Del Castillo Trio

Women and nonbinary pinball players are welcome to join this casual pinball group for all levels, meeting at Bender Bar on first Wednesdays of the month and Cidercade on third Wednesdays.

Belles & Chimes Pinball Meetup

Ian Stewart Band, Craig Marshall (6:00)

Mason Lively, Michael Milligan & Texiana Bluez, the Drakes (6:00)

John Mills Times Ten, Jitterbug Vipers (6:00)

Take a flight through a fairy goddess fantasy with host Louisianna Purchase, cast members Embry Officially and Salem Ofax, and monthly special guests.

Ethereal Girl

At the start of her drag career, Divina host Tatiana Cholula told Qmmunity she’d be critiqued for not assimilating enough “American” culture into her acts. “Before I started Divina,” she said, “the scene was rich in amazing Latinx drag performers and artists, but there weren’t any spaces focused on them or they didn’t feel comfortable performing certain songs at certain spaces.” Thankfully, Tatiana did start Divina, and now every other Wednesday you’ll see Oilcan Harry’s stage taken over by the spirits of Latina legends like Gloria Estefan and Paulina Rubio – courtesy of local Latinx drag talent. – James Scott

Divina: Noche Drag Latinx

Anyone who identifies as a woman and is interested in learning some hands-on self-defense techniques is welcome to join.

Free Women's Self-Defense Class

Are you helping your local community, park, reserve, sanctuary or urban park apply as an International Dark Sky Place? Or are you starting to think about it? Gather to connect with others doing the same thing and be coached by DarkSky Texas volunteers who have experience with IDSP applications.

First Wednesday Dark Sky Place Coaching

To follow the demands of her art or her heart: That's the dilemma faced by the ballerina in this movie, which tells a story that has piqued young girls' interest in ballet for decades since. The film also contains some fabulous footwork.

The Red Shoes (1948)

The Georges

Moeller Brothers

Midnight Grass

Warren Hood

Ace Peppers blues jam

Redcliff

James McMurtry

Frank Cavitt & the Honky-Tonk Doctors

Three Anglican nuns attempt to transform a Himalayan palace into a convent, but in addition to the physical challenges of the landscape, they are constrained by their own emotional demons.

Black Narcissus (1947)

Canned Beets

Guthrie Girls

The tale of a conservative town that overreacts to a tragedy by banning dancing might seem a little, um, familiar in theme right now. Authority taking drastic measures and fostering extreme fear is as relevant as ever. Resist and bask in a bit of hope with an upbeat musical full of rocking Eighties tunes (thanks, Kenny Loggins). We are holding out for a hero, and Footloose: The Musical might be the one we need. Besides, a free show under the starry Texas sky? Almost paradise indeed. – Cat McCarrey

Footloose: The Musical

Butter N Jam

South Austin’s first dedicated comedy venue is spearheaded by local comics Martin Henn, Andre Ricks, and Raza Jafri, and brings top-notch acts to South Austin every Wednesday through Saturday. Note: The upcoming comics – including nationally touring acts, local sweethearts, and everyone in between – will be listed on Instagram each night.

South Austin Comedy Club

Libby & the Loveless

Hosted by Carlton Wilcoxson and Angelina Martin, and featuring the best local and national comics every Wednesday.

Buzz Kill Comedy

This multimedia exhibition is a comprehensive exploration of the beauty of botanical forms, expressed realistically and in the abstract, featuring the work of local artist Francine Funke.

