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A politico’s daydream, the Texas Tribune Festival is back with its characteristically quirky speaker roster – such as musician Lyle Lovett and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. You can dive deep into nationwide and Texas-specific issues every day of the festival, or just during the Saturday free portion, Open Congress.

For the many ArmadilloCon regulars, this will be the first year without the late, great Harold Waldrop, the leviathan of weird short stories and godfather to the community around the convention, Austin’s premier celebration of fantasy and science fiction literature. So of course, there will be a chance to remember his work and friendship with a Celebration of Harold Waldrop on Friday night. But the future of the genre and medium is also here to be celebrated, with Andrea Stewart (The Drowning Empire trilogy) appearing as guest of honor ahead of the September publication of her new book, The Gods Below, and special guest Delilah Dawson (Star Wars: Phasma), who has a new book of her own, Guillotine, coming this month. – Richard Whittaker

Charley Crockett is no longer the underdog in country music. Having famously risen from street busking to festival stages, the tireless locally based troubadour continues to chart his own way. Two albums this year, $10 Cowboy and Visions of Dallas, evolve the legend to his current mission of kicking down industry doors, with ballads like the weary but defiant “Good at Losing,” but Crockett’s traditional sound wrangling country, blues, and soul, his deep bed of unexpected covers, and his charismatic stage show now have the industry chasing him to catch up. Seminal soul man Lee Fields opens. – Doug Freeman

A veteran of two decades on the international jazz scene, saxophonist Diego Rivera moved to Austin in 2022 to become director of jazz studies at UT Austin. But his professorial duties haven’t impeded his ability to gig at every jazz space in town. Though he released With Just a Word, a fiery quintet recording, earlier this year, the clearly restless Rivera has assembled a new eightpiece band with a lineup of local rippers, including trumpeter Mike Sailors, trombonist Andre Hayward, pianist Ross Margitza, and drummer Daniel Dufour. Expect not only cuts from Rivera’s existing book, but new tunes composed specifically from this killer ensemble. – Michael Toland

Producers often have around 10 minutes to showcase their music at Exploded Drawing. After that, five minutes tick by and the next artist is on. The effect is ecstatic. In this jaw-dropping showcase of quick-fire personal-best entries to the night’s lineup of original music, the through line is electronic and beat scene atmosphere pulsing with inspiration. At the 14th anniversary of Exploded Drawing, L.A.’s Mono/poly joins the bounty of wildly good artists, mostly Austin-based, but with representation from San Marcos and Brownsville. Supremely fresh and precision-crafted to sway crowds, the party moves fast, so be on time. – Christina Garcia

No longer are they showing weeknight films at Hotel Vegas, where the door always swings open and the chairs creak. Hyperreal Film Club reveals their new Eastside clubhouse with a full-ish week of secret movie screenings. Pick a day that works for you and nab your ticket: Whatever you catch is sure to be a real classic, total headspinner, or new weird favorite you stump for whenever your friends call the movie’s honor into question. The new space has cushy seats, a front door that stays closed, and a bathroom that will definitely not have drywall holes by opening night. Definitely! – James Scott

Chups calls ’em “Austin’s Queer Party People & DJ collective,” but you can call ’em your new favorite supergroup: DJs SuperMcN4sty, Lavender Thug, BabiBoi, La Morena, and Xoy pump up the volume at this weekend kickoff supreme.

Boasting the inaugural Dallas poet laureate title and The Dallas Morning News’ crown of the “People’s Poet,” Joaquín Zihuatanejo has a lot to recommend his work. His newest collection utilizes poetic erasure to remake long-form works by heterosexual white men into his own pieces – “the white space that remains becoming colonized Brown verse,” as the event copy says. Attend this event to hear those works read aloud as well as witness Zihuatanejo in conversation with local poet – and the person behind getting Austin its own poet laureate – KB Brookins. – James Scott

Five years ago, Jonathan “Chaka” Mahone – music commissioner and one-half of the husband/wife hip-hop duo Riders Against the Storm – launched Diversity and Wellness in Action, an emergency financial assistance program for local creatives of color. Though it arrived like a pre-pandemic premonition, DAWA has done more than lend monetary support; a first-of-its-kind week of BIPOC-led SXSW programming, a free-to-use studio space, and the creation of a Black Live Music Fund are among the ways Chaka has become a game-changing community organizer. The org taps comedian Tommy Davidson for a performance at its anniversary celebration – a well-deserved break from all this hard work. – Carys Anderson

