First and foremost,
the weekend has already been entirely usurped by the joy that is the Texas Hill Country Wine + Food Festival. I heard Thursday night’s Culinary Masters dinner was exquisite, and tonight’s Stars Across Texas Grand Tasting promises to be the glitziest of the events, held at the Long Center. Among Saturday’s full schedule of events, the marquee is a Rare and Fine Wine Auction at the Four Seasons, and Sunday’s main attraction is the Sunday Fair–a tasting and sampling extravaganza out at the Salt Lick, where chefs get to relax and roll up their sleeves as they interact with fair-goers. A lot of the events are already sold out, but a few tickets remain–check the website for details.
If wine and food isn’t your thing (who are you?!), shopping might hit the spot:
- The Lone Star Ladies host a crafty shopping event downtown complete with cupcakes, massages, facials, and goody bags. Just $8 to shop and pamper yourself!
- The C3 Outfitters host their April Event Saturday & Sunday
Everything* is just $10 bucks–except one $12.50 item. Jeans, tees, hoodies and more are just ten bucks. $5 off for people who follow them on Twitter. Crockett Center, 10601 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78753 (across from Chuy’s)
Or, how about some outdoor music?
- Do512 Spring BBQ: Saturday from 5-9pm @ Do512 HQ (S Lamar) for beer-braised brisket tacos, burgers and dogs (including veggie burgers), other tasty treats, and vodka-soaked watermelon! Drinks provided by Lone Star Beer, Sweet Leaf Tea and Savvy Vodka. Music by DJ Thibault. RSVP Required
$10 Suggested Donation will benefit Groundwork Music Project, providing free music lessons to Austin children who could not otherwise afford them.
- The 12th annual Austin Reggae Festival: 2 days of music, food, arts & crafts and fun at Auditorium Shores, celebrating Bob Marley and supporting the Capital Area Food Bank, an organization that brings food to thousands of Central Texas families each year.
Performers on Saturday, April 18 include:
Channel One (12:30)
Subrosa Union (2:00)
Bandulus (3:30)
Mau Mau Chaplains (5:00)
Grimy Styles (6:30)
The Skatalites (8:00)Performers on Sunday, April 19 include:
The Reddies (12:30)
Don Chani (2:00)
Radio La Chusma (3:30)
Tribal Nation (5:00)
Los Skarnales (6:30)
Wailing Souls (8:00)
For more information visit austinreggaefest.com 
Love Mama Earth?
- I almost forgot that Saturday is Earth Day, but fret not–I remembered in time to post this link: austinearthday.com and to remind you to head downtown tomorrow morning, rain or shine, for a stellar Earth Day celebration. If you hit the Farmer’s Market, I hear Milagro Eggs are the only way to go.
Me?
I’ll be attending a rainy day FREE CrossFit Workout Under The Bridge (UTB) at 8:30am, hopefully playing some MUD FOOTBALL (with any luck!), hitting the new Roaring Fork at the Arboretum’s soft opening, doing Sunday Fair at the Salt Lick, and practicing with Blondes v Brunettes (again, could be Mud Football). Whew! Maybe I can squeeze some shopping in too …