Forget the New Year’s resolutions for a minute.

If you really want to start 2024 the Austin way, head downtown, walk down Red River Street and follow the music.

That’s because Free Week is back.

On January 5 and 6, 2024, the Red River Cultural District is kicking off the new year with one of Austin’s best traditions: two nights of free live music spread across more than a dozen venues in and around the Red River district.

And yes, we’re emphasizing the word free.

No giant festival wristband.

No $150 ticket.

No waiting six months for your favorite artist to announce a tour.

Just walk into the district, find a show and start listening.

The 2024 edition features venues including Mohawk, Stubb’s, Empire Control Room & Garage, Cheer Up Charlies, Elysium, Flamingo Cantina, Swan Dive, Valhalla, The 13th Floor, Barbarella, Chess Club and Creek and Cave, with dozens of artists scheduled across the two-night event.

This is one of those Austin events that locals sometimes take for granted.

Don’t.

FREE WEEK IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE WORD “FREE” SUGGESTS

Free Week actually started back in 2003 at the original Emo’s, near Sixth and Red River.

The idea was simple: January is traditionally a slow time for Austin’s nightlife and music businesses, so give people a reason to come downtown, fill the clubs and support local musicians and staff.

Two decades later, that little idea has grown into one of the city’s signature winter music events.

The Red River Cultural District says Free Week was created specifically to keep clubs’ lights on and staff working during the slower winter months. Today, the festival brings thousands of people together while providing paid performance opportunities for musicians.

That’s an important distinction.

The shows are free to you. The musicians still get paid.

The festival is supported through fundraising, sponsors and the work of the Red River Cultural District, allowing fans to attend without an admission charge while still putting money into Austin’s independent music economy.

So if you go, don’t just show up and enjoy the music.

Buy a drink.

Order food.

Tip your bartender.

Tip the band.

Buy something from a local business.

That’s how Free Week keeps working.

2024 IS A TWO-NIGHT MUSIC MARATHON

One of the biggest changes longtime Free Week fans have noticed is how much the event has evolved.

The 2024 district-wide festival is concentrated on Friday, January 5 and Saturday, January 6.

That may sound short compared with the Free Week of years past, but don’t let the two-day schedule fool you.

There is a lot happening.

The 2024 lineup includes artists such as The Tiarras, Large Brush Collection, Magic Rockers of Texas, Daydream Twins, Redbud and Never, along with dozens of other local and regional acts.

And that’s only the beginning.

There are so many shows happening simultaneously that the biggest problem isn’t finding something to see.

It’s deciding what to skip.

THIS IS AUSTIN’S MINI SXSW

One of the easiest ways to explain Free Week to somebody who has never experienced it is:

It’s a mini SXSW without the SXSW price tag.

That doesn’t mean it’s literally SXSW.

It isn’t.

But the concept of walking around downtown, moving between venues and discovering bands you’ve never heard of is very similar.

And because everything is concentrated around Red River, you can actually do it.

You don’t need a car.

You don’t need to drive across Austin every hour.

You can walk from one venue to another.

Catch a band.

Walk outside.

Hear music coming from somewhere else.

Go inside.

Find another show.

Get a drink.

Repeat.

That’s the night.

THE MOHAWK SHOULD BE ON YOUR LIST

If you’re trying to build a Free Week itinerary, Mohawk is one of the obvious stops.

The venue has long been one of the central pieces of Austin’s Red River music scene, and Free Week is a perfect excuse to spend a night there.

The outdoor stage gives you a chance to see a show under the Austin sky, while the indoor room gives you another option when you want to get away from the January weather.

And that’s another thing to remember about January in Austin:

It can be 70 degrees.

It can be 40 degrees.

It can feel like both on the same night.

Dress in layers.

EMPIRE IS ANOTHER MUST-STOP

Empire Control Room & Garage is another major part of the Free Week experience.

The venue’s programming has long leaned toward hip-hop, electronic, indie and other sounds that don’t necessarily fit neatly into one genre.

