Apr 2-3 Austin Fine Arts Festival
Republic Square Park, 5th & Guadalupe
(521) 458-6073, austinfineartsfestival.org

"Buy Art & Feed Your Soul" at this year's Austin Fine Arts Festival showcasing the works of 220 of the nation's top visual artists. Along with two days of art for every taste and wallet, Republic Square Park will be filled with live music, hands-on arts activities, children's entertainment, artists demonstrations and, of course, gobs of food.

Begin your adventure on Saturday morning with the Sunrise Soire, Saturday 8:30-11:00 a.m. In addition to getting a sneak preview of the fare of Austin's finest art fair, you'll breakfast and sip to live music. Tickets for this special party are $50 and available online.

Gates open to the rest of Austin's art lovers both days at 11 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $8 (kids 12 and under free) and include free parking at and shuttle service from One Texas Center garage, S. 1st Street and Barton Springs Road.

Throughout the weekend, admission to the Austin Museum of Art is free.

Plan your festival weekend, buy tickets and learn more about what and who you'll see by going to austinfineartsfestival.org.

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Through May 8 The Vagina Monologues
Zachary Scott Theatre, Riverside & Lamar
(512) 476-0541, zachscott.com

Brave. Brazen. Poignant. Outrageous. Based on interviews with a diverse group of women, these fiesty Monologues explore the humor, power, pain, wisdom, outrage, mystery and excitement of the human spirit. This show is a must-see for a glimpse into what really makes America tick.

Mar 31-Apr 17 MacBeth
Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Road
(512) 431-6290, celticcenter.org

The Renaissance Austin Theatre Company brings all the pathos and trauma of the human experience alive during its full production of MacBeth. Showtimes are 8:00 p.m., Thursday - Saturday and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday through April 17.

Apr 1 The Last Waltz
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress
(512) 472-5470, austintheatrealliance.org

The Paramount's salute to Martin Scorsese continues with perhaps one of the best concert films ever produced. The Last Waltz captures performances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, The Staples, Muddy Waters, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John and Ringo Star.

Apr 1-3 Light/The Humanity Project
Bass Concert Hall, 23rd & Robert Dedman
balletaustin.org

It's Stephen Mills' most personal work to date. A collabortive effort with a number of organizations, Light/The Humanity Project will utilize Mills' innovative approach to movement to reflect upon human resilience and transcendence as it explores the promise of courage, tolerance, hope and humanity.

Apr 1-29 Rarified New Esther's Follies
Esther's Follies, 525 E. Sixth St.
(512) 320-0553, esthersfollies.com

Hot off the Flaming Idiots and Santa Land Diaries, comedian Rob Williams joins the cast of Esther's Follies with his panoramic comedic skills! You'll laugh til you cry as you witness everything from his infamous Bologna Sandwich trick and whirlwind love in the aisles of the new Whole Foods to a spoofy look at marooned Austinites. Esther's is the place for uproarious folly throughout April.

Apr 1-29 Texas: The Big Picture
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress
(512) 936-4649, thestoryoftexas.com

Texas: the Big Picture brings the myth, majesty and magnitude of the Lone Star State to the giant screen. This grand look at our great state will be shown in Spanish on Wednesday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m.

Apr 2 Improvisational Workshops
The Veveeta Room, 521 E. Sixth
(512) 320-0198, esthersfollies@aol.com

Always or ever had an itch to be a comedian? Well here's your chance to learn from the best of the funniest. Esther's Follies Comedy Workshop offers aspiring comics a full course on successful improvisation skills, sketch writing and musical parody. You'll be taught by the cast members of Austin's longest running musical comedy showcase. Each workshop runs for eight weeks, meeting once a week for three hours. Tuition ranges from $250 - $300, and payment plans are available.

Apr 2-3 Meet the Browns
Frank Erwin Center, 1701 Red River
(512) 471-7744, uterwincenter.com

This Tyler Perry production has been a sell-out throughout the county. Meet the Browns shows how death and making funeral arrangements brings out the best and worst in families. It's riotously funny.

Apr 3 Circo Comedia
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress
(512) 472-5470, austintheatrealliance.org

Absurd, explosive and delirious are just a few words used to describe the adventures of death-defying juggling master Monsieur Saucier and eccentric clown Mr. Smythe - both veterans of Cirque du Soleil. Mocking both gravity and reason, this versatile duo explores the limits of juggling, magic, stilt walking, fire-breathing, music and movement. A treat for the entire family. For a preview of the non-stop thrills and spills, swing over to circocomedia.com. Showtimes are 2:00 & 4:30 p.m.