Old Bakery Gallery: Fantastical Flora

Dreadneck Wednesdays w/ Mau Mau Chaplains, DJ Jah Bill (9:00)

Anderson Smith Band ft. Chris Reeves, two-step dance lessons w/ Hill Country Two Step (7:00)

Art and … math? Not as improbable as it may seem, especially when seen through the veil of fantasy. And that’s exactly what artist/gallerist/therapist Deanna Miesch does. Compiling works inspired by 1800s mathematician Edwin A. Abbott’s imaginary world of Flatland (with touches of fellow mathematician Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, of course), Miesch presents reality with a fanciful twist. Her visuals show our world, blurred or tilted a little askew. It’s easy to see portals to another world in every line and angle. What dimensions will you discover? – Cat McCarrey

Deanna Miesch: “Flatland Revisited”

Hurrah! It’s the only good thing about summer – sorry to summer-enjoyers – come back once more. Austin Public Library’s summer reading program runs from June 1 until Aug. 10 and challenges readers of all ages to get 20 minutes of reading done a day. They’ve also got activity badges you can earn – fun biz like using APL’s seed library, making a DIY nature journal, attending any of APL’s free events. Finish 10 reading hours and three activity badges to earn prizes like a free book (kids 0-17) or a camping mug (adults). But isn’t the real reward the great books you read along the way? – James Scott

Summer at Austin Public Library

Hoo-wee! Does anything feel better than a dip in the pool during a hot Texas summer? While some among us may be privileged to own private watering holes, most of us get to enjoy the great Austin PARD’s work at the 44 public aquatic facilities to choose from this summer. You’ve got regional, neighborhood, and community pools; a wading pool; splash pads; and the crown jewel: Barton Springs. Check austintexas.gov/pools-splashpads for up-to-date info on which pools are open, what their entry fee is, and whether you have what it takes to be a public pool lifeguard. Now, outta the way if you don’t wanna get wet: I’m gonna do a cannonball! – James Scott

Austin Public Pools Opening

Who doesn’t want to build up their CV in these trying times? Or perhaps you just want to fill your free time with something other than TikTok? Or maybe you want a behind-the-scenes, hands-on tour of Austin’s best place for sustainable craft supplies? Whatever reason you’ve got, it’s a good time to volunteer for Austin Creative Reuse’s Summer of Service program. Opportunities are abundant, with group projects like fabric rolling, dog toy making, or Funky Fabric Friday – that’s when they process all the weird stuff like purple faux fur or bright yellow vinyl. Sign up on austincreativereuse.org, complete 30 volunteering hours, and earn your Summer of Service certificate. Beats losing eight hours to ASMR slime-scoop videos, I’ll tell you what. – James Scott

Summer of Service

Zilker’s summer musical series celebrates its 65th production with the song-and-dance stylings of sorority girl-turned-Harvard Law dynamo Elle Woods.

Legally Blonde: The Musical

Running till August 16, Xavier Alvarado’s solo exhibition at 2324 Gallery features one of the most enduring themes in art: love. Raised in Texas “with deep Trinidadian roots,” as he notes on his website, Alvarado has collaborated with big names like Austin FC and Louis Vuitton, and his work spans multiple different media from painting to installation. With both new and old pieces in the show, Alvarado emphasizes “the transformative power of sharing in relationships and communities,” the exhibition text reads. Alvarado says this body of work “represents the heart’s capacity to connect, give, and enrich others” and “invites reflection on how sharing shapes our experiences of love and deepens our understanding of the heart.”– Lina Fisher

“Hearts: How Deep Is Your Love”

The first of two Summer Stock Austin productions this summer (stay tuned for Guys & Dolls on August 2), Disney’s The Little Mermaid revives Hans Christian Anderson’s enduring tale of a sea-maiden who dreams of life on land and enlivens it with standout music and lyrics by Disney Renaissance dream team Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. High school and college students make up the cast, but don’t confuse their youth with amateurishness: With 20 years under its belt, Summer Stock Austin knows how to put on a helluva show. – Kimberley Jones

Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Scotty Alexander

Ball of Fire (1941)

Danny Britt

Charlie Murphy

Strange Bangs, MASSIVESAD, Hunter Havins

Mid-Range Jumper, The Distraits

Has modern middle school life ever been captured better than in Bo Burnham's painfully astute dramedy?