Red River Free Week helps bands and venues, raises awareness about overdose deaths
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Red River Cultural District's Free Week returned to downtown Austin this week. The festival offers free concerts from Thursday, Jan. 5 through Saturday, Jan 7.
The group behind Safer Together puts on a concert series each year to help raise awareness about overdose deaths in Travis County. The series also helps local bands and venues during a time that's not typically active and leads to a slump.
More than 100 bands are playing at these 12 music venues:
- Cheer Up Charlies
- Chess Club
- Elysium
- Empire Control Room & Garage
- Flamingo Cantina
- Mala Vida
- Mohawk
- Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
- Swan Dive
- The 13th Floor
- Valhalla
- Vaquero Taquero
Organizers say festival-goers will get discounts on food and drink from nearby places including:
- Hoboken Pie
- Stubbs Bar-B-Q
- Vaquero Taquero
- Shawarma Point
- Pelon's
- Central District Brewing
According to organizers, Free Week started in 2003 at the original Emo’s at Sixth and Red River streets.