Weekend Top 10 FREE Events (Feb 22-24, 2013)

1. People's Gallery Opening Reception - Friday, February 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. More than 150 new artworks have been installed in the People's Gallery in City Hall. A FREE opening reception for the 9th-annual, year-long art exhibition will be held on Friday and the public is invited to come meet the artists and enjoy art, music and light refreshments provided by Whole Foods Market. The artworks are not only on display in the lobby itself, but woven throughout the building and hallways, making it a fun, art-filled exploration. People's Gallery, City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., Austin.
2. WeatherFest - Saturday, February 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Have a weather curiosity or want to know more about the Central Texas severe weather season? Come pose your atmospheric questions to a panel of weather experts, including the YNN team of meteorologists, and explore a wide range of weather related activities at this FREE event. On the front plaza: University of Oklahoma's Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching (SMART) radar truck will be deployed out front to offer a hands-on tour of this mobile radar platform. You'll also want check out today’s best storm chasers showing off their high tech chase vehicles in the adjacent parking lot. WeatherFest Activities will be held in the Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor Lobby, and Classrooms.  And, don't miss FREE screenings of Wild Texas Weather at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Click here for the full schedule of activities. Please note that regular admission applies to visit the Museum's exhibits. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 North Congress (Congress & MLK), Austin.
3. Global Sports Day at St. Edward's - Saturday, February 23 at 10 a.m. Youth Soccer Clinic registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. At noon there will be a Soccer Exhibition featuring The Nationals, Austin's newest women's professional soccer team, versus Monterrey Tech University. Other family friendly activities will include pinatas, arts and crafts, food and a performance by Matachines de San Jose. Participants will receive a FREE t-shirt while supplies last. For more information and a map of the campus, visit the St. Edward's University website. You can also download the event flyer here. St. Edward's University, Lewis-Chen Family Field, 3001 South Congress Ave, Austin.
4. MapJam - On Saturday, February 23, from noon - 11 p.m. Austin music lovers can take part in a revolutionary kind of music festival. Austin Music Map's MapJam 2013 is a day-long music festival in East Austin. Nine bands will perform in seven different venues, allowing you to experience the diversity of Austin's music in a single day. Attendees can catch all the shows as they happen throughout the day, or they can check out the schedule and show up for the ones they want to see. MapJam is FREE and open to the public and the shows are all-ages. (The White Horse is the only venue on the route that will NOT be all-ages. Underage MapJam attendees should head down the street to Cheer Up Charlie's to catch the Residual Kid show.) Visit the Facebook event page for updates.
5. Kite-making Workshop - Saturday, February 23, from 1-3 p.m. The City of Austin Parks and Recreation and The Exchange Club of Austin invites the public to attend a FREE kite workshop.  Organizers will help adults and children make kites and materials will be provided. Organizers will encourage participants to fly the kites at the annual Zilker Park Kite Festival on March 3. Northwest Rec Center, 2913 Northland Drive, Austin.
6. African American Community Heritage Festival - Saturday, February 23, from 1 to 5 p.m. The fun filled, one-day event features food vendors, interactive and educational activities for children, and a variety of artistic performances. Children's activities will be centrally located in BCBSTX's Kids Zone. Adults can enjoy step shows from fraternities and sororities, slam poetry, live music, dance, local crafts, and artisan work. Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon, Austin.
7. Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day - Saturday, February 23, from 2 - 5 p.m. On-site registration will be available to participants who were unable to pre-register online. On-site registration will open at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday near the Check-in Tent front of ETC; please look for a table marked "On-site Registration." Due to more than 2,000 participants expected at the event, only participants in the 1st-8th grades can register on-site. Parents/guardians/chaperones will need to fill out an on-site registration form for the students who wish to attend Girl Day. To expedite the process, you are welcome to print out this form; fill out BOTH SIDES and turn it in at the On-site Registration Table. Each participant will then receive a bag (with a survey, pencil and schedule of activties) and an ORANGE WRISTBAND. On-site registrants will only be allowed to do activities marked in orange in the schedule. Orange activities will include: Geodome, Mud Milkshakes, Medieval Engineering; The Trebuchet, Dancing Polymers: Gangnam Style, Building Blocks: A Skyscraper Challenge, Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering, Chemical Engineers on Fire & Other Tricks, UT Solar Car and Racing Teams, Pedal Power: Power Bike, Freezin fun with Liquid Nitrogen, Race to Save the World Through Engineering, Organ Matching: Where's Your Spleen, Water Rockets, Straw Rockets, and more. These are all outdoor activities that are open to "all grades". After 4 p.m., participants will be allowed into activities that are marked for their own grades. Grade specific activities are hosted in buildings and divided into three different grade groups: 1st - 3rd grade; 4th & 5th grade; or 6th - 8th grade. After 4 p.m. participants with an orange wristband can go into their grade appropriate building activities. UT's Engineering Complex, Austin.  (Go here for parking information.)
8. Interactive Butterfly Playground - Saturday, February 23, from 7 - 10 p.m. Scottish Rite Theater invites you and your young ones to come enjoy and interact with the "children's cheering carpet" featured in TPO's production of Farfalle! The centerpiece of this interactive performance will be available for all to enjoy and explore. You will be able to play on the sensor mat, which will transmit an image and/or sounds with your body movement. The playground will be open to the public for FREE from 7-10 pm. Scottish Rite Theater, 18th & Lavaca, Austin.
9. Free Kids' Shows - Sunday, February 24. 
• Staci Gray at BabyEarth Round Rock - Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Bring the kids to BabyEarth Round Rock for some toe-tappin' music and super silly stories! Staci Gray, an Austin-based children's entertainer who has mesmerized children all over Texas, will perform at 10:30 a.m. BabyEarth Round Rock Store, 106 E Old Settlers Blvd Ste D-100, Round Rock.
• The Telephone Company at NATY - Sunday, from 11 a.m. to noon. This week's FREE Kid's Show at The NATY - North Austin Trailer Yard will feature The Telephone Company. Head over to the food trailer park to enjoy silly music, a playground, face painters, balloon artists and more. Snarkys Moo Bawk Oink will feature yummy sandwiches and gourmet doughnuts for sale. NATY, 1012 W Anderson Lane, Austin.
10. 17th Annual Fun Fish Event - Sunday, February 24, from noon - 4 p.m. FREE fishing event for kids 16 & under. All registered participants will receive a FREE t-shirt, lunch, and a loaner fishing pole. Cash prizes for catching a tagged fish and trophies awarded for catching the longest fish. All registered participants that catch a fish receives a medal. Registration is on the day of the event. Camp Huaco Springs, 4150 River Rd, New Braunfels.

