The 14th Eastside Kings Festival runs Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, around East 12th and Chicon streets in East Austin, with more than a dozen blues, jazz, gospel and zydeco acts a day on five stages that sit a short walk from each other. According to ATX Things' read of the festival's own posted schedule, sets start around 3 p.m. both days, and the last ones at King Bee Lounge run past 9 p.m. The weather helps: the first cool weekend of the fall is forecast, with Saturday topping out near 69°F.
This is a plan for the festival, built from the schedule and site map the organizers posted on eastsidekingsfest.com, plus a few things the sources disagree on. Where they disagree, we say so. We have not been to this year's festival; we have only read what the organizers published.
AI-generated illustration, not a photo of the festival.
Where is the Eastside Kings Festival, and what does it cost?
The festival says it takes place in "Historic East Austin," and its site map puts five stages within a block or so of the East 12th Street and Chicon Street crossing:
| Stage | Address | Indoor or open air |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Stage | 1800 E. 12th St. | Open air |
| Open House / Ticket Booth / Bandero Bar | 1204 Salina St. | Open air |
| Mission Possible Banquet Hall | 1190 Chicon St. | Inside |
| Mission Possible parking lot (food court) | 1819 E. 12th St. | Open air |
| King Bee Lounge | 1906 E. 12th St. | Inside |
Source: Eastside Kings Festival 2026 site map and schedule, read Oct. 15, 2026.
The ticket booth is at 1204 Salina, per the map. On price, the answer is less clean. Visit Austin's listing for the festival says "$30. Each Day, Kids Free," and gives hours of 4 to 8 p.m., but that listing carries only the Oct. 18 date and the posted schedule starts earlier, so treat it as a guide. The festival's own homepage does not state a price that we could read, and its Eventbrite page, which says "Sales end soon," did not show one either. The festival's Facebook page says it is selling Saturday and Sunday wristbands. Plan to confirm the price at the Salina Street booth, and bring a card and some cash in case.
The map also says the food court lot at 1819 E. 12th and its vendor area are "free to the public," with local vendors on Saturday (3 to 6:30 p.m.) and a classic car show on Sunday (3:30 to 6:30 p.m.). You do not need a wristband to browse either.
What is the best way to spend Saturday, Oct. 17?
Most of the music happens at once, so you choose. Here is one route that follows the posted times and never makes you walk more than a couple of blocks:
- 1–2 p.m.: Living Blues Workshop at the George Washington Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina St. This sits before the main gates open. We did not find its price or sign-up rules, so check with the festival. Google lists the museum open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Our earlier piece on the Carver Museum covers the building.
- 3:20 p.m.: Stephen Hull, Orange Stage.
- 4:40 p.m.: Willie Farmer, Mission Possible Banquet Hall (indoors, if the afternoon runs warm).
- 6:10 p.m.: Peaches Staten, Orange Stage, as the light drops.
- 7:40 p.m.: Sean McDonald, King Bee Lounge.
- 9 to 11 p.m.: The festival's Artist Jam at King Bee with Xavier Shannon, Kaz Kazanoff and Young Corn.
The crunch is 6 p.m. Four things start between 6:00 and 6:10 on Saturday: Tomar & The FC's at Salina, Cannonball Red in the banquet hall, Kathy & The Kilowatts in the food court, and Peaches Staten on Orange. If you only get one, pick the one that sounds least like what you have heard before.
Several acts play more than once. Cookie McGee, Willie Farmer and Cannonball Red each appear Saturday and Sunday, so you can skip a clash on one day and catch the same act on the other.
What about Sunday, Oct. 18?
Sunday's late slots are the ones to plan around. Step Rideau & The Zydeco Outlaws close the Orange Stage at 7 p.m. (the festival's Instagram lineup post names them), and Tish Eubanks & The MizzBehavin Band play the food court at 6:15. Inside King Bee, Joe Barr goes on at 6, Peaches Staten at 7:30, and the Mac McIntosh Quartet featuring Ephraim Owens starts at 9.
AI-generated illustration of a classic car lineup, not a photo from the festival.
The classic car show runs 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the food court lot, so it overlaps the best-lit hours. If you want both the cars and a full set, go early: Soul Man Sam opens the Orange Stage at 3:10, and Jake Friel with Brad Stivers is on in the food court at 3:20.
Where do you park, and is it cold?
The sources contradict each other here. Eventbrite's page lists "Free parking" under its highlights. The festival's own site map prints "No Parking" across the 1819 E. 12th St. food court lot, which is the place you might assume is a lot. We could not find an official parking map. Assume you will park on nearby streets, give yourself extra minutes, and respect posted signs and driveways; people live and work here.
On weather, Open-Meteo's model forecast (pulled Oct. 15) has Saturday at about 69°F for a high and 48°F for a low, and Sunday around 74°F and 56°F, both dry. That is a forecast, and the first cold front is due Friday with a 28% rain chance, so look again Saturday morning. Evening sets at King Bee are indoors, but the Orange Stage and the Salina Street stage are open air. Bring a layer.
The posted schedule is an image on the festival's site, not text, and the festival can change set times. Screenshot it, then check @eastsidekingsfest on Instagram for updates on the day.
Who is behind it, and why does it matter?
The Eastside Kings Foundation, a 501(c)(3), runs the festival. Its stated mission is "to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of African American Blues, Jazz, and Gospel Music," and the site map has a donate link. King Bee Lounge is a working bar at 1906 E. 12th St., listed open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on both festival days, according to Google Business information we checked Oct. 15. We have not confirmed whether the late King Bee sets are included in a wristband or a separate entry, so ask at the door.
Quick answers
When is the Eastside Kings Festival 2026? Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, with the first sets around 3 p.m. both days per the posted schedule.
Where is it? East Austin, centered on East 12th and Chicon streets. The ticket booth is at 1204 Salina St.
How much are tickets? Visit Austin lists $30 each day with kids free, but the festival's own pages did not state a price we could read. Confirm at the booth.
Is there free stuff? The vendor area on Saturday and classic car show on Sunday are described as free to the public.
Is it all ages? Eventbrite lists the event as all ages.
Reporting note: this piece rests on the festival's posted schedule, site map and listings. We did not speak with the organizers. If something has changed, we will add a dated correction here.
Tomorrow we're back with something for the weekend. This desk publishes twice a day, mornings and afternoons, on what is actually open and happening in Austin. More at the things to do in Austin hub.
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