2 weeks Ago
( CultureMap Austin ) On January 3 and 4, Austin's beloved free music festival Free Week will take over the Red River Cultural District (RRCD) with shows by more than 70 local acts across 12 venues. And that's just counting the first announcement, with more to come in two weeks. Among the acts slated to perform so far are Being Dead, whose latest album, Eels , was recently named one of Paste's Top 100 Albums of 2024 ; plus other local favorites like Chancla Fight Club, Megafauna, Pelvis Wrestly, Pussy Gillette, and The Tiarras.
This all-star lineup comes as a relief for many, after Free Week was nearly cancelled earlier this year due to lack of funds. But thanks to renewed city funding promised on November 7 — after long negotiations and some disagreements between RRCD and Austin City Council — Free Week and RRCD's other popular festival Hot Summer Nights were saved for the foreseeable future. This free festival got its start more than 20 years ago as a way to keep downtown businesses' doors open during the slowest time of the year.
Even though Free Week is now just two days long, the heart of the festival remains: a pay-what-you-want event for fans that puts donations and sponsor money into the pockets of local artists and venues. "Free Week is a celebration of everything that makes Austin the Live Music Capital of the World — our incredible local artists, historic venues, and a Cultural District that has been a home base for generations of musicians," said RRCD interim executive director Nicole Klepadlo in a press release. "This festival is more than music; it’s about preserving and evolving the culture and soul of our city.
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