Since 2009
FREE in Austin
Curated FREE events, resources, and things to do in Austin, TX
FREE Events
FREE Things To Do
Parks & Nature
Libraries & Learning
- Austin Public Library — all branches
21 locations — free yoga, board game clubs, language practice, podcast recording, workshops, art & music software, and story times for kids
- UT Austin PCL — public reading room
- Austin History Center
Community Resources
FREE and low-cost services for Austin residents: food, healthcare, housing, families, and more.
Start Here
Free 24/7 hotline — rent, utilities, food, healthcare, childcare & more. Just dial 2-1-1.
Food
- Central Texas Food Bank
Austin's largest food bank with pantries across the area
- Caritas of Austin
Serves homeless, working poor, and refugees in Travis County
- findhelp.org
Search engine for food pantries near your zip code
Babies & Families
- Austin Diaper Bank
Free diapers, Pull-Ups, wipes & period products via 40+ partner agencies. Call 2-1-1.
- WIC — Women, Infants & Children
Supplemental nutrition for qualifying families
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Free books mailed monthly to children under 5
- Books Beginning at Birth
Free books for young children in Central Texas
Healthcare
- CommUnityCare Health Centers
No patient denied care — income screening for uninsured
- Integral Care
Mental health support and crisis services
- NAMI Central Texas
Free classes and crisis resources for those affected by mental illness
- Crisis Line — 512-472-HELP
Phone, online, and some in-person support
Housing & Utilities
- Front Steps — Housing Stability
One-time help for past-due rent, deposits, and utilities
- City of Austin Rent & Utility Assistance
Call 512-972-5780 for limited funds through Austin Public Health
- Foundation Communities
Affordable housing and financial stability programs
- Affordable Housing Search Tool (AHOST)
Search affordable housing by income level at austintexas.gov
Pets
- Austin Animal Services
Free rabies vaccines, spay/neuter, microchips & pet ID tags
- Emancipet
Low-cost vet clinics across Austin
Seniors
- Austin Senior Services Hub
Healthcare, home repair, food, transportation & activities
- Legal Hotline for Older Adults
1-800-622-2520, Option 3 — Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5pm
Veterans
- Texas Veterans Commission
Benefits, education, employment, mental health & women veterans resources
- Veterans Crisis Line
Call 988, then press 1
Roadside Emergency
- HERO Program — TxDOT
Free roadside assistance on major Austin highways, Mon–Fri 5am–9pm
About this project
15+ years of keeping Austin FREE
FREE in Austin started in 2009 as a simple list — a way to share the best no-cost things to do in a city that was still finding its identity. Austin was smaller then, but the spirit was the same: community, creativity, and the outdoors, all without spending a dime.
Over time, the city has changed dramatically. Prices have gone up. Crowds have grown. But the free things — the trails, the libraries, the community events, the music spilling out of open doors — have endured. This project is a commitment to keeping that knowledge accessible.
Curated by Myria FREE, an Austin local since before the boom.