No Rest for the Weird: Spring Music Madness Continues in the ATX

Somehow you’ve managed to survive both Spring Break and SXSW – and all you really want to do now is take a nap. But your little locals are still jonesing for some lively entertainment, and they’re counting on you to find it for them. Luckily we dwell in Austin, Texas, where live music and family fun are NOT mutually exclusive. Here are a few kid-friendly options to keep the good times rocking and rolling this weekend.

Honk!TX: Keep the SouthBy vibe alive with a very different kind of festival winding its way through the streets of Austin. This weekend a collection of twenty marching bands from varied genres, cultures, ages and walks of life will celebrate art and activism, with acoustic shows in everyday locations like the Volstead Lounge, Trudy’s TexasStar and Republic Square Park. This is bright, colorful, grassroots entertainment with something important to say; it’s a great chance to introduce your kids to community involvement and have some fun, too. Events will take place Friday through Sunday, with performances popping up all over town.
Brazilian Frevo Music Parade: Speaking of street parties, Texas Performing Arts will wrap up its own celebration this Saturday with a parade of international dancers and musicians departing Bass Concert Hall at noon. This is the culmination of three days’ worth of free events coordinated to introduce Brazilian big band Spoke Frevo Orquestra to its first American audiences. After the parade, catch the band on stage for an 8 p.m. performance at Bass; ticket prices range from $10 to $26 a seat. (For more about the other Brazilian Frevo events taking place this week, check out this post at Free Fun in Austin.)
Music in the Parks: If protest parades and Brazilian big bands aren’t really your thing, try something a little more local with this weekend’s edition of Music in the Parks. It’s a monthly, family-friendly afternoon hosted by the City of Austin, with musical genres ranging from folk to funk and everything in between. This weekend’s featured performers are the Derailers, Ruby Jane and PeeWee Moore; the show runs from 1 to 5 on Saturday at the Given Recreation Center on 12th. Bring a blanket and some snacks, and post up for some terrific local entertainment the whole family will dig.