Thursday, December 26, 2024

Red River Free Week kicks off, boosting local bands and venues

January 7, 2023

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect how Free Week supports the local music industry.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Red River Cultural District’s Free Week returned to downtown Austin this week. The festival offers free concerts from Thursday, Jan. 5 through Saturday, Jan 7.

The concert series each year aims to boost local bands and venues. The series also helps local bands and venues during a time that’s not typically active and leads to a slump.

More than 100 bands are playing at these 12 music venues:

Cheer Up Charlies

Elysium

Empire Control Room & Garage

Flamingo Cantina

Stubb’s Bar-B-Q

Vaquero Taquero

Organizers say festival-goers will get discounts on food and drink from nearby places including:

Vaquero Taquero

Central D istrict Brewing

According to organizers, Free Week started in 2003 at the original Emo’s at Sixth and Red River streets.

Six venues in the Red River Cultural District are hosting the Safer Venues Fest on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019. (KXAN Photo/Chris Davis)
Six venues in the Red River Cultural District are hosting the Safer Venues Fest on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019. (KXAN Photo/Chris Davis)

by: Daniel Gravois

Posted: Jan 6, 2023 / 08:19 AM CST

Updated: Jan 6, 2023 / 03:20 PM CST

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect how Free Week supports the local music industry.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Red River Cultural District’s Free Week returned to downtown Austin this week. The festival offers free concerts from Thursday, Jan. 5 through Saturday, Jan 7.

The concert series each year aims to boost local bands and venues. The series also helps local bands and venues during a time that’s not typically active and leads to a slump.

More than 100 bands are playing at these 12 music venues:

Cheer Up Charlies
Chess Club
Elysium
Empire Control Room & Garage
Flamingo Cantina
Mala Vida
Mohawk
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
Swan Dive
The 13th Floor
Valhalla
Vaquero Taquero

Organizers say festival-goers will get discounts on food and drink from nearby places including:

Hoboken Pie
Stubbs Bar-B-Q
Vaquero Taquero
Shawarma Point
Pelon’s
Central D istrict Brewing

According to organizers, Free Week started in 2003 at the original Emo’s at Sixth and Red River streets.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

How to set realistic fitness goals for the new year

Studio 512 / 11 hours ago

The grass is always greener before you walk on it. Once you are on the other side of the fence, you realize keeping that grass green takes effort. What no one tells you is that effort never goes away. The real trick in life isn’t achieving your goals, …

These 16 products should be kept in your car to handle …

Health & Wellness / 15 hours ago

With winter firmly in place, so is the season of dangerous road conditions. Many items can make it safer to travel.

Stainless steel appliances that will give your kitchen …

Decor / 15 hours ago

We’ve rounded up beautiful stainless steel refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers and microwaves for a kitchen that’s both functional and stylish.