That makes it a particularly good place to go when you want to hear something different.

CultureMap’s 2024 Free Week recommendations specifically highlighted artists and performances at Empire, including Foxtales and other acts worth checking out.

And that’s the whole point.

Don’t spend both nights seeing the exact same type of band.

Mix it up.

CHEER UP CHARLIES

Then there’s Cheer Up Charlies.

If you’ve never been, Free Week is a great excuse.

The venue has become one of the Red River district’s most recognizable places to catch local bands, DJs and alternative acts.

The outdoor area also gives you a chance to step away from the crowded rooms and get some air.

In the 2024 schedule, Cheer Up Charlies had multiple performances throughout the night, including sets from Batty Jr., Mockjaw, Sammy 6, Redbud and Billy Glitter.

The best strategy is not to obsess over seeing every set from beginning to end.

See what you can.

Move around.

Explore.

STUBB’S: BARBECUE + MUSIC

If there’s one venue that gives you the complete Austin combination, it’s Stubb’s.

Barbecue.

Live music.

Cold drinks.

A historic venue.

And right in the middle of Red River.

You can literally build part of your night around food.

That’s one reason Free Week is so much more than a music event.

You’re spending money in the neighborhood.

You might start with barbecue at Stubb’s.

Then head across the street.

Then grab a drink.

Then see another band.

Then get late-night food.

The entire district benefits from the crowds.

FOOD IS PART OF THE FREE WEEK EXPERIENCE

If you’re doing Free Week correctly, you’re going to get hungry.

Probably multiple times.

And you should use that as an excuse to explore the neighborhood’s food options.

One of the participating venues in 2024 was Vaquero Taquero, giving festivalgoers an easy opportunity to get tacos without leaving the district.

That is exactly what you want.

You don’t need a fancy dinner reservation.

You need something you can eat quickly between bands.

Tacos.

Pizza.

Barbecue.

Whatever works.

Eat.

Then get back out there.

THE BEST WAY TO DO FREE WEEK

Here’s our Baller ATX strategy.

Don’t try to make a minute-by-minute schedule.

You’ll fail.

Instead, pick three or four artists you absolutely want to see.

Put those on your schedule.

Everything else is flexible.

If you discover a great band, stay.

If the room is too crowded, leave.

If someone tells you there’s an amazing set down the street, go.

If you walk past a venue and hear something you like, go inside.

The lack of a ticket makes this possible.

You aren’t losing money by leaving a show.

That’s what makes Free Week so much fun.

GO EARLY

Another tip:

Start earlier than you think you need to.

The biggest mistake people make at multi-venue music festivals is showing up at 10 p.m. and realizing they’ve missed half the night.

Start around dinner.

Eat.

Get your first drink.

Catch an early set.

Then work your way toward the later shows.

You’ll see more music and avoid spending the first half of the evening standing around deciding where to go.

DON’T TRY TO SEE EVERYTHING

This is impossible.

Don’t even try.

The 2024 lineup was packed enough that music fans were already debating which artists to see before the weekend began.

Local Austin discussions were recommending acts including Never, Glasshealer, Other Vessels, Eagle Claw, Prom Queen, Daydream Twins, Magna Carda, Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd.

That’s a pretty good example of the problem.

There are too many choices.

And that’s a good problem to have.

FIND A BAND YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

This is our biggest Free Week rule:

At least one band must be completely new to you.

Don’t spend the entire weekend watching artists you already know.

You’re in Austin.

The city has thousands of musicians.

Free Week is one of the easiest opportunities you’ll get to discover somebody new.

Pick a name that sounds interesting.

Look at the genre.

Go.

Maybe they’re terrible.

Who cares?

You didn’t pay $60 to find out.

Maybe they’re incredible.

Now you’ve found your next favorite Austin band.

That’s the experience.

THE BAR SCENE IS HALF THE FUN

Let’s be honest.

Free Week isn’t just about music.

