Things to Do in Austin in October (2026 Guide)
What are the best things to do in Austin in October 2026?
October brings ACL Festival to Zilker Park on October 2-4 and 9-11, Formula 1 to Circuit of the Americas on October 22-25, three Longhorns home games, and Halloween weekend. Average highs run 83°F. It’s the busiest month on Austin’s calendar, and the one most worth planning around.
I have lived here long enough to know that October is when Austin stops apologizing for its weather. The heat breaks, the patios fill back up, and there is something on the calendar every single weekend. It’s also the month when the city is at its most crowded, so a little planning goes a long way.
Here’s what’s actually happening in 2026, and how I’d think about timing it.
What is the weather like in Austin in October?
Austin in October averages a high of 83°F and a low of 61°F, with about 3.9 inches of rain across roughly 7 rainy days, according to long-term climate averages for Austin. Expect about six days that still climb into the 90s, usually early in the month.
| Measure | October average |
|---|---|
| Average high | 83°F |
| Average low | 61°F |
| Rainfall | 3.9 inches |
| Rainy days | About 7 |
| Days reaching 90°F | About 6 |
The practical version: early October still feels like summer, late October feels like fall. Pack for both. Barton Springs stays open, the springs stay at 68°F year round, and evenings actually cool off enough that you’ll want a layer after sunset.
Austin’s biggest October 2026 events
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2-4 & 9-11 | ACL Music Festival | Zilker Park |
| Oct 2-24 (Fri & Sat) | Boo at the Zoo | Austin Zoo |
| Oct 10 | Red River Rivalry, Texas vs Oklahoma | Cotton Bowl, Dallas |
| Oct 16-17 | Hot Luck Festival | Various locations |
| Oct 17 | Texas vs Florida | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium |
| Oct 22-25 | Formula 1 United States Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas |
| Oct 23 | Spurs vs Rockets, NBA season opener | Moody Center |
| Oct 24 | Texas vs Ole Miss | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium |
| Oct 24 | Viva la Vida Fest | Mexic-Arte Museum |
| Oct 29 – Nov 5 | Austin Film Festival | Downtown Austin |
| Oct 31 | Texas vs Mississippi State | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium |
| Oct 31 | Austin Oktoberfest | German Free School |
| Oct 31 | Austoberfest | Scholz Garten |
| Oct 31 | Austin Symphony Halloween Concert | Long Center |
For the full citywide calendar including everything that gets added between now and then, Visit Austin keeps a running October and November list.
The two weekends to plan around
This is the part most October guides skip, and I think it’s the most useful thing on this page.
October 24 is the single busiest day of the month. Formula 1 race weekend is running at COTA, Texas is hosting Ole Miss at DKR, Viva la Vida is downtown at Mexic-Arte, and the Spurs opened their season at Moody Center the night before. Four major events, one Saturday. If you’re flying in, book early and expect surge pricing on everything. If you live here, that is a stay-on-your-side-of-town kind of day.
October 31 stacks almost as high. Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026, Texas hosts Mississippi State, and both Oktoberfest celebrations run the same day. Downtown and campus will be full.
October 3 and October 10 belong to ACL. Zilker Park, South Lamar, and Barton Springs Road get slow. The Longhorns have a bye on October 3 and play in Dallas on October 10, so at least the stadium traffic isn’t layered on top.
If you want the calm version of Austin in October, look at the weekend of October 16-17. Hot Luck is in town, which is a great festival, and the city otherwise breathes.
ACL Festival 2026 is the 25th year
ACL runs two weekends at Zilker Park, October 2-4 and October 9-11, with more than 100 performances across nine stages. 2026 marks 25 years of the festival, so expect the lineup and the production to lean into that.
A few things worth knowing if it’s your first one. The park is big and the walk from the rideshare drop is long, so wear real shoes. Weekend one and weekend two share most of the lineup but not all of it. And the neighborhoods around Zilker get very slow, so if you live in 78704 and you’re not going, plan your errands for a different day.
Formula 1 at COTA, October 22-25
The United States Grand Prix runs October 22-25 at Circuit of the Americas, southeast of downtown. 2026 adds a fourth day, a Thursday preview with F1 Academy racing, pit lane walks, and early access to COTALAND, with tickets starting around $20.
The concerts are their own draw. Maroon 5 plays Friday the 23rd, Post Malone Saturday the 24th, and Alesso closes out Sunday after the race.
F1 weekend is the closest thing Austin has to a citywide event. Downtown fills with international visitors, restaurants book out weeks ahead, and the airport is a scene. It’s genuinely fun, and it is not the weekend to try anything spontaneous.
Longhorns football at DKR
Three home games in October 2026, all at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Kickoff times get assigned by the networks closer to the date, so check the official Texas schedule before you plan around one.
