Mar 18 St. Patrick's Day of Central Texas
Parade & Festival
Congress Avenue (Parade), 4th & Guadalupe (Festival)
(512) 795-0935, x. 306, KeepAustinFun.com

You'll be green as you scream during all the fun happening Saturday at the St. Patrick's Day Parade and ShamROCK Austin Festival.

The St. Patrick's Day Parade gets underway at 10:00 a.m. and will feature floats and giant helium balloons. Who doesn't love a parade?

The ShamROCK Austin Festival follows at Republic Square, 4th and Guadalupe. This block party features a Battle of the Bands, Fun Zone for the kids, food court and beer garden, contests and picture-taking with real male & female leprechauns. (Did you know that all "real" female leprechauns are beautiful? It's a fact!).

Other events include Leprechaun race for the Pot O' Gold, Leprechaun Costume Contest and Presentation of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Queen and Her Court.

Canned food donations will be accepted during the parade to help agencies that help the needy in Central Texas.

For more information, please visit: KeepAustinFun.com.

Mar 18 Candlestein
Scottish Rite Theatre, 207 West 18th Street
(512) 472-KIDO (5436), ScottishRiteTheatre.org

Scottish Rite Children's Theatre presents an original musical for youth, courtesy of Texas State University. Students of the theatre department tell the story of Candlestein, a young raccoon trying to overcome an incident in his childhood that turned his fur white! Tickets are available by calling 512-472-KIDO (5436). The on-site box office at 207 W. 18th Street is open
Monday - Friday from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. for both phone and walk-up sales. These shows often sell out, so advance purchasing are recommended.

Mar 21 "In My NEVER To Be Humble Opinion"
8:00 p.m.
Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress
(512) 472-5470, austintheatre.org

Take an intimate look into the mind and character of one of the more outspoken talk show hosts in the country today. Three acts combine wit and insightful responses that have made this lady the beloved personality she is. Dr. Laura's ability to "wow" an audience will keep this show running for many years to come. Purchase tickets online or call (866) 4GET-TIX.

Mar 22: This Strange Passion (Luis Bunuel, 1953)
7:00 p.m.
Alamo Drafthouse, 409 Colorado
(512) 322-0145, austinfilm.org

Part of the Austin Film Society's (AFS) 20th Anniversary Film Series. Admission is free for new or current AFS members, and $4 for non-members. Tickets may be purchased online at austinfilm.org.

Still On Stage Downtown...

3/18: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Doughtery Arts Center, secondyouth.com
To 3/28: Felipe Cazals Cinema Series, Alamo Drafthouse Downtown, austinfilm.org
To 4/19: Gary Grinkle's Battle with Wrinkles, Doughtery Arts Center, secondyouth.com
To 5/6: Bad Dates, Zach Scott Whisenhunt Arena Stage, zachscott.com
To 8/2: Roving Mars, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, thestoryoftexas.com
To 8/19: Deep Sea 3D, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, thestoryoftexas.com
Ongoing: Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D; Texas the Big Picture -
IMAX® Theatre and The Star of Destiny in the Texas Spirit Theater, thestoryoftexas.com

Mar 16-18 All-Austin Music in the Afternoon
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Bourbon Rocks, 508 E. 6th Street
austin360.com/xtravaganza

3 Days - 15 Austin Bands - 1 Hot Spot - and YOU! March 16th to the 18th the XL Xtravaganza at Bourbon Rocks celebrates SXSW week with a very special private party. And, everyone's invited. Take an hour, or take off an afternoon to enjoy an ensemble of Austin's best music talent in one of 6th Street's best new clubs. The XL Xtravaganza is the essence of the "Live Music Capital of Texas." FREE ADMISSION - 21 & Older only. Go to austin360.com/xtravaganza for details and band listings.

Mar 16-18 3 Nights of FREE SXSW Concerts!
Auditorium Shores, Town Lake Stage
2006.sxsw.com/music/showcases

If you don't have a wristband, don't despair. SXSW is presenting three evenings of free concerts on the Town Lake Stage at Auditorium Shores Thursday & Friday - 5:00-10:00 p.m. and Saturday, 1:00-10:00 p.m. with some big name entertainers. Capital Metro will provide free shuttle service from Austin High School (West Cesar Chavez). The Capital Metro SXSW Park-and-Ride shuttle will run every 7 minutes.

Mar 16 Irish Music
Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth Street
(512) 472-2445, centralpresbyterian.org

Enjoy a St. Paddy's Concert with Joe Haggard & Vernon Moeller a this week's Thursday Noonday Concert.

Mar 17 St. Patrick's Day Throwdown
Noon - Midnight
Mother Egan's Irish Pub, 715 E. 6th
(512) 431-6290, celticcenter.org/events

The 4th annual celebration of the Irish Roots of Southern Music - benefiting the Celtic Cultural Center of Texas. $5 Donation at the door. Scheduled to Perform - Cluan, The Silver Thistle Pipe and Drums, James Keane, The Weary Boys and more!!! Go to website for the complete line-up of toe-tapping, and clickety clogging Irish musicians.


