Austin, Texas, in October 2025 offers a vibrant mix of live music, festive celebrations, and spooky fun. Whether you’re a local or planning a visit, here’s your guide to the top events and activities happening this October.
🎶 Music & Festivals
Austin City Limits Music Festival
📍 Zilker Park
📅 October 3–5 & 10–12
Experience one of the nation’s premier music festivals featuring over 140 artists across eight stages. This year’s lineup includes headliners like Luke Combs, Hozier, and Empire of the Sun. For those unable to attend in person, select performances will be livestreamed.
Non-Festival Concerts
If you don’t have an ACL wristband, Austin’s live music scene still has plenty to offer. Catch performances by Ana Gabriel at the Moody Center on October 3, indie pop duo Magdalena Bay at Emo’s on October 10, and MARINA at ACL Live on October 5.
🎃 Halloween Events & Spooky Fun
Haunted Bars & Themed Cocktails
Austin’s nightlife embraces the Halloween spirit with themed drinks and eerie atmospheres. Highlights include Lefty’s Brick Bar offering horror-themed drinks and décor, Gibson Street Bar’s “Twisted Carnival” with creepy clowns and eerie cocktails, and Sign Bar’s “Fear Fair,” a carnival-style horror maze paired with Halloween drinks.
Family-Friendly Attractions
For a more family-friendly option, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center hosts a “Nightmare Before Christmas Trail” until November 30, combining Halloween and Christmas ambiance along illuminated trails, with a café offering drinks for adults.
🍺 Oktoberfest Celebrations
Austin Oktoberfest
📍 German Free School
📅 October 11
Celebrate German heritage with traditional food, drinks, and music at this family-friendly festival.
Austoberfest
📍 Scholz Garten
📅 October 25
Enjoy beer, sausage, live music, and bowling at the oldest continuously operating tavern in Texas.
⚽ Sports & Live Events
U.S. Open Cup Final
📍 Q2 Stadium
📅 October 1
Austin FC hosts Nashville SC in the U.S. Open Cup Final, a pivotal match for soccer enthusiasts.
USMNT vs. Ecuador
📍 Q2 Stadium
📅 October 10
The U.S. Men’s National Team faces Ecuador in a friendly match celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
🎨 Arts & Culture
Trick Chat Speaker Series
📍 Various Locations
📅 October 1
Dive into the history of Austin’s music scene with discussions like “Behind the Music: The Founding of ACL.”
Candlelight Concerts
📍 St. David’s Episcopal Church
📅 October 30
Enjoy a hauntingly beautiful evening with “Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics.”
🍂 Outdoor Activities
Boo at the Zoo
📍 Austin Zoo
📅 Fridays & Saturdays in October
Bring the kids in costume for a spooky evening at the zoo with train rides, musical entertainment, and haunted house visits.
Wicked Oaks Festival
📍 Carson Creek Ranch
📅 October 25–26
Experience a fusion of EDM music and immersive art displays at this new festival combining Freaky Deaky, Summoning, and Illfest.
🍷 Food & Drink
Sam’s BBQ Reopens
📍 2000 E. 12th St.
Legendary Black-owned barbecue joint Sam’s BBQ has reopened just in time for ACL, offering classic Texas BBQ dishes and frozen daiquiris from the Austin Daiquiri Factory.
Oktoberfest Beers
Independence Brewing brings back its seasonal “Oklahoma Suks” beer for the Red River Rivalry, a cream ale with a playful twist for college football fans.
Austin in October is a blend of cultural celebrations, live entertainment, and seasonal festivities. Whether you’re a music lover, sports fan, or Halloween enthusiast, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.