November is when Austin exhales. ACL and race weekend are behind us, the air finally has some bite to it in the mornings, and the city settles into a month of book signings, beer halls, golf, and the first holiday lights. A PGA Tour event comes to town for the first time, the Texas Book Festival takes over downtown, and the Longhorns close out the home schedule the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I went through the official calendars and local listings and pulled together the things to do in Austin in November 2026 that are worth planning around. Where a start time has not been announced yet, I say so, so give the event site a quick look before you head out.
The Big Weekends in Austin This November
November 6 to 8 | Austin Food and Wine Festival at Auditorium Shores. Three days of chef demos and tastings on the lake, with the downtown skyline right across the water.
November 12 to 15 | Austin Championship, PGA Tour, at the Fazio Canyons course at Omni Barton Creek Resort. It is the first year of the event, with 120 players playing for FedExCup points. The practice and pro am days come first, and the tournament opens to the public November 12. General admission runs about $80 to $100 a day.
November 14 and 15 | Texas Book Festival, downtown Austin. More than 280 authors, panels, and book signings, and it is free. One of my favorite weekends of the year to just wander.
November 6 to 15 | Wurstfest in New Braunfels, at Landa Park on the Comal River. It is about 45 minutes south, but plenty of Austinites make the drive every year. Admission is free Monday through Thursday, November 9 to 12, with gates at 5:00 PM. Weekend days run $15 to $25 online, and kids 12 and under are always free.
Longhorns at Home
November 21 | Texas vs Arkansas at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. The home finale of the regular season. Kickoff time is still to be announced and will follow the TV window.
The rest of the month is on the road: Missouri on November 7, LSU in Baton Rouge on November 14, and the Lone Star Showdown at Texas A&M on Friday, November 27. If you want to watch with a crowd, those are good nights for a neighborhood sports bar.
Live Music and Shows
The Moody Center has a full November. Start times are not posted on the venue calendar yet for most of these, so check your ticket.
November 3 | Doja Cat, Tour Ma Vie World Tour, 7:30 PM.
November 6 | John Summit, CTRL ESCAPE Arena Tour.
November 8 | Maná, Vivir Sin Aire Tour.
November 10 | KATSEYE, The Wildworld Tour.
November 12 | Treaty Oak Revival, West Texas Degenerate Tour.
November 13 | Jonas Brothers, The Burning Up Tour All Over Again.
November 20 | Ty Myers, The Legal Tour.
November 7, 8:00 PM | Steve Lacy at the Moody Amphitheater in Waterloo Park, if you would rather hear a show outdoors while the weather cooperates.
November 3 to 8 | A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond musical, at Bass Concert Hall on campus.
Through November 5 | Austin Film Festival wraps up its run at the State Theatre, Hogg Memorial Auditorium, and other venues downtown and on campus. A film pass is $85.
Lights, Art, and the Start of the Holidays
November 13 to 21, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM | Creek Show along Waterloo Greenway. Ten light installations on Waller Creek between Fourth Street and Lady Bird Lake, nine nights only. It is ticketed, and proceeds support the greenway.
November 21 to January 3 | Mozart's Festival of Lights at Mozart's Coffee Roasters on Lake Austin Boulevard. Shows start at 6:00 PM nightly. Tickets are $7 early bird through November 20, then $8.
November 13 through December 24 | Blue Genie Art Bazaar holiday market opens, with work from more than 200 regional artists, open 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve.
November 18 to 22 | A Christmas Affair, the Junior League of Austin holiday market, at the Palmer Events Center. The opening night party is November 18, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and the market runs November 19 to 22.
The Zilker Holiday Tree lighting is traditionally the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but the city has not posted the 2026 date yet. The Trail of Lights follows in December.
Food, Drink, and Markets
November 4 to 8 | The 51st Annual Garage and Estate Sale at the Palmer Events Center, with a preview party the evening of November 4. Twenty one departments of bargains. Bring a truck.
November 7, doors at 2:00 PM | (512) Brewing 18th Anniversary Celebration in South Austin. Free, with live music and a new beer release.
Tuesdays, November 3 and 10, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM | Tuesday Twilights at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Evening garden walks with live local music. $15 for adults, $9 for kids 3 to 17.
Free and Family Friendly
November 7, 9:00 AM | Morning Glories Diwali celebration at the Moody Amphitheater in Waterloo Park. A free family morning with performances and art activities.
November 8, 7:00 AM | Gazelle Foundation Run for the Water. A 5K and 10 miler from downtown to Tarrytown, with the Kids K at 9:15 AM.
November 21 | The Austin Powwow, the 33rd annual Native arts and heritage festival. Kids under 12 get in free, and parking is free. Check the Powwow site for the venue and schedule.
November 26, Thanksgiving morning | ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot at the Long Center. The 36th year. The timed 5 mile run starts at 8:30 AM, the kids race at 8:15 AM, and the 1 mile walk at 9:50 AM. It benefits Caritas of Austin, and it is the most Austin way I know to earn a second helping.
November in Austin: Quick Answers
What is there to do in Austin this weekend in November? It depends on the weekend. November 6 to 8 is Food and Wine at Auditorium Shores and the first weekend of Wurstfest. November 13 to 15 has the Texas Book Festival, the PGA Tour, and Creek Show all at once. November 20 to 22 brings the Longhorns home finale, the Powwow, and the first night of Mozart's lights.
What are some free things to do in Austin in November? The Texas Book Festival, the Morning Glories Diwali celebration in Waterloo Park, the (512) Brewing anniversary party, and Wurstfest on its Monday through Thursday nights are all free. Kids get into the Powwow free too.
When does the Mozart's light show start in 2026? November 21, with shows starting at 6:00 PM every night through January 3, 2027.
A Note from Me
What I like about November is how spread out it is. The Book Festival and Creek Show keep downtown Austin and 78701 busy for a week. Food and Wine, the Turkey Trot, and the holiday markets at the Palmer Events Center all sit along the lake in 78704. Mozart's lights and the end of the Run for the Water land in Tarrytown and 78703, which might be the most pleasant place in the city to take a November walk. And the PGA Tour heads west to Barton Creek in 78735, a short drive from Westlake, where the hills and the golf courses explain a lot about why people choose that side of town.
If you are moving to Austin, a month like this is a good way to figure out which Austin neighborhoods fit the way you want to live. Some people want to walk to the Book Festival. Others want a quiet street and a 20 minute drive to anything. Both are easy to find here, and the Austin relocation guide is a good place to start sorting it out.
I am Mike Vilece, an Austin Realtor with Compass and The Austin Local Group. If you are buying a home in Austin, thinking about selling, or just curious what your place is worth heading into the holidays, I am happy to walk you through it. The Austin housing market page has the current numbers, updated every month.
See you out there, and happy Thanksgiving.