Apr 5 Texas Medal of Arts
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress
(512) 472-5470, austintheatrealliance.org

Celebrate Texas legends and rising stars during an evening devoted to honoring the state's cultural greats. Among those being honored are Lyle Lovet and Vikki Carr. For more information on this event, including a list of honorees, please go to txculturaltrust.org.

Still Showing Downtown...

To 4/3: AIDA, Zachary Scott Theatre, zachscott.com
To 4/16: Nickel and Dimed, State Theater, austintheatrealliance.org
To Spring: The Young Black Stallion, IMAX® Theatre, thestoryoftexas.com
Ongoing: Texas the Big Picture, IMAX® Theatre, thestoryoftexas.com

Mar 31 Thursday Noontime Concert
Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth Street
(512) 472-2445, centralpresbyterian.org

Karen White and Patches King tickle the keys with 4-Hand piano magic.

Mar 31 Michael Fontenot, Guitar
McCullough Theatre, 23rd & Robert Dedman
(512) 471-1444, utpac.org

Talk about a Renaissance man! When Dr. Michael Fontenot isn't tending to his pediatric patients in Fredricksburg, he's perfecting his inimitable classical and folk guitar techniques, accompanied by his own poignant lyrics. The doctor's performance will leave you both amused and amazed.

Apr 1 Make a Fool of Yourself Karaoke
Texas Medical Association Building, 401 E. 15th
(512) 370-1456, tunesatnoon.org

Texas Medical Association's free Tunes at Noon concert series this month allows - indeed encourages - you to make a fool of yourself during its April Fool's Day Karaoke Contest. Sing out your heart as a solo, duet or group act. Prizes will be awarded for the most "entertaining" act.


Apr 6 Kronos Quartet: Sun Rings
Bass Concert Hall, 23rd & Robert Dedman
(512) 471-1444, utpac.org

We guarantee that you have never experienced strings - or rings - like this before! The Kronos Quartet is known for its unique artistic vision and fearless dedication to experimentation. This group has been shocking audiences with their musical masterpieces, laced with compelling visuals, for over two decades. Their latest piece, "Sun Rings," explores the galaxy and incorporates actual NASA photographic images. This multi-media show takes off at 8:00 p.m.

Apr 2 Sculptor to Be! for Kids
Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Robert E. Lee Road
(512) 445-5582, umlaufsculpture.org

For children 7 - 11, this hands-on clay workshop (1:30 - 3:00 p.m.) lets little fingers dig into their imaginations and walk away with their own one-of-a-kind creations. Reservations are required for this 15-student workshop, and the fees are $7.50.

Apr 2-May 7 Proud and Sad /Wrong and Strong
Women & Their Works, 1710 Lavaca
(512) 477-1064, womenandtheirwork.org

Soody Sharifi and Payam Sharifi give voice to Iran through a collection of photography, writing, archival images and articles. This exhibit presents the pluralism one hardly associates with Iran, to portray the very diverse, complex, almost always contradictory aspects of everyday life in the country.

Apr 4 Now Hear This!
George Washington Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina
(512) 974-7346, austinlibrary.org

Experience the wonders of audio books when talented actor and narrator, John Lee,
reads from The Coffee Trader and Cloud Atlas live on stage and discusses the process of making a book on tape.

Apr 5 Images of the World
Harry Ransom Center, 21st & Guadalupe
(512) 471-8944, hrc.utexas.edu

Dr. David Buisseret, Professor of History at The University of Texas at Arlington, presents "The Richest Map Dealers' Catalog in the World: Foundations of Western Cartography at the Ransom Center." This lecture is part of the Ransom Center's ongoing exhibit Images of the World: Maps, Globes, and Atlases that runs through July 17.

Apr 5 - Jul 17 The Muse in Motion
Harry Ransom Center, 21st & Guadalupe
(512) 471-8944, hrc.utexas.edu

The Muse in Motion: Travel Literature through the Centuries features historically influential travel books and manuscripts representing a wide array of countries, periods, and authors and will illustrate the universal currency of travel writing - its purpose, utility and popular appeal.

Apr 5 - Jul 17 Photographing Community
Harry Ransom Center, 21st & Guadalupe
(512) 471-8944, hrc.utexas.edu

The exhibition Place: Photographs of Environment and Community highlights American photographers who have explored the notion of place in their work over the past twenty years .

