Fun Things To Do In Austin This Weekend Aug. 24-26

AUSTIN, TX — You made it, kiddo. You survived another week, put up with rush-hour traffic, endured that annoying co-worker, stained that shirt at lunch and endured interminable company meetings. It's time for some fun now!

And Austin has plenty events from which to select for you to let your hair down, either literally or figuratively. No judgment.

FRIDAY, AUG. 24

AUSTIN RESTAURANT WEEKS

Friday marks the kickoff for a new Austin tradition dubbed Austin Restaurant Weeks that runs until Sept. 3. The event's dual mission is to showcase the best culinary offerings Austin restaurants have to offer while serving as a benefit for the Central Texas Food Bank. Presented by Tito's Handmade Vodka, Austin Restaurant Weeks is described as a a two-week long dining extravaganza featuring specially priced lunches, dinner and cocktails at restaurants throughout the Austin area. For restaurateurs, it’s a great opportunity to help fight hunger while providing diners who might not be regular patrons with an easy, economical way to dine with them. And for diners, it’s a way to help our neighbors in need while enjoying some of the best dishes this amazing, food-driven city has to offer. Participating restaurants include: III Forks Steakhouse, Austin Taco Project, backYARD at Waller Creek, Barley Swine, Be More Pacific Filipino Kitchen and Bar, Boiler Nine Bar + Grill, Buenos Aires Café Este, Café No Sé, Cane Rosso, Cannon + Belle, Caroline, The Capital Grille, The Cavalier, Central Standard, Contigo, Copper Restaurant & Dessert Lounge, Corner, The Driskill Grill, Easy Tiger, El Naranjo, Forthright Cafe, Fulton, Goodall’s Kitchen,Grizzelda's, Gusto, The Hightower, Hillside Farmacy, Hops & Grain Brewing, Hudon's Hill Country, Il Brutto, Intero, Italic, It's Italian Cucina, Jacoby's, La Condesa, Le Politique, L'Oca d'Oro, Lucky Robot, Mandala Kitchen & Bar, Max's Wne Dive, Meridian 98, Mia Italian Tapas & bar, Nightcap, Odd Duck, Osteria Pronto, Olive & June, Parkside, Paul Martin's Austin Grill, The Peached Tortilla, Revue, Rosewood, Sala & Betty, Second Bar + Kitchen Domain NORTHSIDE, Second Bar + Kitchen downtown, Stella San Jac, Sway, Thai Fresh, True Food Kitchen, Unit0D Pizzeria, Via 313, Yuyo, Zilker Brewing and more.

Patch was fortunate enough to be invited to a private preview party on Aug. 14 that served as a kickoff to the event. It was staged at The Belmont, 305 West 6th St., with some delectable samples of some of the food to be featured during the two-week long event. Artista Rosso Market Style Restaurant was there, as was the Capital Grille, Nightcap and the Central Texas Food Bank, all offering fine samples of their cuisine. It was a delicious evening illustrating the gastronomical delights that await staring on Friday. Patch found the food most tasty, the company engrossing, the DJ's music infectious and the bar plentiful. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff

Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff

WIT

Austin Scottish Rite Theater

207 W 18th St.

If you're in the mood for something substantive or perhaps feel like a good cry, you might want to head over to the Austin Scottish Rite Theater for Wit, a one-act play written by American playwright Margaret Edson that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1999. Edson used her work experience in a hospital as part of the inspiration for the play. The plot centers on the final hours of Dr. Vivian Bearing, a university English professor dying of ovarian cancer. Throughout the course of the play, the patient reflects on life with a currency placed of the intricacy of language — particularly the use of wit in the metaphysical poetry of John Donne. As we suggested earlier, this is pretty heavy, heady stuff. But it's rewarding and, implausibly, life affirming. Tickets range in price from $15 to $25. Get tickets here.

