances across nine stages, along with sprawling food and drink options — all set against the downtown skyline.
Austin Film Festival
Dates: October 23–30, 2025
Location: Various theaters throughout downtown Austin
Known as “the writers’ festival,” Austin Film Festival puts storytelling at the forefront. Alongside red-carpet screenings and world premieres, AFF hosts panels with screenwriters, showrunners and filmmakers, blending Hollywood prestige with industry networking. This year’s premieres include director Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice,” Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet.” The festival also hosts the world’s largest screenwriters conference, featuring more than 200 panelists and discussions that now extend beyond film and television to include plays, podcasts and digital series.
Viva La Vida Festival & Parade
Dates: October 25, 202
Location: 4th Street and Congress Avenue
Hosted by Mexic-Arte Museum, this Día de los Muertos celebration features one of the city’s most colorful parades. Expect elaborate costumes, community altars and art installations, alongside live music, food and hands-on art activities. The parade winds through downtown before ending in a street festival.
Austin Food + Wine Festival
Dates: November 7-9, 2025
Location: Auditorium Shores
Food lovers converge at Auditorium Shores for three days of tastings, demonstrations and chef-led experiences. The festival features top culinary talent from Austin and beyond, with a lineup that includes grand tastings, intimate dinners and live-fire cooking showcases.
Texas Book Festival
Dates: November 8–9, 2025
Location: Texas State Capitol
Founded in 1995, the Texas Book Festival has grown into one of the nation’s largest literary events. Each year, hundreds of authors gather at the Texas State Capitol and surrounding grounds for readings, panel discussions and book signings. Festivalgoers can expect headliners such as Mitch Albom, Chelsea Handler, Matthew McConaughey and Viet Thanh Nguyen. At its core, the festival connects authors and readers from all walks of life while advocating for open access to literature.
Austin Studio Tour
Dates: Nov. 8-9 & 15-16, 2025
Location: Various art studios and galleries
This self-guided tour invites the public into the studios of local artists. Spread across two weekends, the event highlights Austin’s diverse creative community, from emerging talents to established names. Galleries, home studios and museums open their doors for an inside look at the city’s visual arts scene.
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