Things to Do in Austin | November 6–8, 2026

Austin is serving up a particularly ambitious weekend, with two of Texas’ biggest culinary celebrations competing for attention, a German sausage festival just down the road, and enough art and soccer to justify leaving the house between meals.

From the chef driven tastings at Auditorium Shores to the smoke filled streets of Lockhart, November 6 through 8 offers plenty of reasons to clear your calendar. Whether you’re chasing exceptional barbecue, discovering local artists, or cheering on Austin FC, here are six events worth making time for this weekend.

Austin Food & Wine Festival

Austin’s signature culinary weekend returns to Auditorium Shores, bringing together celebrated chefs, standout restaurants, winemakers, and spirits producers for three days of eating and drinking.

This year’s lineup includes Andrew Zimmern, Esther Choi, Tim Love, Amanda Turner, and several of Austin’s most interesting culinary talents. Expect chef demonstrations, guided tastings, live fire cooking, and an impressive collection of dishes from more than 25 restaurants each festival day.

Friday’s Made in Texas event at the Long Center gets things started before the main festival takes over Auditorium Shores on Saturday and Sunday. With the downtown skyline providing the backdrop, it’s one of the better excuses all year to spend an afternoon exploring Austin’s food scene without making a single restaurant reservation.

Date: November 6–8, 2026
Time: Friday 7–9:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday 1–5:30 PM
Location: Auditorium Shores, 800 W. Riverside Drive, Austin
Tickets: Austin Food & Wine Festival

Austin Food & Wine Festival Reveals 2026 Fire Pit Lineup

Texas Monthly BBQ Fest

If the smell of post oak smoke is enough to derail your weekend plans, Lockhart is where you belong.

Texas Monthly BBQ Fest returns to the Barbecue Capital of Texas with two days devoted to the pitmasters and restaurants that have helped define the state’s barbecue culture.

Saturday’s BBQ World’s Fair transforms downtown Lockhart into a sprawling celebration featuring barbecue vendors, live cooking demonstrations, music, and an artisan marketplace. Admission is free, with food available for purchase.

Sunday’s ticketed Top 50 Picnic at Lockhart City Park is the main attraction, bringing together more than 30 acclaimed barbecue joints for an afternoon of unlimited samples. For serious barbecue enthusiasts, it’s a rare opportunity to compare some of Texas’ finest brisket, ribs, and sausages without spending several weekends driving across the state.

Date: November 7–8, 2026
Time: Saturday noon–6 PM; Sunday VIP noon, general admission 1–4 PM
Location: Downtown Lockhart and Lockhart City Park
Tickets: Texas Monthly BBQ Fest

Wurstfest

New Braunfels celebrates its German heritage with the 65th annual Wurstfest, a ten day gathering of sausage, beer, music, and traditions that have become a Central Texas institution.

Set near the Comal River, the festival features more than 40 bands across five stages, traditional German food, carnival rides, and enough polka to test anyone’s endurance. The food alone makes the drive worthwhile, particularly for anyone who appreciates bratwurst, schnitzel, and a proper German pretzel.

Date: November 6–15, 2026
Time: Friday 4–11 PM; Saturday 11 AM–midnight; Sunday 11 AM–10 PM
Location: Wurstfest Grounds, Landa Park, New Braunfels
Tickets: Wurstfest

Art Dinner 2026 at Laguna Gloria

For a more sophisticated Saturday evening, The Contemporary Austin hosts Art Dinner 2026 at Laguna Gloria, combining contemporary art, dining, and philanthropy at one of the city’s most beautiful waterfront properties.

This year’s Lunar Laguna themed celebration includes cocktails in the garden, live music by Graham Reynolds, a lakeside dinner, and an art auction benefiting the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs.

It’s a considerably more elegant affair than your average Saturday night out, with the added benefit of supporting Austin’s creative community.

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 6 PM cocktails; 7:30 PM dinner; 9:30 PM afterparty
Location: Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th Street, Austin
Information: Art Dinner 2026

Austin FC vs. Portland Timbers

Austin FC closes out its regular season Saturday evening against the Portland Timbers at Q2 Stadium, giving the Verde faithful one more opportunity to fill the stands and make some noise.

The match falls on MLS Decision Day, when the league’s final regular season results help determine the postseason picture. Fans can arrive early for the Noche Verde celebration at Live Oak Park, featuring music and pregame festivities.

Between the stadium atmosphere, local food options, and a crowd that rarely needs encouragement to get loud, it’s an excellent alternative to another night at the bar.

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 6 PM kickoff; pregame festivities begin at 3 PM
Location: Q2 Stadium, 10414 McKalla Place, Austin
Tickets: Austin FC

Austin Studio Tour Kickoff Party

Austin’s creative community gets its own celebration Friday night as the Austin Studio Tour launches with a kickoff party at Almost Real Things Gallery inside Canopy.

The evening brings artists, collectors, and curious locals together for music, drinks, art, and a preview of the creative spaces participating in this year’s tour.

It’s an opportunity to meet some of the people shaping Austin’s visual arts scene before the larger studio tour gets underway. And unlike a traditional gallery opening, the emphasis is as much on building connections as it is on admiring the artwork.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 6:30–10 PM
Location: Almost Real Things Gallery at Canopy, East Austin
Tickets: Austin Studio Tour Kickoff

Austin’s weekend calendar doesn’t leave much room for indecision. Food lovers have two major festivals to choose from, while art, music, and soccer offer plenty of alternatives. Just remember that a weekend involving both the Austin Food & Wine Festival and Texas Monthly BBQ Fest probably isn’t the ideal time to start counting calories.