Mar 17 R. Kelly
8:00 p.m.
Bass Concert Hall, 23rd & Robert Dedman
(512) 471-1444, utpac.org

R. Kelly performs live in Austin as "Mr. Show Biz" in an all new show! R. Kelly has makes music that straddles the high wire between the profane and perverse. Still, nothing that has come before could possibly have prepared the man's devoted fans for the carnal knowledge passed down on the groove master's 10th disc - TP.3 Reloaded.

Mar 18 Michael Bublé SOLD OUT
8:00 p.m.
Bass Concert Hall, 23rd & Robert Dedman
(512) 471-1444, utpac.org

The kid can really swing! That, in a nutshell, sums up the extraordinary appeal of a young Vancouver vocalist with a gift for making some of the greatest songs of all time entirely on his own. No wonder his Austin show is sold out!

Mar 22 Rosa y Joe Pere
8:00 p.m.
McCullough Theatre, 23rd & Robert Dedman
(512) 471-1444, utpac.org

Theirs are songs of innocence and experience. Schoolteachers, self-taught musicians and creators of the NPR Mexican roots music program North of the Border, Rosa y Joe Perez truly embody the heroic folk spirit. Don't miss these Texas originals.

Mar 16 Shelly Tate Garner
Art on 5th, 1501 W. 5th
(512) 481-1111, arton5th.com

ART on 5th welcomes new Texas abstract artist Shelley Tate Garner, who paints with acrylic paint on the reverse side of molded Plexiglas. Bold and magical.

Mar 21 Victorian Photoshop
7:00 p.m.
Harry Ransom Center, 21st & Guadalupe
(512) 471-8944, hrc.utexas.edu

Associate Curator of Photography David Coleman discusses "Victorian Photoshop: The Photographs of Henry Peach Robinson" during a special lecture.

Still On Display Downtown...

To 3/19: RED, Alberto Castro Leñero, Mexic-Arte Museum, mexic-artemuseum.org
To 3/19: José Clemente Orozco, Mexic-Arte Museum, mexic-artemuseum.org
To 3/25: Sunyong Chung Porcelain, Artworks, 1214 W. 6th, artworksaustin.com
To 3/25: Angela Fraleigh, Women & Their Work, womenandtheirwork.org
To 3/25: Pulse, f8 Fine Art Gallery, f8fineart.com
To 4/12: Lance Letscher: Index, d berman gallery, dbermangallery.com
To 4/14: Ten Courts of the Kings of Hell, Fielding Lecht Gallery, fieldinglecht.com
To 4/15: A Slave Ship Speaks, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, thestoryoftexas.com
To 4/28: Conjunto: Photographs by John Dyer, Oswald Gallery, oswaldgallery.com
To 4/29: Christo and Jeanne Claude, Austin Museum of Art, amoa.org
To 5/5: Robert Therrien, Lora Reynolds Gallery, lorareynolds.com
To 5/19: Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Capitol Visitor Center, TexasCapitolVisitorsCenter.com
To 8/5: The Image Wrought, Harry Ransom Center, hrc.utexas.edu
To 8/5: Technologies of Writing, Harry Ransom Center, hrc.utexas.edu
To 9/24: Air Fair -It'll Blow You Away! Austin Children's Museum, austinkids.org
To 2/2007: The People's Gallery at City Hall, ci.austin.tx.us

Mar 17-18 Texas Book Shows
Palmer Events Center, Barton Springs Rd.
(832) 264-6642, texasbookshows.com

Books - antiquarian, rare and out-of-print volumes, presented by the best authorities in their fields, including: literary & modern first editions, fine bindings & private press, and Texana & Western Americana, etc. Papers including exceptional ephemera dealers with specialties in diverse categories, including: prints & maps, historic & celebrity, autographs, photographica, post cards, and trade cards, etc. It's all here for the curious and collector alike. Early buying - Friday 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission - $5, both days.


Mar 18-19 City Wide Garage Sale
Palmer Events Center, Barton Springs Rd.
cwgs.com

Austin's Largest Antique, Collectible & Vintage Marketplace "Where Everything Has a Story." Times: Saturday - 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission: $5.00, under 12 FREE.

Totally Austintacious

Mar 18 Austin Farmers' Market
Republic Square, 4th & Guadalupe
(512) 236-0074, Austinfarmersmarket.org

The market downtown features fresh and local vegetables, herbs, cheeses,
eggs, meats, breads, honey, flowers, prepared foods, drinks and artisan
crafts. Free parking around the park and in the State parking garage at 3rd
and San Antonio. Free admission.

