Apr 6 Light of Hope 
5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, 1165 Angelina
lightofhopeaustin.org
Come let us celebrate our children together as we learn to protect them even better during the 3rd Annual Light of Hope Celebration - an evening of magic, filled with family activities, music, child performances, and a message of hope as the Austin community comes together to mark April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The event is free of charge and open to the public. For more information, please visit llightofhopeaustin.org
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Apr 6-9 Texas Hill Country 
Food & Wine Festival
Various locations throughout Downtown and Austin
(512) 249-6300, texaswineandfood.org
The oldest and largest of its kind in the Lone Star state, the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival travels throughout Austin and the scenic Hill Country to let you savor what?s sweet to the palate. Over 30 events take place over these four days - at a variety of unique local venues, ranging from black-tie to down home ? Texas style. Highlights include a fine wine auction, the grand tasting "Stars Across Texas", winery luncheons, cooking classes, and wine seminars. The Festival?s grand finale happens at its Sunday Fair - an extravaganza of tasting tents featuring the best tastes in Texas - restaurants, wineries and craft brewers complemented by cooking demonstrations, cook book signings, children's activities and live music. Raise a glass with us. Please sip from texaswineandfood.org for full flavor details.
Apr 6-30 Tell Your Story and Be 
a Part of National Oral History.
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress
(800) 850-4406, storycorps.net
A traveling recording studio is stopping in Austin to talk to folks about their lives. It?s a Library of Congress effort that encourages ordinary Americans to be interviewed by relatives or friends and they share their life stories. This is the largest oral history project ever undertaken, with more than 2000 stories already collected. Award-winning NPR documentary producer, Dave Isay, created StoryCorps, the group that is rolling around in its Airstream studio. To learn more about this very cool happening and to reserve your interview time, visit storycorps.net or call the reservation line at (800) 850-4406, answered 24/7.
Apr 7 - 2006 Art in the Park - 
Loving Mother Earth
9:30 AM - 2:00 p.m.
McBeth Recreation Center, Zilker Park, 2400 Columbus Drive
(512) 454-9912, vsatx.org
This grassroots festival, which is perfect for home-schooled children, has been around for over 20 years and this year we dedicate the day to "Loving Mother Earth" in honor of Earth Day. Nature art activities and entertainment will be featured. Really fun and really education. The event is being co-hosted by VSA arts of Texas and the Austin Parks and Recreation. For more information, please visit vsatx.org or call (512) 454-9912.
Apr 8 Keep Austin Beautiful Citywide Cleanup Event
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Town Lake
(512) 391-0622, keepaustinbeautiful.org
Join in Clean Sweep, a citywide clearing and cleaning taking place all over Austin, The Thank You party that follows will have you dancing to The Damnations, enjoying a free lunch in your event t-shirts. A rock climbing wall will be just part of the kid's activities, along with environmental exhibits, green art and door prizes.
Apr 8 Celebrating How Life Works
Lifeworks' Ben & Jerry's, 500 N. Lamar, #150
(512) 735-2345
Lifeworks Ben & Jerry's has been training young people from around Austin for more than a year now and it's time to celebrate achievements, support and results. If you're a member of this team, please join in a Ben & Jerry's ice creams social - 4:00-10:00 p.m. at the Life works offices. Please bring family and friends!
Apr 9 Comida Alegre 2006 
1:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
4th & Colorado
(512) 441-9015, roadstarproductions.com
Featuring many of Austin's best Mexican food restaurants are holding a sampling of their products so that the people of Austin can rate the best of several categories - best Fajitas, Enchiladas, Salsa, and Margaritas. To add to the Mexican flavor of this event, we will be offering Salsa dance lessons and demonstrations. The event will also have music on 2 stages featuring great local, egional, national, and international artists of all types.
Totally Austintacious
Apr 8 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.
Apr 8-9 West 6th St. Artists Market
709 W. 6th
(512) 698-8099, 6thstreetmarket.com
The West 6th Street Artist's 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.