AUSTIN FACIAL HAIR CLUB BAT CRUISE

208 Barton Springs Rd.

This is a three-hour cruise along Lady Bird Lake to experience one of the city's most iconic sights: The Congress Avenue Bridge bats. In short, a bat cruise. An estimated 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats live under the connector, and it's quite a sight to watch them emerge collectively from the structure's underbelly for their nightly feedings at sunset. There'll be plenty of Lone Star beer on hand along with Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey for the more discriminating palate. Your hirsute guides from the Austin Facial Hair Club will take you along the water's surface, floating the craft to gain the best angles to watch the flying mammals that have captivated us all. If you go, sign in at 7 p.m. at the boat, the MV Nighthawk, prior to the start of the cruise half-an-hour later. The maximum capacity is only 50 people, so get your tickets as soon as you can. The boat has tables and chairs (and a bathroom) downstairs, and open deck upstairs for a great view of the city and the bats. It departs from the docks below the Hyatt Regency on Town Lake. Price: $35.

SATURDAY, AUG. 25

HONEYMADE & THE EFFNAYS

One-2-One bar

1509 S. Lamar Blvd.

Honey-Made Funk & Soul describe their music as "old school sounds with a new school feel." For its part, Effnays is described as a "...groove-oriented explosion of Funk, Latin Rhythms, Rock and Reggae-fied cultural diversity." In other words, some fantastic music.

Formed in Austin, Texas in 2015 under the name Mama K & The Shades, and creating a brand new, high energy, original version of funk and soul, Honey Made has quickly become known as one of Austin’s hottest party bands, organizers describe on the Facebook event page. Honey Made has opened for such artists as George Clinton & P-funk, Lee Fields, The Motet, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and many more. From 9:30 p.m. to 2 am. Price: $10.

NOCHE DE FOLKLOR 2018

Zilker Hillside Theater

2206 William Barton Dr.

From 7:30 to 10 p.m., feast your eyes on this free show dramatically illustrating the palpable cultural pride innate to the folkloric dance tradition of Mexico. Feel free to bring your lawn chairs and blankets to watch members of the Performing Company & School of Dance for what's certain to be a special evening. Among the most renown practitioners of this centuries-old dance tradition is El Ballet Folklórico de México. Take a look at the video below for a taste of what you might see at Noche de Folklor in Austin.

QuesoOFF 2018

Mohawk Austin

912 Red River St.

A celebration of all things melted cheese, this event will feature some 30 vendors: Restaurants, top chefs, home-cooks, and more. Cheese mavens will go head to head in four categories: Meaty, Spicy, Veggie and Wild Card. A Best in Show will also be awarded as well. The event benefits the Central Texas Food Bank. Entry is free with a donation of two canned goods or a $2 donation per person. Bags of chips will be available for $5. This event is not BYOC so don't even think of bringing your own cheese. Important note: Folks donating cash should line up at the front entrance on Red River; folks donating cans can line up at the back entrance on 10th. So be cheesy. It's encouraged at this event.

SUNDAY, AUG. 26

HOT SAUCE FEST

Fiesta Gardens

2101 Jesse E. Segovia St.

This is the mother of all hot sauce festivals, with the Austin Chronicle organizers claiming it to be the world's largest such gathering. Who are we to argue? Benefiting the Central Texas Food Bank, the event will feature untold gallons of hot sauces of dizzying variety. The spicy fun runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees will be able to sample from among hundreds of sauces, watch cooking demonstrations and listen to live music. Central Texas Food Bank is a beneficiary of this event as well. Price: $5 or three non-perishable food items.

Related story: 28th annual Hot Sauce Festival Scheduled In Austin

Variety of hot sauces found at Wheatsville Co-op, 3101 Guadalupe St., photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff

COME DANCE 2018 - ANNUAL FREE DAY OF DANCE

Ballet Austin's Butler Center for Dance & Fitness

501 W. 3rd St.

Organizers note they celebrate dance every day. But on this date each year, they make dance free in helping members of the general public celebrate as well. If you have your dancing shoes, you might want to make plans to attend Ballet Austin's annual 11th Annual Come Dance! Celebration, described by organizers as "...our gift of dance to the city of Austin." Whether you've danced before or have never dared to cut a rug, Come Dance is designed for all levels. Sample from a variety of dance classes and find your fit. Don't be shy! Nobody puts Baby in a corner! Free dance classes will run the gamut from Afro-Brazilian and ballet to West African dance and Zumba.

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