One of the perks of living in Austin is that you stay on the cutting edge of art, from music to theater. The Frontera Fest brings the best in the experimental theater to the Salvage Vanguard Theatre and Hyde Park Theatre from January 17th to February 18th.

The festival consists mostly of Short Fringe pieces, which run for 25 minutes or less. Every night, you can enjoy four or five of these pieces at the pair of venues. The Longe Fringe performances last up to 90 minutes and will show at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre from January 20th to February 2nd. Don't miss the Best of the Week play each Saturday night, which showcases the best locally crafted pieces every weekend, and the Best of the Fest from February 11th to the 15th. Don't miss the one-of-a-kind performances at the Frontera Fest.

Public Domain/Photo by Connor Limbocker on Unsplash

On Monday, January 15th, one of America's greatest civil rights leaders of all time is remembered across the country: Martin Luther King, Jr. Austin takes the celebration very seriously and hosts the Martin Luther King March and Festival in honor of the late reverend and activist. The march begins at 9 a.m. on January 15th at the MLK Statue at the University of Texas.

Come congregate at the statue for a program in remembrance of Martin Luther King, and then march toward the State Capitol as an act of honoring the many marches that MLK led himself. Once everybody arrives at the capitol, enjoy live music, food, and vendors at the community festival until 3 p.m. Bring along a canned good or non-perishable food item to donate to the Texas Food Bank, helping those in need as part of MLK's legacy.

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A mechanic's shop turned three-stage concert hall. A tent-shaded stage out on the open-air patio. An indoor stage embellished by billowing white curtains. During Free Week in Austin, these are the settings where live musical performances unfold. And, true to the event's name, admission to every show is free.

From New Year's Day through January 7th, more than 20 different venues around the city will play host to nearly 200 local bands. Come out and enjoy the cover-free concerts all across Austin, from the Empire Control Room (the aforementioned former mechanic's shop) to Cheer Up Charlies, a bar with a beautiful patio out back. Hit up a few shows a night and enjoy a cocktail or a pint of beer while Free Week in Austin is in town!