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    ACL Fest and F1 in October · SXSW in March · music every night

    Arena tours at the Moody Center, 100,000 at Longhorns games, MLS at Q2 Stadium, F1 at COTA and live music somewhere downtown every night.

    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research
    The skyline of Austin, the capital city of Texas. With a population of 961,855, it's the 13th-most populous city in the U.S
    Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Upcoming events in Austin

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    What Austin's live-event scene covers

    Austin adopted the slogan "Live Music Capital of the World" in 1991, and the calendar still backs it up: two of the country's best-known festivals, a dense set of club districts, a modern arena and the long-running Austin City Limits television taping. Sports fill the rest. Austin FC is the city's only major-league team, but Texas Longhorns football draws crowds of about 100,000, and the Circuit of the Americas hosts Formula 1, MotoGP and NASCAR.

    • MLS: Austin FC, which began play in 2021 at Q2 Stadium.
    • College football: the Texas Longhorns football program at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium on the UT campus.
    • College basketball and arena concerts: the Moody Center, also on campus, home to Texas men's and women's basketball.
    • Motorsports: Circuit of the Americas in southeastern Travis County, the first U.S. track purpose-built for Formula 1.
    • Minor-league sports: the Round Rock Express (Triple-A, Texas Rangers affiliate) at Dell Diamond, and the Texas Stars (AHL) and Austin Spurs (G League) at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
    • Comedy: the Comedy Mothership on Sixth Street, home base of the weekly Kill Tony taping.

    Which Austin venues host what

    Moody Center

    Opened in April 2022 on the UT campus, the Moody Center holds about 16,200 for concerts and about 10,800 for basketball. It is the city's main arena for major tours, and it also hosts the Austin Gamblers professional bull riding team. Oak View Group runs it with Live Nation and C3 Presents.

    Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium

    Opened in 1924 and listed at 100,119 seats, the stadium set its attendance record of 105,215 against Georgia on October 19, 2024. For seating advice, sideline choices and gameday traditions, see the Texas Longhorns football page.

    Q2 Stadium

    Opened in June 2021 in the North Burnet area of North Austin, Q2 Stadium seats 20,738. Austin FC has sold out every home match for years; as of February 2026 the club held the MLS record of 89 straight home sellouts. The stadium also hosted 2024 Copa América matches and Willie Nelson's annual Fourth of July concert.

    Circuit of the Americas

    COTA opened in October 2012. The main grandstand holds about 9,000, and race-weekend attendance across the facility can reach 120,000. The on-site amphitheater, listed as the Germania Insurance Amphitheater, holds up to 14,000, with 5,240 permanent reserved seats, and books concerts. See the Formula 1 page for race-weekend ticket types.

    ACL Live at the Moody Theater

    The 2,750-seat home of the Austin City Limits PBS series since 2011, in the Block 21 development at 310 West Willie Nelson Boulevard downtown. The show, which debuted in 1974, is the longest-running music program in television history. The theater sells several layouts, including a general-admission floor with a seated mezzanine and fully seated shows, so check which one your show uses.

    Club districts

    Sixth Street, the Red River Cultural District, South Congress and East Austin hold most of the club rooms, including Antone's, the Continental Club, Stubb's, Emo's, the Mohawk and the Scoot Inn.

    The Austin event calendar

    • March: SXSW, the film, music and tech conference and festival. Because the Austin Convention Center is being rebuilt (work runs from 2025 into 2029), the 2026 edition ran as a campus-style event spread across downtown, moved from wristbands to badges and shortened the music portion by two days. MotoGP and NASCAR also race at COTA in March.
    • March through October: the MLS regular season at Q2 Stadium, with playoffs into November. Copa Tejas matches against FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo draw especially strong demand.
    • Spring and summer: Round Rock Express baseball at Dell Diamond through the Triple-A season.
    • September through November: Longhorns home football Saturdays.
    • October: the busiest month. The Austin City Limits Music Festival runs two three-day weekends at Zilker Park (October 2–4 and 9–11 in 2026), with a daily capacity of 75,000, and the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix is held at COTA in October.
    • November through March: Texas basketball at the Moody Center.

    When ACL Fest, a Longhorns home game and the Grand Prix fall close together, hotel rates climb citywide; book lodging first.

    Getting around to Austin's venues

    Austin–Bergstrom International Airport is about 5 miles southeast of downtown.

    • Downtown and campus: the Moody Center and the football stadium are on the UT campus just north of downtown, within walking distance of each other and a rideshare hop from downtown hotels. As of 2026, the Moody Center directs rideshare pickup and drop-off to Lot 37 by the LBJ Library, and its Manor Garage is prepaid only on event days; check moodycenteratx.com before you go.
    • Q2 Stadium: the best option is CapMetro's Red Line commuter rail to McKalla station, which opened in 2024 next to the stadium. MetroRapid route 803 and local buses also serve it.
    • Circuit of the Americas: the track is in southeastern Travis County, away from downtown, so plan for long traffic delays on race weekends and check COTA's published transportation options before you go.
    • Suburban venues: Dell Diamond in Round Rock and the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park are north of the city and are easiest by car.

    Neighborhood notes near the venues

    • Downtown and the Second Street District: ACL Live sits in Block 21 beside the W Austin hotel, with restaurants in every direction and Sixth Street a few blocks north.
    • UT campus and Red River: the Moody Center and the football stadium border the Red River Cultural District, so a game or arena show pairs easily with a club set afterward.
    • Zilker Park and South Austin: ACL Fest crowds spread into South Lamar and South Congress for food and lodging; festival weekends fill these areas early.
    • North Austin: Q2 Stadium is surrounded by mixed-use development, and staying near a Red Line station makes match days simpler.
    • Sixth Street: the Comedy Mothership is on East Sixth. As of 2026 it is 21 and over, with phones locked in pouches during shows.

    Tips for out-of-town visitors

    • Plan around October. ACL Fest, F1 and football can overlap, and lodging is usually the scarcest piece of the trip.
    • Expect heat. Early-season football, summer MLS matches and outdoor concerts can be very hot; evening events are easier.
    • Know the venue type. Many Austin club shows are general admission and standing, so arrive early if you want to be close.
    • Austin FC tickets mostly trade on resale. With a long sellout streak, the secondary market is the practical route for most single-match buyers.
    • Check the bag policy. As of 2026, the Moody Center allows clear bags up to 14 by 14 by 6 inches and small clutches; check current rules before any event.

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    Frequently asked questions

    What is the biggest concert arena in Austin?

    The Moody Center on the UT campus, which opened in 2022 and holds about 16,200 for concerts. Larger summer shows play stadiums or the amphitheater at Circuit of the Americas.

    When is ACL Fest?

    The Austin City Limits Music Festival runs over two three-day weekends in October at Zilker Park. The 2026 dates are October 2–4 and October 9–11.

    How do you get to Q2 Stadium?

    Take CapMetro's Red Line commuter rail to McKalla station, which sits next to the stadium and opened in 2024. MetroRapid route 803 and local buses also stop nearby.

    Does Austin have an NFL, NBA or MLB team?

    No. Austin FC of MLS is the city's only major-league team. Fans also follow Texas Longhorns athletics, the Round Rock Express, the Texas Stars and the Austin Spurs.

    When is the Formula 1 race in Austin?

    The United States Grand Prix is held at Circuit of the Americas in October. COTA also hosts MotoGP and NASCAR races in March.

    Where is Kill Tony taped?

    Kill Tony's weekly live show is based at the Comedy Mothership on Sixth Street in downtown Austin, a 21-and-over club where phones go in locked pouches.

    Sources