It’s almost time for the 13th annual East Austin Studio Tour! E.A.S.T. celebrates Austin’s creative community with free, self-guided art events happening over two weekends, Nov. 15-16 & 22-23. Art galleries and various spaces all over east Austin will open up their doors to the public where you can find live music, libations, and tons of great art. You’re invited to see working studios, learn about artists’ tools, techniques, and inspirations, and explore unique exhibition spaces and local businesses. All free!

E.A.S.T. can be a really fun even for the whole family. But with SO many options, we want to help you out by highlighting a few of our top picks.

Special Events & Happenings:

–> Saturday, Nov. 15

Community Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., French Legation Museum
Start the day with a community breakfast on the lawn of the French Legation Museum. Enjoy food & drinks on the beautiful historic grounds. Free and open to everyone!

 “Little East”,  10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Blackshear Elementary Fine Arts Academy
See student artwork from Blackshear Elementary Fine Arts Academy, Oak Springs Elementary, Andrews Elementary, Kealing Middle School, Little Artist/Big Artist, and much more! Stick around for a concert from The Groundwork Music Orchestra at 2 p.m.

Art Making, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Art Therapy Austin
Drop in for some art making from 1-3 p.m., all ages welcome, materials and inspiration provided. Art and Art Therapy are amazing tools for healing individuals, families and communities. Art Therapy Austin offers individual and group art therapy, workshops, trainings and more!

Grand Opening Party, 1-4 p.m., Center for Creative Action
Celebrate the grand opening of the Center for Creative Action. Create a work of art, join in on the drums, act out a character in the photo booth, watch student films in the movie house, or learn a new craft! Free snacks and drinks for kids, teens, and adults.

Where is Your Heart? Wall, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., 612 Calles St.
Where is Your Heart? is a community art project that invites you to contribute imagery, text, objects and more in response to the query. Find tools to use onsite (paint and markers) or bring your own supplies.

–> Sunday, Nov. 16

ImprovED Shakespeare’s Henry IV (Part 1), 5-7 p.m., Carver Museum Boyd Vance Theater
The company of youth players (3rd-8th grade) introduces Shakespeare’s stories to young audiences by incorporating a mix of modern narration with Shakespeare verse with a family-friendly (and much shorter!) version of Henry IV.  *This event will also occur on Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. at the Carver Library and Nov. 23 at 11 a.m. at HOPE Farmers Market.

–> Saturday, Nov. 22

Danger Derby, 7-11 p.m., Blue Genie Art Industries
The Danger Derby is an annual pinewood derby race where ‘art cars’ battle for victory by racing down a two-story hazard course: The track is 20’ tall, 100’ long, runs alongside the Blue Genie Headquarters and is peppered with a myriad of extreme dangers. The first car to make it out ahead after surviving the numerous hazards wins bragging rights on the East Side and one sweet trophy. Click here for more info & to learn how to participate with your own derby car.

–> Sunday, Nov. 23

Backyard Story Night, 7-10 p.m., 2203 Santa Rita St.
Meet up for a night of storytelling and yummy food and drinks. Bring something to share with all your new friends!

–> Both Weekends

Aerial & Circus Fun, Sky Candy
Check out intro classes to aerial skills, performances, a photo booth and much more from Sky Candy. Click here for the full schedule of activities and classes.

Interesting Art Exhibits:

• Making Wooden Creations with Chaos Woods
  Free activities for kids of all ages, such as making wooden creations and playing with blocks from a husband and wife team who build traditional style wooden toys and other crafts.
• Jacob Borshard, Cartooning & Screenprinting
  Cartoonist, screen printer, songwriter and ukulele player, Jacob Borshard, creates art prints from his shed-based screen printing press.
• MakeATX with Mark Puente
  His Dia De Los Muertos inspired series explores the vibrant confidence and crushing doubt that drives the human experience in the modern world. He’ll be playing with lasers, etching and cutting wood and other media based on ink drawings to fabricate colorful pieces.
• Foster Talge
  This artist creates big metal trees. Check out his work.
• Glass Blowing at East Side Glass Studio
  Observe glass blowing and visit the gallery featuring home decor and gifts.
• Chainsaw Sculpting with Griffon Ramsey
  The FORT is an art event space located at 3rd and Chicon which is shared by chainsaw artist Griffon Ramsey, oil painter Leslie Williamson and music and fashion artist J. Logan McFee. Check out thefortatx.com for the FORT’s schedule of events for EAST 2014. There will be plenty of art, music and live chainsaw sculpting!
• Nancy Mims: Leavings
  Nancy Mims debuts a collection of poetic, large-scale photographs on linen and hemp cloth. The pieces are thoughtfully installed in a lush, hidden garden that’s a magical, meandering space that reflects the art works’ mysterious, ephemeral qualities.

But that’s not all! There are so many more to see! Check out our E.A.S.T. guide with more event listings.

Have fun!