First Thursday

First Thursday returns to the Rainey Street Historic District on Thursday, August 6, 2026. It's a long-standing Austin tradition that continues on Rainey, where the neighborhood's restaurants, bars, hotels, and entertainment venues open up to the community. On the first Thursday of every month, the street fills with live music, DJs, local art, food and drink specials, and neighborhood activations.

More than just a night out, the organizers frame it as a chance to explore Rainey as a walkable cultural destination and to discover something new each time you return. The block-wide celebration means you can drift from one spot to another rather than sticking to a single venue, with the music and the art spread across the district. The live music and DJ sets run throughout the evening, and the food and drink specials are offered by the bars and restaurants along the street.

It's a 21+ event, and it's free to attend. The celebration runs from 6 PM until 2 AM, so you can start early with dinner and drinks and stay well into the night. If you've been to Rainey on a typical weekend, this is a different version of the street—the whole neighborhood leaning into the party at once.