Austin event guide
Austin Film Festival Week
The Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference fills downtown theaters with screenings, panels and writers for eight days. Pick your days and we'll show where to stay and a plan with time to write.
By Cameron HergetEvent dates checked against the official source
- Pick your days
- Groups of up to 12
- Oct 29 – Nov 5, 2026
Where to stay for the festival
All Austin staysSuggested plan, day by day
These are suggestions, not a package. AvantStay doesn’t book, sell, or arrange any of these activities. Check hours, tickets, and reservations directly with each place.
Day 1 · Arrive: Downtown & a first screening
Find a writing spot, then a film.
Writing spot · Afternoon
Light-filled reading rooms and a rooftop garden by the creek.
Photo: Mikerussell, CC BY-SA 4.0
Screening · Evening
A 1930s auditorium on UT's campus, one of the festival's screening venues while the Paramount is restored.
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0
Live music · Late
A basement jazz club on Congress Avenue.
Day 2 · Festival: Panels & screenings
A full festival day, then dinner.
Cafe · Morning
Coffee and the 'I love you so much' mural on South Congress.
Event · All day
Panels and screenings across downtown. Check the official schedule.
Restaurant · Dinner
Austin's best-known sushi. Reserve well ahead.
Day 3 · Break: A writer's day off
A view, coffee by the lake, and a cinema classic.
Outdoors · Morning
The classic view over Lake Austin, a short climb up.
Cafe · Late morning
Coffee on the deck over Lake Austin, good for an hour of writing.
Cinema · Evening
Austin's dine-in cinema chain, born here.
Good to know
Getting in
Fly into Austin-Bergstrom (AUS). Arrive a day early to miss the event-day rush.
Badges
Different badges cover the conference and screenings. Check the official site for what's included.
Optional extras
Through AvantStay concierge you can add fridge stocking or a private chef for the group, booked and paid separately.
Frequently asked questions
Close to downtown, where most screenings and panels are. The picks above are AvantStay's closest group stays to downtown.
October 29 – November 5, 2026.
No. It's a film festival as well as a writers conference, with screenings for badge and ticket holders.
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