Vibe it out at MASS Gallery’s second edition of all-night ambient tunes. This one’s for the chillers, the loungers, the folks who like to recline while beeps and boops carry them away on a musical dream. Instrumental sets from Wish Lash and Plume Girl will set the auditory mood, with support from ambient DJ Clancy Jones. Meanwhile, visuals from Britt Moseley will bring an aquatic calm to the whole affair. MASS encourages attendees to bring “blankets, pillows, robes, friends, neighbors, etc.” with the gallery also offering snacks and bevvies for the interested. After a wild summer, don’t we all need a little ambient cool-down?: – James Scott

If you’ve ever been listening to Running With Scissors or Poodle Hat and thought “man, this Weird Al guy is great, but I wish it was a little bit sexier?” First off, how dare you besmirch Yankovic’s hotness, and second off, great news! The incomparable Ginger Snaps has gathered a buxom bunch to bring the burlesque to everyone’s favorite parody artist. StripapALooza 2 is ready to fill your “Amish Paradise” with dance, aerial, and even some juggling. Get ready to rip off those tropical shirts and polka with pasties on. Never has there been a more interesting pairing. – Cat McCarrey

Audiovisual artist Masch brings his site-specific light installation controlled by a drum set and a little help from some fancy programming. Friday and Saturday evenings each feature a different trio of renowned drummers to showcase what the lights can do in the hands of a professional percussionist. Sunday is open to anyone with tickets from the previous days’ showcases and, from 1-8pm, Masch invites local drummers to grab some sticks and see what kind of light show they can produce. – James Renovitch

Whether your preferred speed is a run, jog, or walk,: this 10-mile relay race asks you and three fellow exercisers to complete a 2.5-mile loop around the park. The Springs call to those crossing the finish line.

One thing I’ve loved about newer theatre or museums is the space given for land acknowledgement – statements about the ancestral roots of the space being used. Space that was not always ours, but taken. The Blanton’s latest exhibit tackles that question, but pushes the boundaries. It’s not just about what Native America was, but what it can be. Curator and lauded artist Wendy Red Star has assembled nine other Native artists to create a rich exploration of what life in America is today. Shown through a variety of mediums, something is guaranteed to resonate with the audience. Whether it’s the photos, paintings, videos, or multimedia works is up to you. – Cat McCarrey

For two glorious weeks, some of the best restaurants in town are offering prix fixe menus, drink specials, and more, all to benefit Central Texas Food Bank.

Art is communal, stronger when visions are shared. ICOSA already showcases the connections between Austin artists on the regular, but with “Straight Like That” the web grows to include the Houston-based Throughline Collective. With a selection curated by Mueni Loko Rudd, a Kenyan American curator and preservationist dedicated to expanding the cultural landscape of art, visitors to ICOSA’s latest show can witness a vibrant exhibit of Texas-based artists pushing the boundaries of what is expected from art. The pieces vary in form and theme. But all evoke new insights into what Texas art can be. – Cat McCarrey

Carole King is one of those once-in-a-generation songwriters, the kind who absolutely deserves not just a jukebox musical, but this type of theatrical biography on stage. A lot of folks know her seminal album Tapestry and her collaboration with longtime platonic soulmate James Taylor. But she had a thriving songwriting career beforehand. Beautiful tracks her stunning girl group anthems (“One Fine Day” or “Loco-Motion,” anyone?) and her fraught relationships with male collaborators. Can they keep this “natural woman” down? Of course not, but watch her rise while grooving to King’s victorious anthems.

That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details!

The California-based artist, known for combining visual art and industrial design, uses media including photography, sculpture, simple machines, and more to explore both the art world and corporate culture and other themes during this exhibition’s six-decade span. While tackling often serious subject matter, Cheng’s work retains a sense of playfulness on display at the Jones Center. Get a first look of the collection at the public opening reception Friday at 6pm. – James Renovitch