Things To Do In Lakeway

Things to Do in Austin: Saturday, October 11, to Friday, October 17

This week in Austin brings beverages, bites, and a Beatle. You’ll find the first at Hops & Grain brewery’s anniversary party, the second at the art/food crossover event Art Bites, and the last at Austin City Limits Live, where Ringo is performing Sunday. Elsewhere you can have family fun at a Barton Hill Farms festival or take on a packed agenda of adventures thanks to #Besomebody Weekend. As always, check Groupon for more ideas for things to do in Austin. Fall Festival and Go Horns! Corn Maze Bastrop | Weekends through November 9 Kids with the Adventure Pass get access to a 2,000-square-foot jumping pillow, a trip on the barrel train, and other festival rides. For parents, craft beer and live music do nicely. Of course, everyone can enjoy the corn maze, which takes its theme from fall’s most important feature: UT football. (1115 Farm to Market 969; $8–$16; buy tickets here) Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band Warehouse District | Sunday, October 12 When Ringo sings “A Little Help from My Friends,” he may have his touring band in mind. That’s because his All-Starr Band (in various configurations) has been performing with him for the last 25 years. At this show they’re sure to roll out favorites such as “Yellow Submarine” and “Photograph.” (310 Willie Nelson Blvd.; $55–$178; buy tickets here) Hops & Grain's Third Anniversary Party Holly | Sunday, October 12 Hops & Grain has been going strong for three years now, so the brewery’s throwing a Sunday celebration that includes samples of more than a dozen beers. Stop by for live music, and take home a souvenir glass included with your ticket. (507 Calles St.; $25; buy tickets here) Art Bites Old West Austin | Tuesday, October 14 It’s an unusual challenge for a chef: create a culinary experience inspired by a specific artwork. During Art Bites, nine chefs from restaurants including Ten Oak and Due Forni will take this challenge. Sample the resulting light bites, then sip beverages from Old Forester and listen to tunes from Phamstar. (1137 W. 6th St.; $50; buy tickets here) #Besomebody Weekend Various Locations | Friday, October 17, to Saturday, October 18 Want to take part in #Besomebody Weekend? First you have to pick what kind of somebody to be. After selecting the “Artist,” “Athlete,” or “Adventurer” track, you’ll spend the weekend doing cool activities like cooking with a chef or rock climbing with a guide. Inspirational speakers bookend the experience. (916 Springdale Rd.; $250; buy tickets here)

Family Friendly Improv in Austin

Improv comedy is all the rage right now in Austin. So great, in fact, is the growing popularity of improvised theatre in Austin that a recent KLRU Arts in Context episode noted that the citywide movement is turning heads all across the nation. As is usually the case, when the arts are thriving in a community, we all benefit. A wonderful byproduct of our burgeoning improv scene has been the increase in local offerings of quality kid-friendly comedy. These days, Austin families can enjoy a variety of G-rated improvised shows, performed for all-age audiences by fun-loving adult actors. Two local troupes are particularly passionate about sharing this theatrical art form with our city’s littlest theatregoers. Move Your Tale specializes in using kid oriented improv shows as a vehicle for creative storytelling and Flying Theater Machine gets families laughing together, one silly, interactive show a time. Move Your Tale Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., Move Your Tale welcomes kids to the intimate performance space at ColdTowne Theater for a fully improvised theatrical journey called What’s the Story Steve? A five-person comedy team joins one clever poodle named Steve for 45 minutes of audience directed tomfoolery. Upon arrival at the theatre, young audience members are invited to write a word or draw a picture, which may later be incorporated into the show. When we last attended What’s the Story Steve?, my son’s picture of an apple was selected mid-show and became the theme for a fictional onstage investigation led by actors calling themselves “The League of Extraordinary Improvisers.” During the course of their investigation, it was revealed that Steve, the dog villain, was stealing apples to make delicious dog food. At several points throughout What’s the Story Steve?, kids are called upon to make suggestions and every answer is worked into the story. No idea is too absurd. In fact, the wackier the plot becomes, the louder the young audience giggles. Flying Theater Machine Sunday afternoons at The Hideout on Congress Avenue, families are invited to the theatre to see a nine-person improv troupe perform fast-paced interactive comedy. Rather than long-form tales, Flying Theater Machine opts for rapid-fire improv games and shorter snippets of stories. This format provides ample opportunities for audience members to holler out suggestions and even hop up on stage to become a part of the action. On a recent visit to see the Flying Theater Machine show Fairly Silly Fairy Tales, we saw Jack and the Beanstalk performed in 3 seconds, we watched a unique rendition of Snow White called The Cheerful Salesman and the Seven Dragons, and we even helped to create a brand new fairy tale about two horses who loved to play video games. My son was hooked on improv from the first show we attended, where we witnessed Rapunzel’s prince picking his nose to create a mountain of boogers that he could climb up to rescue her from the tower. With kids cooking up ideas for a story, you never know quite what you’re going to get. And that, is the beauty of improv.

Things to Do in Austin: Saturday, July 26, to Friday, August 1

There are a lot of reasons to move your feet this week: you’re caught up in a tune during a classic rock opera, you just learned a new step on National Dance Day, or you’ve simply got a grape that needs a good stomping at the Harvest Festival. Elsewhere, you’ll find a free party for kids and a ritual gathering of food trucks. Just don’t forget: you can always check Groupon for more great things to do in Austin. The Who's Tommy Zilker | Wednesday–Sunday through August 24 This glowing neon take on the world’s most famous rock opera may not be subtle, but who wants to see a subtle rock opera? Don’t miss the free pinball courtesy of Pinballz Arcade, available before and after the show and during intermission. (ZACH Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd.; $25–$80; buy tickets here) National Dance Day Downtown | Saturday, July 26 Ballet Austin’s Butler Community School hosts the local celebration of National Dance Day, created by So You Think You Can Dance producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe to promote healthy lifestyles. Try Zumba or ballet in the morning, then stick around to learn special SYTYCD- and Michael Jackson–themed routines later in the day. (501 W. 3rd St.; $10 per class or $28 for the whole day) Summer Bash at Ashley's Playhouse Jollyville | Sunday, July 27, 1 p.m.–5 p.m. This drop-in daycare center has only been open a few months, so it’s using free events like this one to get parents in the door. Kids can ride an 18-foot water slide and eat free Kona Ice treats before settling down for a Rio 2 screening. (13343 N. Hwy. 183; free) Trailer Food Tuesdays Bouldin Creek | Last Tuesday of the month through October 28, 5 p.m. Each month, food trucks gather around the illuminated columns of the Long Center to dish out dinner and desserts. This week’s lineup includes the Korean-Mexican fusion of Chi’Lantro and smoked brisket from Nutter Buster BBQ & Comfort, not to mention live music by Horse Opera. (701 W. Riverside Dr.; free to enter) Moonlit Harvest Bryan | Friday, August 1, 7 p.m. The Messina Hof Winery begins its annual Harvest Festival with an event that’s equal parts farming and feasting. Start by learning the basics of grape picking, then head to the fields to bring in a haul you’ll have the pleasure of stomping yourself. Afterward, the Vintage House Restaurant will serve a buffet of treberwurst sausage and seared salmon. (4545 Old Reliance Rd., Bryan; $85 plus tax and gratuity; buy tickets here) Image credits: Kirk Tuck courtesy of ZACH Theatre; Wikimedia Commons

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Things to Do in Austin: Saturday, October 11, to Friday, October 17

Family Friendly Improv in Austin

Things to Do in Austin: Saturday, July 26, to Friday, August 1

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