Bonus Nearly Free Events:

1. Evening Under the Oaks - Friday, February 22 at 7 p.m. (Gates open at 6:30 p.m.) The Gilbert and Sullivan Society will perform under the oaks at the French Legation Museum. Guests are invited to bring chairs, blankets, food, and pets on leashes. Concessions will be available. Tickets: $5 at the gate. The French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos Street, Austin.
2. CenTex Survival Fair - Saturday, February 23, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Meet first responders responsible for outdoor emergency services, see spiders, snakes, lizards and other wildlife in live demonstrations, learn to set up your own campsite, take a wilderness survival hike and try your hand at archery, atlatl, flint knapping, rock climbing, geocaching and other sports. There will be a fishing contest with prizes, along with a first time fishing kids’ program. This event is FREE and open to the public after park entrance fees. Entrance fees are $6 for visitors age 13 and up. Children 12 and under are FREE. McKinney Falls State Park, 5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin.
3. Capital Confectioners’ Annual Sugar Art Show & Cake Competition - Saturday, February 23, from 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, February 24, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  One day pass is $10.  Children 18 and under are FREE when accompanied by a paying adult. Bring a canned good for the Capital Area Food Bank and receive $1 off!  North Austin Event Center, 10601 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin.
4. Jugglefest Public Show - Saturday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. The family friendly show will be showcasing performers from Austin and all over the world as they demonstrate their skills in the circus arts. Admission is $10 (cash or check only). Kids 5 and under are FREE. Texas School for the Deaf, Davis Auditorium, 1102 South Congress Ave, Austin.

Some Consignment Sales:

1. ABC Children's Sale - Friday, February 22, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; 6 - 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 23, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (with additional discounts from 12 - 4 p.m.).  The MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group at First Evangelical Free Church in South Austin will host its fourth annual consignment sale featuring quality kids, baby and maternity items. Cash and credit cards only. FREE.  Childcare available for $5. First Evangelical Free Church, 4220 Monterey Oaks Blvd., Austin.
2. Just Between Friends North Austin/ Pflugerville - Friday, February 22, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, February 23, 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Just Between Friends sales are shopping events that happen twice a year in North Austin. Consignors bring their new and gently-used children's and maternity items to sell, and shoppers can then browse and purchase these items at great savings, often 50-90% off of retail price. $2 on Friday (or FREE with the coupon found here); FREE on Saturday. Pflugerville Lions Club, 500 N. Railroad Ave., Pflugerville.

And a Rally:

1. Save Texas Schools March and Rally - Saturday, February 23 at 10:45 a.m. Bring the family to take part in a march for Texas schools that begins at the Congress Avenue Bridge (gather at the Austin American-Statesman at the corner of Riverside and S. Congress) and ends with a rally at the Capitol. The Kashmere HS Marching Band will lead the march up Congress Avenue. The rally will take place from noon – 1:30 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol on the South Steps, Congress Ave. & 11th St., Austin. 

Not enough options for you?  Check out the Free Fun Calendar for even more events happening around town this weekend!