And it's not just staying home.
We promise.
The bar scene is reasonably robust and ever-growing in terms of bringing experiences to justify the $14 Lone Stars, but there are so many other things you can do to make a night you'll actually remember. From secret experiences, totally Austin performances and the kind of film screenings you've dreamed about, a night out in Austin expands far beyond Dirty.
Yes, some still have booze available, but you don't need it to enjoy these experiences!
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"SECRET" EXPERIENCES
Okay, sharing a secret show might feel like it's in the same league as all the speakeasies in Austin being openly known about, but these random shows are a bit harder to pin down. Keeping them on your radar is how you'll be able to swing by for intimate musical performances, neighborhood stories, and a bit of mysterious theatrics.
photo credit: sofar sounds austin facebook
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Done in secret until they send out an email, Sofar Sounds provides the universe of music inside intimate venues. Based on what neighborhood the shows will be in, you'll pick one and have to wait to find out who you'll see and where exactly.
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The Eureka Room1408 E Cesar Chavez St
Inside a charming little cottage on Cesar Chavez sits an experiential mystery. People go into the humble abode and come out changed. Why? For What? Is there a reason no one can explain this light show without saying," You gotta try it"? Please let us know.
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photo credit: hyde park storytelling/ erin lee facebook
Hyde Park Storytelling3220 Manor Rd
While we know when and where these shows will be, you can never guess what exactly people will share during this open storytelling event. Picnic in a stranger's backyard in Hyde Park as people get up to tell whatever story they wish. Eight people will get five to seven minutes to enrapture the audience with tales as you enjoy an evening outside on someone's lawn.
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PERFORMANCES
Austin's not only home to a steady lineup of music, but we also host a variety of performances like western-themed burlesque, comedy & magic combined with topical satire, and more drag shows than you can shake a dollar at.
Burlesque:
This artful striptease is far more than just watching people take their clothes off. There's a flair of style and theatrics intermingling with storytelling to draw you in as you're hypnotized by someone tantalizingly taking off a glove to music.
photo credit: rusk photography/the jigglewatts facebook
Various venues
After meeting on the set of a zombie film, The Jigglewatts came together to form the longest-running burlesque group in Texas. With over 17 years of experience, their performances continue to delight their audiences with monthly shows and a variety of themed revues across Austin and beyond.
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photo credit: @batcitybombshells Instagram
Various Venues
For over a decade, the Bat City Bombshells have shaken, shimmied, and twirled their talents on stages all over Austin. Any show could be tantalizing, hilarious, daring, or simply downright sexy. It bares a repeat visit to experience all that these bombshells can blow you away with on stage.
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Vaudeville:
An umbrella term for a performance with a variety of acts, talents, and themes, these unique showcases are gems across the stages of Austin.
photo credit: esthers follies facebook
525 E 6th St
The long-lasting champions for camp in Austin, Esther's Follies keeps the weird thriving on Dirty Sixth. Going back a fabulous forty years, this satirical vaudeville revue can feature mimes, dancers, comedians, singers, poets, and a fantastic finale with a campy finale dancing around a lawn sprinkler in tribute to their namesake.
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photo credit: magic's theater facebook
13419 Fitzhugh Rd
There's magic out in Dripping Springs. Hosting Stage magic, Close-Up magic, and live Jazz, there are plenty of tricks up their sleeve to entertain you. Check their schedule to see any of their shows, and leave Dripping with a sense that there's still some magic left in the world.
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Drag Shows:
Breaking down the binary, Drag has seen a surge of popularity that's finding a way into the mainstream. Yet this queer cultural institution has long been entertaining crowds in Austin long before drag became much watch TV.
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photo credit: @thebestdragshowever/sarah bork hamilton photography
211 W 4th St
Pint-sized powerhouse Ritzy Bitz packs a to Austin’s drag scene with The Best Drag Show Ever! A high-energy comedic drag show complete with dancing, live singing, and your chance to become Oilcan Harry’s Next Top Drag Model Supreme. Come out and get your life with a night of drag that is nothing short of fantastic.
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photo credit: @carlos1.oh instagram
301 W 6th St
Every Thursday has more potential than being simply "thirsty". At Iron Bear, they take the first Thursday of the month and transform them into dragtastic nights. Each has a different host and theme from open mic to a theatrical drama club.
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DINING EXPERIENCES
Sure, there's a smorgasbord of high-end restaurants across Austin that will make any night out incredible, but these experiences are unforgettable.
photo credit: @_midnightinthegarden_ instagram
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This is the dinner party you grew up hoping to be invited to once you become an adult. Under the stars in the shade of giant live oaks, savor multiple courses cooked up by a different chef every time. Follow their Instagram to find out what the featured chef and nights will be, but be prepared to only learn where it is once you've secured your seat at their table.
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SPECIAL SCREENINGS
photo credit: austin film society faceboo
Austin Film Society6259 Middle Fiskville Rd
Depending on what you're in the mood for, there's a special program for you. There's Queer Cinema, Live Score, Neo-Noir Canon, World Cinema Classics, Essential Cinema, Doc( documentary)Nights, Modern Masters, and honestly, so much more you'd have to spend years in their theatres to catch all of these series. Not a bad way to spend your time.
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photo credit: hyperrreal film club facebook
Hotel Vegas/ Paramount Theatre / Various Venues
Hosting a mix of screenings, Hyperreal Film Club excels at showcasing a variety of local artists' pieces to build a greater sense of community in Austin. With pop-ups, immersive showings and an overall embrace of the weirder side of film, catching a screening by Hyperreal is a really great time.
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photo credit: paramount theatre facebook
713 Congress Ave
This historic venue keeps its silver screen alive with various film series throughout the year. The crown jewel is the summer series, running all summer long with a variety of blockbusters & cult classics. Then for the holidays, they'll do something spooky or festive depending on the season. All in all, they're a reliable space to go back to the golden age of movies, when you would find your way into a grand space to catch a film. Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this.
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photo credit: alamo drafthouse austin facebook
Various locations
Obviously a solid choice for a movie night out, but there's far more to this locally grown cinema than simply seeing the latest Marvel movie. With specialty screenings like Terror Tuesdays, Weird Wednesdays, World of Animation, and Movie Parties, they show films in a way that Netflix, Amazon, Disney, and whoever else enters the streaming wars never can.
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OTHER FUN THINGS TO DO BESIDES THE BAR
3220 Feathergrass Ct
Located in the Domain, Active is a new interactive gaming experience for you and your whole crew. Enter the game where you become the player in the world’s first active gaming facility. Jump, climb, and problem-solve as you and your friends move between challenges. Each dynamic game room has interactive technology that reacts in real time, ensuring an adrenaline-filled adventure.
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Are we missing your favorite thing to do beyond going to bars?