- October 17 vs Florida
- October 24 vs Ole Miss, Ole Miss’s first trip to Austin since 2013
- October 31 vs Mississippi State
The Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma is October 10 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, so that one empties Austin rather than filling it.
Game days change how central Austin moves. If you’re anywhere near campus, I-35, or downtown on a Saturday with a home game, give yourself an extra 45 minutes for anything.
Halloween and Día de los Muertos in Austin
Halloween lands on a Saturday in 2026, which Austin will take full advantage of.
Boo at the Zoo runs Friday and Saturday nights from October 2 through October 24 at the Austin Zoo, with a haunted house, train rides, and costumes welcome.
Viva la Vida Fest at the Mexic-Arte Museum on October 24 is the city’s longest running Día de los Muertos celebration, with the grand procession downtown and the museum’s exhibition. It’s one of my favorite Austin days of the year and it is free to watch.
The Austin Symphony’s Halloween Concert at the Long Center on October 31 is the low-key option if the downtown scene isn’t your thing. Costumes encouraged.
And then there’s Sixth Street, which on Halloween is exactly what you’d expect and has been that way for decades.
Free and low-cost things to do any October day
Not every October weekend needs a ticket.
- Lady Bird Lake trail. The Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail is a ten-mile loop and October is the best month of the year to walk the whole thing. Sunset over the Pfluger Bridge in late October is worth the trip on its own.
- Barton Springs Pool. Still open, still 68°F, and far less crowded in October than it is in August.
- Zilker Botanical Garden. Fall blooms, shaded paths, and about $8 to get in.
- Mount Bonnell. Two minutes of stairs for the best view of the river in the city. Free.
- Farmers markets. Mueller on Sundays, downtown on Saturdays at Republic Square. Both are better in October than any other month, and both are a genuinely good way to get a feel for a part of town you’re considering.
- East Austin studio tours and neighborhood pop-ups. These move around, so check what’s on the weekend you’re here.
What October tells you about living in Austin
I get a lot of calls in October, and I think there’s a reason for that. People visit for ACL or F1, the weather is perfect, they’re standing on a patio at seven in the evening in a t-shirt, and they start doing the math.
Fair warning, and I say this to everyone: October is Austin at its absolute best. So is April. August is a different conversation. If you’re evaluating Austin as a place to live rather than visit, come back in a shoulder month and see how it feels then.
The other thing October shows you is how different each part of town behaves. Zilker and 78704 are unlivable during ACL and glorious the rest of the month. Hyde Park is walkable and busy. The suburbs southwest and north, places like Circle C Ranch, stay quiet through all of it. Which one of those sounds right to you says a lot about where you should be looking.
Frequently asked questions
Is October a good time to visit Austin?
October is one of the two best months to visit Austin, along with April. Average highs are 83°F, evenings cool into the 60s, and the event calendar is the fullest of the year. The tradeoff is crowds and higher hotel prices, especially ACL and F1 weekends.
When is ACL Festival 2026?
ACL Festival 2026 runs two weekends at Zilker Park, October 2-4 and October 9-11. It’s the festival’s 25th year, with more than 100 performances across nine stages.
When is Formula 1 in Austin in 2026?
The United States Grand Prix runs October 22-25, 2026 at Circuit of the Americas. A Thursday preview day on October 22 was added for 2026, with tickets starting around $20.
What is the busiest weekend in Austin in October 2026?
October 24. Formula 1 race weekend, a Longhorns home game against Ole Miss, and Viva la Vida Fest all fall on the same Saturday. Book travel and restaurants weeks ahead or pick a different weekend.
Do you need a jacket in Austin in October?
For evenings in the second half of the month, yes, a light layer. Daytime highs still average 83°F and about six October days reach the 90s, so plan for both in the same day.
Is Barton Springs open in October?
Yes. Barton Springs Pool is open year round and holds around 68°F regardless of the season. October is one of the least crowded months to go.
What is there to do in Austin in October besides ACL?
Plenty. Hot Luck Festival on October 16-17, three Longhorns home games, Formula 1 the last weekend, Viva la Vida on October 24, Austin Film Festival opening October 29, and Boo at the Zoo on Friday and Saturday nights through October 24.
Come see it for yourself
October is the month Austin shows off, so if you’re here for it, enjoy the whole thing.
And if you’re one of the people doing the math on a patio somewhere this month, I’d love to talk. I’ve been selling real estate in Austin for a long time and I know which neighborhoods feel the way October feels all year, and which ones only feel that way in October. That’s a real difference and it’s worth understanding before you buy.
Reach out anytime at 512.856.4549 or lisa.munoz@compass.com, or start here. Let’s find your Austin.
Last updated: August 2026. Dates confirmed against ACL Festival, Visit Austin, Texas Athletics, and Texas Book Festival at time of publication. Always check with the event for final details.
