Austin Food & Wine Festival

The Austin Food & Wine Festival is a three-day outdoor festival in the capital of Texas, held at Auditorium Shores, a park on the south bank of Lady Bird Lake, facing the downtown skyline. It is run by C3 Presents, a festival promoter. The organisers promise bites from Central Texas favourites and from chefs across the country, paired with wines, beers and spirits.

Austin Food & Wine Festival 2026

The 2026 festival runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026. Friday is an evening event, Made In Texas, sold on its own ticket. The weekend days have daytime tickets. The 2027 dates had not been published when this page was checked, on 6 October 2026.

Tickets

The ticket page says “No Hidden Fees”. Check the total at checkout. When the page was read (29 September and 6 October 2026), the Made In Texas, Sunday and Weekender tickets were each marked “Selling Fast!” with a waitlist, so check availability before you plan the trip around a given day. You must be at least 21 years of age to attend, the organisers say: the age limit covers the whole festival, not only the bars.

What to eat and drink

• Central Texas cooking. Texas barbecue, with beef brisket at its heart in this part of the state, and Tex-Mex are the local classics: look for Central Texas cooking among the stands.
• Chefs from out of state. The line-up mixes local names with chefs from across the country. The festival’s Talent page lists them.
• Wine, beer and spirits. The organisers pair the food with all three.

Practical tips

• One day or the weekend. The Weekender costs 80 dollars more than a Sunday ticket. The ticket page sets out which days and events each tier covers.
• Bring ID. The age limit is 21.
• Dress for the weather. The festival is outdoors, by the lake: plan for sun, and for a cooler evening on the Friday.
• Getting there. Auditorium Shores is across the river from downtown hotels, a walk over one of the bridges. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is south-east of downtown.

Where to stay and budget

Downtown Austin and the South Congress area, south of the river, are both close to Auditorium Shores. For one person, budget from 200 dollars for a Sunday, 280 dollars for the Weekender, or 185 dollars for the Friday evening, plus accommodation.

Combine with

The same weekend, the Merano WineFestival in Italy runs from 6 to 10 November 2026. A week later, Burgundy holds the Hospices de Beaune wine auction weekend (13 to 15 November 2026). Closer to Texas, New Orleans has food tours all year.