Mar 18-19 West 6th St. Artists' Market
709 W. 6th
(512) 698-8099, 6thstreetmarket.com

The West 6th Street Artists' Market is a festive outdoor art fair, featuring a variety of work by independent artists from Austin and Central Texas. Open every Sat. & Sun., 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Mar 22 Big Red Reserve Wine & Food Tasting
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Dona Emilia's, 101 San Jacinto
(512) 478- 2520, donaemilias.com

Enjoy great food and wine with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Arte Sana. The wines featured will be from Peteroa and Neito selections accompanied by appetizers chosen specifically enhance their flavor. Cost: $20.00 per person. For reservations call (512) 478-2520 or register on line at donaemilias.com.

Your Input Needed!
Please Take a Minute to Complete Online Survey.
allsystemsgoconnections.org

Capital Metro is hosting an online survey to gain more public insight on further development of the All Systems Go Long-Range Transit Plan. The survey is based on recommendations made at the Future Connections Study Workshop held on February 4, where some 200 attendees provided Capital Metro with suggestions on upcoming with suggestions on the Central City circulator system, which could potentially be a streetcar system. The brief survey is accessible online through the All Systems Go home page at allsystemsgoconnections.org. Log on and help support the Downtown Austin Alliance Board's recommendation for a Congress Ave. alignment. This recommendation is based in part on advice research that shows this type of circulator would help achieve the goals of the Downtown Retail Development Strategy and Congress Avenue retail revitalization plans formulated by the Downtown Austin Alliance, the City of Austin and Economic Research Associates (consultants).

Mar 19 River City Ten-Miler
Northcross Mall to Auditorium Shores
(512) 326-1600, rivercitytenmiler.com

Austin welcomes the return of the River City Ten-Miler, a historic Austin race known for its lightning fast mostly-downhill course and elite competition. The race will be begin at Northcross Mall and end at Auditorium Shores. All proceeds will benefit the Center for Child Protection. For more information or to register, visit rivercitytenmiler.com or call RunFAR Racing Services, Inc., at (512) 326-1600.

Mar 21 Austin Toros vs. Albuquerque
7:30 p.m.
Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez
austintoros.com

Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Night. All kids 14 and under will receive a DA Bull mascot bobblehead! Enjoy the free post-game autograph session with Toros players at all games For Toros individual game tickets call (866) 443-8849 or visit austintoros.com! For group ticket information call 236-8333.

Irasshaimase! Gomi!
223 W. 2nd Street
(512) 442-9977
www.gomikitti.com

Welcome! Gomi! Downtown's newest retail adventure comes to 2nd Street from its previous location on South Congress. Specializing in Japanese Street Fashion--inspired clothes, Gomifeatures cool graphic tees, patches, funky purses, and kitschy figurines great for gifts.

Gomiis the perfect shop for the Nihonophileor just someone looking for that special item to make a fashion statement.

March 17 and March 18 Fado's St. Patrick's Day Festival
214 W. 4th
www.fadoirishpub.com

From 6:00 a.m. on Friday until 4:00 a.m. on Saturday W. 4th St. will be closed between Colorado and Lavaca.

March 17 SXSW Fireworks Display
www.sxsw.com

From 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., Cesar Chavez will be closed from just east of Sandra Muraida to San Antonio and the S. 1st St. Bridge will also be closed.

March 18 St. Patrick's Day Parade
Congress Avenue
www.keepaustinfun.com

From 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., E. 4th St. will be closed between Congress and Brazos for staging. The parade will go south on Congress to 4th Street and west on 4th to Lavaca.

The parade route will be closed to traffic at 10 a.m. Streets will re-open after the parade has passed. The event will be complete by 1:00 p.m.

March 18 Austin Farmers' Market
Republic Square, 4th & Guadalupe
austinfarmersmarket.org

From 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., W. 4th St. will be closed between Guadalupe and San Antonio for the Austin Farmers Market.

March 19 River City 10 Miler
North Austin to Auditorium Shores
www.rivercitytenmiler.com

The finish line for this race, which begins in north Austin, is at Auditorium Shores. The race will start at 7:00 a.m. and will be complete by noon.

The following downtown streets will be affected:

- Lamar, from 39th St. to Cesar Chavez
- Cesar Chavez, from near the animal shelter (the dog pound loop) to the S. 1st St. Bridge
- The S. 1st St. Bridge

Streets will be closed while runners are on the course.

Mar 23 World Conference on
Information Technology President to Speak
at Issues & Eggs
8:00 a.m. 211 East 7th, Room 111
(512) 469-1766, rsvp@downtownaustin.com

Glyn J. Meek, CEO & President of the World Congress of Information and Technology (WCIT) 2006 will give you an overview of the Congress - being held May 1-5 - its goals, the sponsorships, the speakers, the business opportunities for Austin, the program, the social events, and then its effects on Austin as a community for 5 days in May. This is a huge international event that Austin is honored to be hosting. Learn more about it at wcit2006.org.