It’s also an excuse to spend two nights drinking and eating your way through Red River.

That’s why the festival works so well for Austin.

You can see a band at 8.

Grab a beer at 9.

See another band at 10.

Get tacos at 11.

See another band at midnight.

Then find a bar.

And if you still have energy, find another one.

Just remember that the goal is to enjoy the night, not see how quickly you can destroy yourself.

Drink water.

Eat.

Pace yourself.

And absolutely do not drive after drinking.

THE RED RIVER BAR CRAWL

If you’re with friends, make your own Free Week bar crawl.

Start at one venue.

Have one drink.

Walk to the next.

See a band.

Walk again.

Grab food.

Another venue.

Another drink.

Another band.

The beauty is that you don’t need to stay anywhere for three hours.

You’re free to move.

That’s why Red River is such a great neighborhood for this type of festival.

The venues are close together, and the district is designed around nightlife.

WHAT MAKES FREE WEEK SO AUSTIN?

It’s not just that the music is free.

It’s that Free Week represents something Austin has always been good at.

Discovery.

You can walk into a tiny room and hear somebody who may eventually become a big name.

You can see a local band before anybody outside Austin knows who they are.

You can talk to musicians.

You can meet other people who are there for the same reason.

And you can do it without worrying about whether you got your money’s worth.

That is becoming increasingly rare.

THE ECONOMICS OF FREE

Here’s the part that deserves more attention.

Free doesn’t mean the event has no cost.

The musicians are being paid.

The bartenders are working.

The security staff is working.

The sound engineers are working.

The restaurants are feeding thousands of people.

The venues are keeping their doors open.

The Red River Cultural District is putting resources into making the festival happen.

So if you attend, support the ecosystem.

Buy a drink.

Buy food.

Tip.

Donate to the Red River Cultural District if you can.

And come back to these venues throughout the year.

The district doesn’t just need you for Free Week.

It needs you in February.

March.

April.

May.

June.

And every other month.

FREE WEEK IS ALSO ABOUT KEEPING AUSTIN WEIRD

There are plenty of reasons people complain about how much Austin has changed.

Some are legitimate.

Some are inevitable.

But every time you walk down Red River and hear music pouring out of a tiny venue, there is a little reminder of what made Austin special in the first place.

Independent musicians.

Independent venues.

People taking chances.

People trying something weird.

People showing up because they love music.

That’s what Free Week is protecting.

THE BALLER ATX FREE WEEK CHECKLIST

Before you head downtown, here’s the checklist:

✔ Pick three must-see artists

✔ Find at least one band you’ve never heard

✔ Start early

✔ Wear comfortable shoes

✔ Check the set times

✔ Eat before you’re starving

✔ Explore multiple venues

✔ Buy drinks and food locally

✔ Tip your bartenders and musicians

✔ Drink water

✔ Don’t drive after drinking

✔ Have a ride home planned

And most importantly:

Don’t over-plan.

Let the night happen.

TWO NIGHTS THAT CAN TURN INTO A MEMORY

Free Week is one of those Austin traditions that can seem almost too simple.

Free shows.

Red River.

January.

That’s it.

But when you actually experience it, you understand why it has survived for more than two decades.

It’s not about one headliner.

It’s not about one venue.

It’s not about one genre.

It’s about the entire district coming alive at the same time.

Hundreds of musicians.

Dozens of performances.

Restaurants.

Bars.

Friends.

Strangers.

And thousands of people wandering from venue to venue looking for something they haven’t heard before.

That’s Austin.

So don’t spend the first weekend of 2024 sitting at home complaining that there’s nothing to do.

There is plenty to do.

And it won’t cost you anything to get through the door.

Head downtown.

Walk Red River.

Listen.

Eat.

Drink.

Discover.

And support the people who keep Austin’s music scene alive.

Because if we’re lucky, we’ll still be doing the exact same thing twenty years from now.

Free Week.

January 5–6, 2024.

Red River Cultural District.

Free music.

Very Baller.