Things to do on Memorial Day in Austin, Texas

Austin is known for its music venues.  The city’s more-than 200 clubs and concert halls are filled to capacity during Memorial Day weekend.  The music even spills out onto the streets at the Austin Wine and Music Festival, which coincides with the holiday weekend.  But music is only one of the attractions in the culturally-rich capitol of Texas.  The aptly-named Capitol of Texas Triathlon takes place on the weekend, as do other events, including a floating, anything-goes party on scenic Lake Travis.

The Capitol of Texas Triathlon has become an institution in recent years.  Though racing is a possibility, many people simply come to watch competitors swim, bike and run past some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.  Registered amateurs can  complete in all three sports, or compete in a single event as part of a relay team.  A kids race and sports expo, along with other events, take place on the days leading up to the triathlon itself.

Things get rather rowdy and bawdy in Devil’s Cove on Lake Travis.  Boats stocked with drinks and filled with swimsuit-wearing partiers join together as early as sun-up to create the world’s largest party barge.  Boats of all shapes and sizes join the flotilla, with people simply hopping from one boat to the next to socialize and drink.  This is one of the few non-family-oriented events in Austin during the holiday weekend, but it is a wildly-good time for of-age visitors who are looking for a party.  The drinking and dancing continue throughout the night at venues along the shores of Lake Travis.

The Austin Wine and Music Festival takes place in the hip Domain neighborhood during Memorial Day weekend.  This celebration of area wine, micro-brews, artists and musical acts has become popular because it combines all the things that Austin is famous for into a single event.  Drinking the wine (and beer) and listening to music will set you back $35 per day. An $80, three day pass can be purchased on the event web site.  Aside from the tunes and booze, there are seminars about wine, beer, cigars and food. For a place to crash after this great event, check out a great list of Austin Hotel Deals.

And of course, there are the concerts.  On any given weekend night, there are several good choices for music aficionados.  Memorial Day weekend is no exception.  The Charlie Daniels Band will fiddle their way through a set at the Nutty Brown Cafe on Saturday the 29th.  Tickets to see the famed musician are not cheap, at $35 a pop, and will be sold out early.  An assortment of DJs, jazz bands and roots rockers will be taking stages across the city on Sunday, with the Barenaked Ladies and Serena Ryder being the most notable names on the schedule.  A complete list of the weekend’s sonic happenings  can be found on the Austin Live Music web site.

There is plenty going on in Austin throughout the year, especially if you are a fan of music and the arts.  During Memorial Day weekend, it will be easy to take part in the activities and pastimes that make Austin famous.  But there will also be a variety of other choices, from raucous boat parties to sophisticated wine tasting events.