View All BestReviews

Top Stories

APD investigating south Austin homicide

ATX panadería embraces Mexican tradition with Roscas

Austin FC unveils 2023 preseason schedule

Scattered rain expected on Saturday

Efforts continue to get homeless people off the streets

More Stories

APD investigating south Austin homicide

ATX panadería embraces Mexican tradition with Roscas

Scattered rain expected on Saturday

Efforts continue to get homeless people off the streets

Update on Jan. 6 cases tied to Central Texas

Seven local counties are now at high risk from COVID

Teen murder suspect, victim met through app

Who is Rodney Terry — UT hoops’ acting head coach

Austin-Travis County

ATX panadería embraces Mexican tradition with Roscas

Austin / 2 hours ago

Scattered rain expected on Saturday

Forecast / 2 hours ago

Efforts continue to get homeless people off the streets

Austin / 1 hour ago

66K could lose access to Ascension hospitals

Texas / 1 hour ago

Update on Jan. 6 cases tied to Central Texas

News / 5 hours ago

Teen murder suspect, victim met through app

Crime / 5 hours ago

Who is Rodney Terry — UT hoops’ acting head coach

Horns Report / 6 hours ago

Tim Hortons seeking franchisees in Austin metro

Business / 9 hours ago

New COVID subvariant detected, risk raised to medium

Travis County / 7 hours ago

TX bill reintroduced to prevent pet resort fires

Georgetown / 8 hours ago

Local restaurant owner arrested on assault charges

Travis County / 12 hours ago

November was 6th-busiest month ever at Austin airport

Austin / 14 hours ago

Prizes available for Central Texas blood donors

Local / 7 hours ago

Recycle your Christmas tree to help prevent fires

Local / 7 hours ago

Red River Free Week underway downtown

Entertainment / 9 hours ago

Austin Public Library’s most popular books

Austin / 14 hours ago

New Austin mayor and council members to take office

Austin / 5 hours ago

O. Henry Museum reopens

Austin / 18 hours ago

Eanes ISD educates students on fentanyl dangers

News / 4 hours ago

Chris Beard: Westlake coach weighs in on recruitment

Local Sports / 1 day ago

KXAN Austin Video

<article class="article-list__article article-list__article–is-stacked article-list__article–has-thumb article-list__article–is-media-type" data-article-id="8287099" data-index="0" data-collection="article-list5" data-anvato-params=""ns":"id":"8287099","title":"66,000 could lose access to this Austin hospital network at the end of the month. Is your coverage changing?","link":"https://www.kxan.com/video/66000-could-lose-access-to-this-austin-hospital-network-at-the-end-of-the-month-is-your-coverage-changing/8287099/","thumbnail":"src":"https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848","orientation":"landscape","proportional_sources":"16:9":"srcset":"https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 160w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 256w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 320w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 640w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 960w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 1280w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 1920w, https://m104216-ucdn.mp.lura.live/iupl_lin/757/DB1/757DB1B931FEB1876051747539F98FC8_160x90.jpg?Expires=2082758400&KeyName=mcpkey1&Signature=l0DVfmqAVeo5pzjL4tUi6nWj848 2560w","sizes":"(max-width: 899px) 100%, 300px","date":"time":"1 hour ago","datetime":"2023-01-06T22:39:16-06:00","lead_media":true,"media_type_icon":"name":"video","label":"Video","vilynx_id":"LIN_8287099","mcp":"LIN","width":"100%","height":"100%","video":"8287099","autoplay":false,"expect_preroll":true,"pInstance":"p48","plugins":"comscore":"clientId":"6036439","c3":"kxan.com","version":"5.2.0","useDerivedMetadata":true,"mapping":"c3":"kxan.com","ns_st_st":"kxan","ns_st_pu":"Nexstar","ns_st_ge":"News,Local,Austin,Video,Local News,Video","cs_ucfr":"","dfp":"adTagUrl":"https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=1×1000&iu=/5678/lin.kxan/entertainment&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vmap&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&description_url=https://www.kxan.com/entertainment-news/red-river-free-week-helps-bands-and-venues-raises-awareness-about-overdose-deaths/&cust_params=vid%3D8287099%26cmsid%3D1608008%26pid%3D1608008%26pers_cid%3Dnxs-40-article-1608008%26vidcat%3D/entertainment%26bob_ck%3D[bob_ck_val]%26d_code%3D1%26pagetype%3Dstory%26hlmeta%3Dred%20river%20free%20week%20helps%20bands%20and%20venues%20raises%20awareness%20about%20overdose%20deaths%26aa%3Df","nielsen":"apid":"P74D95DB2-9ACC-40E2-B3B5-7B9C65C50126","sfcode":"dcr","type":"dcr","apn":"Anvato","environment":"production","useDerivedMetadata":true,"mapping":"adloadtype":2,"adModel":2,"segmentCustom":"script":"https://segment.psg.nexstardigital.net/anvato.js","writeKey":"8Jlo8JuUyENFG8nvLkq1NuyT2CHRyOp7","pluginsLoadingTimeout":12,"expectPrerollTimeout":8,"accessKey":"gq261XAmw8b5xi69ku8hYmO1kyPmMBzn","token":"eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ2aWQiOiI4Mjg3MDk5IiwiaXNzIjoiZ3EyNjFYQW13OGI1eGk2OWt1OGhZbU8xa3lQbU1Cem4iLCJleHAiOjE2NzMwNzUwNTV9.N8ZvIiJSQCmT1Ym2L-ED1AylC-k4sfXnuMlD5v56MBg","nxs":"mp4Url":"https://tkx.mp.lura.live/rest/v2/mcp/video/8287099?anvack=bvJ0dQpmRLZx7cMPeiW9U27gVRARwpPL&token=%7E5iqxdpMOZES%2BNCdTYVynXbloGseZvo70MQ%3D%3D","enableFloatingPlayer":true,"disableMutedAutoplay":false,"recommendations":false,"expectPreroll":false,"titleVisible":false,"pauseOnClick":true,"trackTimePeriod":60,"isPermutiveEnabled":true
// –>

Tracking the Coronavirus

COVID-19 tracker: Cases in the KXAN viewing area

Coronavirus / 2 days ago

Data tracker: COVID cases, vaccine rates across Texas

Coronavirus / 2 days ago

Coronavirus Cases Tracker

Austin Weather

Current

65°

Mostly Cloudy

Tonight

62°

Cloudy

Precip: 0&percnt;

Tomorrow

70°

Showers, Isolated PM Storm

Precip: 50&percnt;

Trending Stories

Comet nears Earth for first time since Stone Age

APD investigating south Austin homicide

New COVID subvariant detected, risk raised to medium

Darkest mornings of winter have arrived in Texas

66K could lose access to Ascension hospitals

Don’t Miss

What gives with the ‘Buscar’ graffiti?

Texas teen days from becoming Hays Co. district clerk

Answering questions after Chris Beard’s arrest

KXAN launches new news podcasts

Sign up: New KXAN Texas politics newsletter launching

Latest weather conditions from the KXAN First Warning Weather team