Apr 6 Poetry on the Plaza: The Beats
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Harry Ranson Center, 21st & Guadalupe
(512) 471-8944, hrc.utexas.edu

Get "The Beats"! This month's lunchtime Poetry on the Plaza at the Ransom Center brings these poets and this poetry to life with readings by students, professors, actors and who knows who else. Have lunch under the Oaks as you enjoy fresh air and fresh words.

Apr 6 Special Book Signing
Mexic Arte Museum, 419 Congress
(512) 480-9373, mexic-artemuseum.org

Carmen Lomas Garze will be signing copies of her book, Family Pictures/Cuadros de Familia. This is a classic by one of America's finest a Chicana narrative artists. The event takes place 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Museum.

Still Showing Downtown...

To 3/31: Rory O'Neal Abstracts: Red Hot!, Artworks, artworksaustin.com
To 3/31: Coexistence Exhibit, Auditorium Shores, balletaustin.org/light
To 4/2: Getting in Touch, F8 Fine Art Gallery, f8fineart.com
To 4/4: Rita Maria Contreras, Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, lapena-austin.org
To 4/8: Mexico in Excellence: 21st Century, Mexic-Arte Museum, mexic-artemuseum.org
To 5/13: Baby Dinos, Austin Children's Museum, austinkids.org
To 5/12: Color/Pattern/Grid, Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress, amoa.org
To 5/21: European Paintings: Open Storage, Blanton Museum of Art, blantonmuseum.org
To 5/21: Contemporary Art from Chile, Blanton Museum of Art, blantonmuseum.org
To 5/29: Forces of Nature, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, thestoryoftexas.com
To 5/29: Bats in My World, Austin Children's Museum, austinkids.org
To 6/4: Landmark Maps, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, thestoryoftexas.com
To 8/28: Life in the Swingin' Sixties, LBJ Library & Museum, lbjlib.utexas.edu

Apr 2 Farmers' Market Still On!
By City Hall, 2nd and Lavaca
austinfarmersmarket.org

Because Republic Square will be consumed with the Austin Fine Arts Festival, the Austin Farmers Market will be temporarily relocated from Republic Square to the vacant block immediately north of the City Hall Building. Parking will be available in the City Hall garage.

Apr 2 Junior 'Dillo Kids 1 Mile Run
Auditorium Shores, Town Lake
statesman.com

The Junior 'Dillo Kids 1-mile run is a certified one-mile course for kids aged 12 & under held in
conjunction with the Statesman Capitol 10K. For details, please visit: statesman.com.

Apr 3 Annual Statesman Capitol 10,000
Throughout Downtown
statesman.com

Texas' Largest 10K - presented by Guaranty Bank - will benefit the People's Community Clinic. Both participants and volunteers are needed. Visit statesman.com for more details on this race or to sign up.

Apr 6- 9 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
University of Texas Campus
texassports.com

The world's best track stars - Olympic Champions and world record holders - are coming to town in the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Here's how this weekend's events will affect traffic Downtown:

The Austin Fine Arts Festival

From 6:00 a.m. on March 31st until 6:00 a.m. on April 4th, the following streets will be closed for the annual Austin Fine Arts Festival:

W. 4th St. from Lavaca St. to Nueces
W. 3rd St from Lavaca St. to Nueces
Nueces Street from W. 4th St. to W. 5th St.
San Antonio from W. 2nd St. to W. 5 th St.
W. 5th St. from Guadalupe to Nueces
Guadalupe from W. 3rd St. to W. 5th St.


Capitol 10K

From 3:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday April 3, several blocks will be closed to traffic for the Austin American-Statesman 28th Annual Capitol 10,000. At every intersection along the route, a police officer or traffic detour sign will be positioned to give detour directions. Due to the large volume of participants, the streets near the course will be impacted for several hours.

The route runners will take is:
North on Congress from Riverside to 11th St.,
North on Colorado to 13th St.,
North on Lavaca to 15th St.,
West on 15th to Winsted Rd. (west of Mo-Pac),
South on Winsted to Lake Austin Boulevard,
West on Cesar Chavez to S. 1st St.,
South on S. 1st to the finish line on Auditorium Shores.

Apr 5 Economic Development Committee
Noon
Southwest Tower, 211 E. 7th Street, Room 111
Chair: Kent Collins; DAA Contact: Julie Fitch
(512) 469-1766, downtownaustin.com

Click Here to view the entire Arts & Entertainment Calendar







Beginning April 7th on KLRU!!!