Pleasing Inn, March 7-23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday to Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 pm., Friday and Saturday, Austin Motel (1220 S. Congress Ave.) Back by popular demand, this Pleasing pop-up is taking over Austin Motel as “The Pleasing Inn,” a reimagined roadside escape that blends 1960s optimism with a futuristic edge. Three poolside king suites will be transformed into The Valet Service, with limited-edition Austin exclusives; the Salon Suite, with the debut of the Big Lip + Cheek Tint and other beauty products; and The Bell Hop Suite, with a photo-worthy checkout experience. https://www.instagram.com/p/DGoo639T3rK/?img_index=1

 

 

South by San José, March 12-16, various times Hotel San José, (1316 S. Congress Ave.)One of the most stalwart—and consistently outstanding—parties at SXSW is back for its 26th year. Did you know it started before the adjacent namesake hotel was even finished? (Read more on the events history in our deep dive from last year!) With five days of music and vendors, there are dozens of great reasons to make sure SXSJ is on your agenda next week.https://www.bunkhousehotels.com/hotel-san-jose/south-by-san-jose

 

KUTX Live at Scholz Garten Mar 12, 2025 – Mar 15, 2025. Scholz Garten. 8:00 A.M.to 12:00 P.M. KUTX Presents | SXSW. Join us once again for KUTX’s live morning broadcast from Scholz Garten during SXSW. $10 daily entry donation goes directly to Central Texas Food Bank! All ages welcome, (Kids under 5 get in free.)

 

 

International Nights Day 5  March 14   Free (all ages), Brush Square Park,  International Nights Day 5 w/ the Courettes (10:00), MAGNA (9:00), MADELEINE (8:00), Andr (7:00)

 

 

Radio Day Stage: NPR Live Sessions March 14 Free (all ages), Brush Square Park, Radio Day Stage: NPR Live Sessions w/ Jasmine.4.T (4:00), Mobley (3:00), Ali (2:00), Cardinals (1:00), Freak Slug (noon)

 

 

Bloody Mary Morning, March 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.  GSD&M, (828 West Sixth Street). Who knows more about hosting a great live music event than Austin City Limits? The classic homegrown television program returns to SXSW 2025 with its annual Bloody Mary Morning event featuring a lineup of great artists like Larkin Poe and David Ramiriez along with the titular savory beverage. https://acltv.com/bloodymarymorning/

 

 

Waterloo Records Last Day Parties, Friday, March 14, 2025, 1:00pm. Waterloo Records (600 N Lamar Blvs) Free. Make sure you come by Waterloo Records for their 2025 Day Parties, March 11 – 14 – come celebrate their last day party lineup at 600 N Lamar before the big move! Shows are free and all-ages. Capacity limits may apply. For more info, see here.

On Tuesday, March 11, the lineup includes Lizzie No, Mon Rovia, Hope Tala and Brittany Spencer. On Wednesday, March 12, the lineup includes Ken Pomeroy, JD Clayton, Frankie and the Witch Fingers and Vanessa Zamora. On Thursday, March 13, the lineup includes Jo Hill, Sierra Spirit and Molecular Steve. Then on Friday, March 14, the lineup includes Sofie Royer, The Deslondes and Charley Crockett. 24 Diner will be selling beer, hard seltzers, and wine in the store each day for our performances Friday. Helium Mobile is partnering with Waterloo Records to give away 20 copies of each performing artist’s vinyl to customers Friday.

 

 

Rodeo Austin, 3/14/25 – 3/29/25. Travis County Expo Center. Over the years, Rodeo Austin has grown from a show featuring 16 animals into one of Austin’s premier events, featuring Pro rodeo events, daily concerts, livestock show and more.  rodeoaustin.com

 

Trains at the Bullock, March 14-17, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Bullock State History Museum (800 Congress Ave., Austin). The Bullock Texas History Museum will host a four-day spring break program offering model train displays, demonstrations and activities. The program is free with museum admission. $9-$15 (admission)

 

Unofficial SXSW “Power Up: The Art of Video Game Music” Presented by KMFA Classical 89.5 and Density512, March 14, 2025 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm. KMFA Studios (41 Navasota Street, Austin, 78702). KMFA Classical announces a collaboration with Density512 to present an electrifying unofficial SXSW 2025 event, “Power Up: The Art of Video Game Music.” Taking place on Friday, March 14, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at KMFA (41 Navasota Street, Austin, 78702), this immersive experience will explore the art, business, and future of video game music, a growing industry that serves as a lucrative opportunity for composers and a gateway to symphonic music for new audiences. Entry is free for credentialed SXSW festival attendees and $10.00 for other guests.

Event Schedule

3:00 p.m.            Concert Austin Wintory’s ABZÛ + ATX Game Composers

4:00 p.m.            Panel Video Game Composers Roundtable

5:00 p.m.            Behind the Scenes: An Open Recording Session of The Baby in Yellow + Density512

6:00 p.m.            Panel The Music of Walkabout Mini Golf by Mighty Coconut

7:00 p.m.            Concert Austin Wintory’s ABZÛ + Walkabout Mini Golf

Tickets

$10 Entry is free for credentialed SXSW festival attendees. Non-credential attendees can purchase tickets for $10. Seating is limited; advance reservations are highly encouraged. http://kmfa.org/powerup

 

Malin’s 1st Birthday, Saturday, March 15, 2025 , 10:00am-12:00pm

Pease Park (1100 Kingsbury St) Free. Stop by Malin’s Fountain by Thomas Dambo on Saturday, March 15th, to celebrate Malin’s 1st Birthday! No RSVP necessary. Stop by for a brief celebration.

 

 

Rowdy Ritual, March 15, 10 a.m., 5012 E. Seventh St.Start your day with an epic morning dance party at Cabana Club featuring live music, live mural art, free screen printing, and a pool party. Guests can also enjoy complimentary nail art by The Gloss Boss and bites from la Barbecue. March 15, 10 a.m., 5012 E. Seventh St.

 

 

In Creative Harmony: Three Artistic Partnerships, Friday, March 14-16  10:00am-5:00pmSaturday, March 15, 2025 , 10:00am-5:00pm, Blanton Museum of Art (200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.).

$15.00. No artist creates in isolation. Shared visual languages, techniques, and concerns shape artistic innovation.

In Creative Harmony explores the ways in which artists inspire each other by highlighting the relationships between three pairs of artists: inter-generational Mexican printmakers José Guadalupe Posada and Artemio Rodríguez; friends and innovators in abstract painting and sculpture Arshile Gorky and Isamu Noguchi; and Nora Naranjo Morse and her daughter Eliza Naranjo Morse, who will be creating new work together for the first time.

 

 

 

15th Annual Garden Party, Sun., March 16, The Vortex (2307 Manor Rd.)Not the Garden of Eden but better, actually, because no incorporeal NIMBY kicks you out for having a delicious healthy snack: The Vortex Theatre celebrates their 15th year as a nationally certified butterfly sanctuary. For all those years they’ve “actively cultivated butterfly vines, fed the caterpillars, and watched them emerge from their chrysalises,” resulting in a flooring of 40 different species who’ve passed through the artsy Manor spot. A full day of festivities awaits, from live music by Roland & the Roots Riddim and Ogo and the Erph Tones; songs & scenes from upcoming Vortex production MotherTree; hands-on opportunities like a Tiny Tails petting zoo, butterfly inspired arts & crafts, and the opportunity to plant butterfly friendly flora; and a very, very special ceremony honoring late cat-about-the-Vortex Radius, who passed this January. vortexrep.org