City Cast Austin
💎 Austin’s best hidden gems
February 21, 2025 · Kelsey Bradshaw
👏 TGIF! Wonderful news: You still have time to apply to be our next producer!
What's CITY Talking About?
✏️ Texas House Files Private School Voucher Bill
A lawmaker in the Texas House this week filed a bill to give families with students in private school money for tuition and other educational expenses through education savings accounts. The Texas Senate has already passed its version of the bill. [The Texas Tribune]
🎶 A New Arts Office and the Elon Muskification of Central Texas
This week in Austin, we’ve been talking about Elon Musk’s growing footprint in Del Valle and Bastrop County, and the city’s new combined arts office. KUT Reporter Lauren McGaughy is breaking down the Musk of it all for us. [City Cast Austin 🎧]
- In other Musk news, Tesla was cited this week by federal regulators after a worker was electrocuted at the Gigafactory last summer. [Reuters]
🗣️ City Budget Town Halls Start Next Week
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax will host five public meetings starting Monday to hear from residents on the city’s budget as officials look to the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget. [KXAN]
🍹 Where To Celebrate National Margarita Day
National Margarita Day is tomorrow and I’m reading this list of margarita specials around town to prepare! [Austin American-Statesman]
What To Do
Friday, Feb. 21
- 🎶 OUTsider Fest at The Vortex | 11 a.m. | $69 and up | East Austin
- ⚽ Verde Verde Verde Fest with La Murga de Austin at Meanwhile Brewing Co. | 6 p.m. | Free | McKinney
- 🤣 Sarah Sherman at The Creek and The Cave | 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. | $30 and up | Downtown Austin
- 🎭 “Mahabharata Tales” at the Long Center for the Performing Arts | 7:30 p.m. | $19 and up | Bouldin Creek
- 🏀 San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons at the Moody Center | 7:30 p.m. | $89 and up | UT Campus
- 🕶️ Los Lonely Boys at Antone’s | 8 p.m. | $60.21 | Downtown Austin
Saturday, Feb. 22
- 🐦 Birding at Roy G. Guerrero Park | 7:30 a.m. | $10 | Pleasant Valley
- 🥳 Black History Month Kid's Day at George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center | 10 a.m. | Free | East Austin
- 🎊 4th Annual Celebrate Black Austin at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard | 10 a.m. | Free | East Austin
- 🎶 OUTsider Fest at The Vortex | 11 a.m. | $69 and up | East Austin
- 🎓 Save Texas Schools Statewide Rally at the Capitol | 11 a.m. | Free | Downtown Austin
- 🤣 Sarah Sherman at The Creek and The Cave | 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. | $30 and up | Downtown Austin
- ✍️ 2025 Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards at ACL Live at the Moody Theater | 7 p.m. | $34 and up | Downtown Austin
- 🎤 Tom Segura at the Moody Center | 7 p.m. | $31 and up | UT Campus
- 🎥 Hyperreal Short Film Fest at Hyperreal Film Club | 7 p.m. | $8 and up | East Austin
- 🎭 “Mahabharata Tales” at the Long Center for the Performing Arts | 7:30 p.m. | $19 and up | Bouldin Creek
- 💃 Carnaval Brasileiro at Speakeasy | 8 p.m. | $40 and up | Downtown Austin
- 🌹 La Frenetika and All Level Cumbia Class at Esquina Tango | 8 p.m. | $17 and up | East Austin
- 🕶️ Los Lonely Boys at Paramount Theatre | 8 p.m. | $30 | Downtown Austin
Sunday, Feb. 23
- 🐦 Let’s Go Birding Together (LGBT) at Commons Ford Metropolitan Park | 8 a.m. | Free | West Austin
- 🎶 OUTsider Fest at The Vortex | 10 a.m. | $69 and up | East Austin
- 🎷 Jazz Brunch at St. Elmo - Springdale | 11 a.m. | Free | East Austin
- 🍺 KUT-KUTX Connections: A mixer for public media fans at Austin Beerworks - Sprinkle Valley | 2 p.m. | Free | Springdale Heights
- 🧑🍳 Chili Cook Off at Jackalope South Shore | 2 p.m. | $15 | Riverside
- 🎭 “Mahabharata Tales” at the Long Center for the Performing Arts | 3 p.m. | $19 and up | Bouldin Creek
- 💋 Femmes-N-Themmes Mixer at Empire Control Room & Garage | 7 p.m. | $10 | Downtown Austin
- 💃 Dirty Dancing In Concert at Bass Concert Hall | 7 p.m. | $29 and up | UT Campus
☺️ Have a warm weekend, y’all! Here’s a photo of my Malcolm in his newly sewn jacket to hold you over until next week. (He is very dramatic and doesn’t really smile for photos, sorry!)
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